When students return to school Aug. 24, two Milwaukee Catholic school communities will begin the year in new homes — the first new parish Catholic school buildings to open in the city in nearly 60 years.
Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob cuts the ribbon Aug. 11 celebrating the opening of two new Seton Catholic Schools buildings in Milwaukee. (Photo by seancsmithphotos.com)
St. Rafael the Archangel School and Prince of Peace School will each welcome students into a new 40,000-square-foot buildings designed to bring their school communities together on a single campus.
Each building has capacity for 500 students in K4 through eighth grade. Previously, each school operated on two campuses.
“This is an historic day for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Seton Catholic Schools,” Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob said during an Aug. 11 ribbon-cutting ceremony. “These two new parish school buildings will serve as anchors in the community and continue the legacy of Catholic education in Milwaukee for generations to come.”
The buildings include updated technology and HVAC systems, high-speed internet, modern security systems and bright, spacious classrooms. Seton Catholic Schools said the new facilities are intended not simply to replace existing space but to create unified school communities where students can learn and grow together.
The opening represents a $27 million investment by Seton Catholic Schools, made possible through gifts from benefactors.
“Thanks to generous gifts from many benefactors, Seton is investing $27 million to make these school buildings possible, demonstrating a deep commitment to urban Catholic education,” Seton President and CEO Brian Couch said.
The two schools are part of a larger $40 million Seton fundraising campaign aimed at strengthening academic outcomes, revitalizing neighborhoods and building communities.
“These new school buildings stand as a testament to the important and transformative work that Seton Catholic schools is undertaking that allows all students to reach their God-given potential,” Archbishop Grob said.
For students and families, however, the most immediate change will be considerably more tangible: Instead of attending school on separate campuses, students at each school will be together in one building.
That consolidation is intended to provide a more unified educational experience while giving teachers and students facilities equipped for contemporary instruction.
And the work will not end when students walk through the doors Aug. 24.
Phase Two of the projects will turn attention to the outdoor areas at both schools. Plans call for a turf soccer field, exercise track, basketball courts, outdoor
A rendering shows planned Phase Two improvements at St. Rafael the Archangel School. (Submitted photo)
classroom and devotional space.
Renderings of the planned spaces show the school buildings surrounded by areas intended for athletics, recreation, learning and prayer, extending the campuses beyond the classrooms themselves.
Seton is partnering with CG Schmidt on construction and Zimmerman Architectural Studios on the projects. The Concord Group is serving as Seton’s owner’s representative.
The opening of the buildings also represents another step in the growth of Seton Catholic Schools, which was founded in 2015 as an initiative of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Seton currently includes 15 archdiocesan parish elementary schools in the Greater Milwaukee area, serving approximately 3,600 students. Its schools emphasize academics and faith formation, with what the organization describes as Love, Growth and Family as their foundation.
Seton plans to expand to more than 20 schools by 2032.
A rendering of Prince of Peace School shows the Ray and Kay Eckstein Family Campus, named in honor of lead donors Ray and Kay Eckstein. (Submitted photo)
Couch said the organization believes its approach demonstrates what urban Catholic education can accomplish.
“Furthermore, Seton’s transformative model has become a proof point for what is possible in urban Catholic education locally, regionally and nationally,” he said.
For St. Rafael the Archangel and Prince of Peace, that larger vision will become concrete when a new school year begins Aug. 24 — with students, teachers and families entering buildings created specifically for their school communities.
And while those doors will mark the completion of one significant stage of the projects, construction of the outdoor spaces will continue the transformation of the two campuses beyond the start of the school year.
