Catalyst EDU - When is the Best Time for a Student to Begin Catalyst?

Catalyst Academy - Igniting achievement in resilient teens

"We love helping kids. Our staff has decades of experience working with all kinds of teens in a variety of educational and therapeutic settings. Nothing satisfies us more than helping adolescents regain confidence and develop the desire and the academic and social skills they need to step out and take on the world."

-- Ed Porritt, Founder of Catalyst EDU

When is the Best Time for a Student to Begin Catalyst?
Your student could start tomorrow! Catalyst has year-round rolling admissions, because we want to be accessible to you and your teen as quickly as possible when you need us. We don't make you wait until the beginning of a semester or school year to get started. The best time to start is when the student is seriously committed to working hard and doing what is takes to overcome the adversity that has interfered with progress in high school. Catalyst definitely works best for the student who has had some success in high school. Students who have already earned one-third to one-half of the required credits to graduate from high school will be best prepared for a successful Catalyst Education.

Does Catalyst work well for Talented and Gifted Students?
You bet! Many of the techniques that make up the core of our model come directly out of the manuals for teaching talented and gifted students. “Independent study,” “enrichment opportunities,” “in-depth study,” “community-based learning,” “accelerated pace”, and “classes at the university” are all key elements in a Gifted-Talented instructional model and are every-day practices at Catalyst. Since each academic class is designed for an individual student, creating a Gifted-Talented-type class or an accelerated class is “normal” at Catalyst.

Will my Child be Prepared to go on to College after Graduating from Catalyst?
If you’re asking: “Can Catalyst deliver?” the answer is, “Absolutely yes!” This school is modeled directly after Chinook, a successful program that was created by the founder of Catalyst. Chinook graduates went on to schools such as the Metropolitan State College of Denver, Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, the College of Santa Fe, George Washington University, the Vancouver Film School, and the University of Milan in Italy. Some of these graduates received full-ride scholarships, became teachers, or continued on to graduate school. At Catalyst, the true variables are the student’s motivation, innate abilities, limitations and goals? Catalyst is capable of supporting virtually any realistic academic goal that a student sets.

How will Students be Assessed so that I know my Child is Progressing at Catalyst? [Read more ...]