Many Catholic schools have 2024 open houses set for January or February as part of National Catholic Schools Week.

ALL SAINTS
4400 22nd Ave., Kenosha, 53140
262-925-4024
allsaintskenosha.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

BURLINGTON CATHOLIC – ST. CHARLES
449 Conkey St., Burlington, 53105
262-763-2848
ourbcs.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, Mass at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. to noon

BURLINGTON CATHOLIC – ST. MARY
222 W. State St., Burlington, 53105
262-763-1515
ourbcs.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, Mass at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. to noon

CATHOLIC EAST
2461 N. Murray Ave., Milwaukee, 53211
2038 N. Bartlett Ave., Milwaukee, 53202
414-964-1770
catholiceast.org
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 3:45 to 5 p.m.

CHRIST CHILD ACADEMY
2722 Henry St., Sheboygan, 53081
920-459-2660
christchildacademy.com
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

CHRIST KING
2646 N. Swan Blvd., Wauwatosa, 53226
414-258-4160
christkingparish.org/school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon

DIVINE MERCY
695 College Ave., South Milwaukee, 53172
414-764-4360
divinemercysmschool.org
Thursday, Feb. 1, 4:30 to 7 p.m.

DIVINE SAVIOR
305 Fredonia Ave., Fredonia, 53021
262-692-2141
dsoll.org/DSCS
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

HOLY ANGELS
230 N. Eighth Ave., West Bend, 53095
262-338-1148
haswb.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

HOLY FAMILY
4849 N. Wildwood Ave., Whitefish Bay, 53217
414-332-8175
hfparishschool.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

HOLY TRINITY
305 Main St., Kewaskum, 53040
262-626-2603
htschool.net
Sunday, Jan. 28, noon to 1 p.m.

HOLYLAND CATHOLIC SCHOOL
N9290 Highway W, Malone, 54935
920-795-4222
holylandcatholicschool.org
Sunday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

JOHN PAUL II ACADEMY
2023 Northwestern Ave., Racine, 53404
262-637-2012
johnpaulacademy.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

LUMEN CHRISTI
11300 N. St. James Lane, Mequon, 53092
262-242-7960
lcsaints.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to noon

MARY QUEEN OF SAINTS
1227 S. 116th St., West Allis
414-476-0751
mqsca.org
Thursday, Feb. 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL
3001 N. 68th St., Milwaukee, 53210
414-442-7600
mgcparish.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

NATIVITY JESUIT
1515 S. 29th St., Milwaukee, 53215
414-645-1060
nativityjesuit.org
Thursday, Feb. 8, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

NORTHWEST CATHOLIC
7140 N. 41st St., Milwaukee, 53209
414-352-6927
nwcschool.org
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 8 to 10 a.m.

OUR LADY OF GRACE
1435 Grove Ave., Racine, 53405
262-833-7100
ologa.org
Thursday, Feb. 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE
2733 W. Euclid Ave., Milwaukee, 53215
414-672-6660
ourladyqueenofpeaceparish.org
Thursday, Feb. 1, 6 to 8 p.m.

PRINCE OF PEACE
1138 S. 25th St., Milwaukee, 53204
414-645-8786
setoncatholicschools.com/prince-of-peace
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 4:30 to 6 p.m.

SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS
W1562 County Road B, Eden, 53019
920-477-3551
soth-school.org
Saturday, Jan. 27, Following 4 p.m. Mass until 6 p.m.

ST. AGNES
12801 W. Fairmount Ave., Butler, 53007
262-781-4996
stagnesparish.org/schoolmp
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

ST. ALPHONSUS
6000 W. Loomis Road, Greendale, 53129
414-421-1760
school.st-alphonsus.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to noon

ST. ANDREW
115 S. Seventh St., Delavan, 53115
262-728-6211
standrews-delavan.org/school
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

ST. ANTHONY ON THE LAKE
W280N2101 Prospect Ave., Pewaukee, 53072
262-691-0460
stanthony.cc/school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ST. BRUNO
246 W. Ottawa St., Dousman, 53118
262-965-2291
stbrunoparish.com/st-bruno-parish-school
Sunday, Jan. 28 (Winter Carnival), 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 1 (Academic Night), 6:30 to 8 p.m.

