Catalyst-Maria School / Maria Kaupas Center

Chicago, IL

St. Casimir Academy/Maria High School (SCA-MHS) had been a century-old beacon of educational excellence on the southwest side of Chicago.  Over 15,000 young women received a Catholic education and were provided a strong foundation to be lifelong learners who could make a difference in the world.

In 2012, Maria High School became Catalyst-Maria School – a Chicago Charter School, serving K-12 boys and girls. Catalyst-Maria continues the legacy of Maria High, providing an excellent, values-based education and developing strong life skills through academics and empowerment, developing self-confidence in students and helping them to achieve their hopes and dreams.

In that same year, the Maria Kaupas Center, housed in the former Maria High School convent, opened its doors, offering Catalyst-Maria students faith-based after-school programming, providing a safe place where “spirituality, community and leadership merge.”

The Maria Kaupas Center also serves as the SCA-MHS Alumnae Association safeguarding the history and tradition of those former academic institutions. The Maria Kaupas Center closed in August 2021.