Two grade schools — Messmer St. Rose and Messmer St. Mary (pictured) — have become the newest members of Seton Catholic Schools. The first day of school for all of Seton Catholic Schools is Monday, Aug. 26. (Submitted photo)
The theme for Seton Catholic Schools’ 2024-25 academic year, inspired by the upcoming Jubilee Year declared by Pope Francis, is “pilgrims of hope.” And there’s no greater sign of that hope than the addition of two schools — and an expected 700 students — to the Seton educational family.
It was announced in January that Messmer St. Rose and Messmer St. Mary, two elementary schools that have been operated by Messmer Catholic Schools for 25 years, would join the 12 other schools in Seton’s system. At the time, representatives of both school systems hailed the integration as mutually beneficial, as Messmer looked to focus its resources on its high school, which serves 600 students and is preparing for its 100th anniversary this year.
Entrusting the schools to the stewardship of Seton was a vote of confidence on Messmer’s part in the school system, which was created in late 2015 as an initiative of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Kristen Foster, Chief Education Officer at Seton Catholic Schools, recalled that Messmer representatives communicated that they had been “watching Seton, seeing that we had established our foundation, seeing that we were doing good things for kids, and they were comfortable transitioning their elementary schools to an organization that will ensure that the Catholic tradition continues.”
“That was really big for Messmer,” said Foster. “It needed to be a place of trust. They are really proud of the legacy that they’ve created with the two Messmer schools, and they should be.”
The transfer of ownership of the schools became official on July 1, and in that time, staff at St. Rose of Lima, located in Merrill Park, and St. Mary of Czestochowa, located in Walker’s Point, have been brought up to speed on all things Seton Catholic Schools, from its mission and Catholic identity to details about human resources and administration. Both schools needed new principals, as the previous principals had decided to move on from their positions before the integration was even announced.
“We spent a lot of time over the summer making sure that the schools were staffed,” said Foster.
As St. Rose and St. Mary families prepare to head back to school Aug. 26 — the start date for all Seton schools — they can expect most things to be the same as last year. Enrollment has held steady, the curriculum will be very similar, and students will be allowed to wear their old uniforms for a year before assimilating with the Seton uniform policy. The school buildings themselves are expected to remain as they are, except for changes in signage.
“Messmer invested a lot of money into those schools, and they’re both very, very nice facilities,” said Foster.
The biggest change for students and families will be that they are a part of a larger network of schools; with the addition of St. Rose of Lima and St. Mary of Czestochowa, as the schools will be known moving forward, Seton’s enrollment will be approximately 3,600, across 14 schools in greater Milwaukee. Students and families will also notice an increased focus on Catholic identity. “A chaplain has been named for both schools, and he will be present in classrooms and around the building, integrating with students and staff within the two elementary schools, in addition to celebrating weekly Mass,” said Foster.
The transition into Seton Catholic Schools also presents an opportunity for the communities of St. Rose of Lima and St. Mary of Czestochowa to be connected with a wider and more diverse cross-section of peers in Catholic education.
“I look at Seton as this really unique space within Milwaukee education — we get to embrace our faith, and that’s very important, but we really see the community as part of what we do, and we touch every side of Milwaukee,” Foster said. “We have schools on the west side of Milwaukee, the east side, the south and north side. The fact that we get to expose children to each other in ways that they wouldn’t have the opportunity to be exposed to one another and celebrate each other’s cultures, each other’s likenesses and differences, and grow with each other — I just think it’s a beautiful thing.”
Preparations are well underway for the start of the school year, and the new principals have been working with their teachers and staff to begin the year on a joyful note. In addition to the excitement for the start of the new year, they also envision a bright future for their students and families.
St. Rose Principal Maggie Beal is looking forward to welcoming students back to school. “This school year, we hope to reignite the foundation of Catholic identity within our school community and prepare our scholars to be successful and responsible members of our community, holding our scholars to high expectations as they are essential for promoting academic excellence, building confidence and resilience, and creating a positive school culture where everyone can thrive,” she said.
Over at St. Mary, Principal Portia Gadson shares that vision. “I see a bright and thriving future where our schools in the Seton network continue to inspire, educate and positively impact every student’s life.”
Looking ahead to the future, Foster said she is excited for the potential to impact the community beyond the walls of the schools.
“We really focus on family engagement and building community, including the community beyond the walls of the school. I hope that St. Rose and St. Mary feel part of the family very quickly. I want them to feel that love,” she said. “I want them to feel as loved by us as they did by Messmer. I want to honor who they are and do the best to make sure that we continue to build community in Milwaukee.”
