Messmer Catholic Schools: Support Messmer

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Messmer Catholic Schools

Today, Messmer Catholic Schools serves over 1,500 students at four schools: Messmer High School, Messmer Preparatory Catholic School, and St. Rose and St. Leo. Together these schools provide a unique opportunity for urban families to have their children grow spiritually, academically and socially through a K4 - 12 continuum of education.

Your generosity goes directly to fund scholarships, supplies, extra-curricular activities, field trips, and textbooks for some of the most economically deprived children of Milwaukee. Messmer must raise over $2,100,000 to subsidize the cost of educating over 1,500 students.

1926 - Archbishop Messmer establishes Diocesan High School (now Messmer High School) with 166 students.

1928 - Diocesan High School renamed Messmer High School after Archbishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer.

1940 - Enrollment reaches all-time high with two shifts of classes to accommodate more than 1,400 students and no freshman classes.

1980 - Messmer begins to see a steady decline in student enrollment.

1984 - Archdiocese of Milwaukee announces the closure of Messmer High School and Save Messmer Committee is formed.

1984 - With support from the DeRance Foundation, the Messmer school building is purchased from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

1985 - Messmer High School reopens with 115 students and 16 faculty members and becomes the first independent Catholic school in Milwaukee.

1995 - Messmer High School becomes the first religious school accepted into School Choice program.

1998 - Archbishop officially recognizes Messmer as an independent Catholic school.

1999 - Messmer Catholic Schools is established to oversee Messmer High School and the new Messmer Preparatory Catholic School (formerly St. Mary Czestochowa).

2007 - Messmer Catholic Schools assumes management of St. Rose and St. Leo schools at the request of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.