Schools

New Chapel, Facility Remodel Planned for Catholic Memorial High School

Catholic Memorial High School could be seeing some major changes over the next few years – including the possible construction of a new, larger chapel.

A $10 million capital campaign is underway to support the addition and renovation, as well as tuition support at the high school.

The site plan and architectural review for the chapel are going before the Waukesha Plan Commission at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, but the chapel is just one of the many projects the school is undertaking in the next two years, according to The Very Rev. Paul Hartmann, president of Catholic Memorial High School.

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The upgrades and expansion could allow the school to serve up to 850 students, according to Hartmann. Enrollment averages around 700 students a year, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“Our plans are to remodel and build so as to serve our school's mission to provide the best Catholic education in the region for the 21st century,” Hartmann said. “As part of CMH's Crusading for Excellence Campaign, our facilities plans encompass remodeling of classrooms for a new Innovation Wing based in the Memorial Propel model of education and a full student support model for the Academic Resource Center.

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“We are planning on infrastructure upgrades such as updated restrooms, new windows and lockers, and the installation of school-wide air conditioning. Versatility and safety upgrades will be made to the outdoor physical education and athletic spaces in the valley behind the school.”

If the chapel is approved, it will serve as a memorial for the 29 fallen servicemen honored by the school.

Even if the plans move forward at Wednesday’s meeting, a few more steps have to fall into place before the renovations and expansion are completed in 2016.

“A significant goal of the Crusading for Excellence Campaign is to dedicate more than $2.5 million to the CMH endowment funds so as to expand need-based scholarships and to hold growing cost pressures on general tuition,” Hartmann said. “Depending on the success of the Crusading for Excellence Campaign and the degree of community support, our hope is to begin some initial projects this summer and complete all projects, God willing, by the end of 2016.”


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