ST. CATHERINE
2647 N. 51st St., Milwaukee, 53210
414-445-2846
saintcatherine.org
Thursday, Feb. 1, 3 to 5 p.m.

ST. CHARLES
526 Renson Road, Hartland, 53029
262-367-2040
school.stcharleshartland.com
Sunday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m. to noon

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO
3100 W. Parnell, Milwaukee, 53221
414-282-0767
scbmil.org/school-page
Thursday, Feb. 1, 6 to 8 p.m.

ST. DOMINIC
18105 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, 53045
262-783-7565
stdominic.net/school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

ST. EUGENE
7600 N. Port Washington Road, Fox Point, 53217
414-918-1120
steugene.school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ST. FRANCES CABRINI
529 Hawthorn Drive, West Bend, 53095
262-334-7142
school.saintfrancescabrini.com
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon (with pancake breakfast)

ST. FRANCIS BORGIA
1425 Covered Bridge Road, Cedarburg, 53012
262-377-2050
sfbschool.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ST. GABRIEL
1200 St. Gabriel Way, Hubertus, 53033
262-628-1711
sgabriel.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT
3132 S. 63rd St., Milwaukee, 53219
414-321-1350
gregthegreat.org
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
116 Pleasant St., Plymouth, 53073
920-893-5961
sjbplymouth.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
8500 W. Cold Spring Road, Greenfield, 53228
414-321-1965
sje.k12.wi.us
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2 to 4 p.m.

ST. JOHN VIANNEY
17500 W. Gebhardt Road, Brookfield, 53045
262-796-3942
stjohnv.org/school
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 to 11 a.m.

ST. JOHN XXIII
1802 N. Wisconsin St., Port Washington, 53074
262-284-2682
stjohn23rd.school
Saturday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m. (Mass, spaghetti dinner and student talent show to follow)

ST. JOSEPH – BIG BEND
S89W22650 Milwaukee Ave., Big Bend, 53103
262-662-2832
stjoesbb.com/school
Sunday, Feb. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH – GRAFTON
1619 Washington St., Grafton, 53024
262-375-6505
stjosephgrafton.org/school
Thursday, Feb. 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH – RACINE
1525 Erie St., Racine, 53402
262-633-2403
st-joes-school.org
Monday, Feb. 5, 3:15 to 5:15 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH – WAUWATOSA
2750 N. 122nd St., Wauwatosa, 53222
414-771-5577
stjosephschooltosa.com
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACADEMY – LOWER CAMPUS
7207 14th Ave., Kenosha, 53143
262-656-7360
sjcawi.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 1 to 4 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACADEMY – UPPER CAMPUS
2401 69th St., Kenosha, 53143
262-654-8651
sjcawi.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 1 to 4 p.m.

ST. LEONARD
W173S7777 Westwood Drive, Muskego, 53150
262-679-0451
stleonards.org/school
Sunday, Jan. 21, noon to 1:30 p.m.

ST. LUCY
3035 Drexel Ave., Racine, 53403
262-554-1801
stlucysschool.com
Thursday, Feb. 1, 5 to 7 p.m.

ST. MARGARET MARY
3950 N. 92nd St., Milwaukee, 53222
414-463-8760
setoncatholicschools.com/st-margaret-mary
Thursday, Feb. 1, 3:30 to 6 p.m.

ST. MARY – HALES CORNERS
9553 W. Edgerton Ave., Hales Corners, 53130
414-425-3100
stmaryhc.org/school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

ST. MARY – MENOMONEE FALLS
N89W16215 Cleveland Ave., Menomonee Falls, 53051
262-251-1050
stmaryparishschool.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ST. MARY’S VISITATION
13000 Juneau Blvd., Elm Grove, 53122
262-782-7057
stmaryeg.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 8:30 to 11 a.m.

ST. MATTHEW
9329 S. Chicago Road, Oak Creek, 53154
414-762-6820
stmattoc.org
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2:30 to 4 p.m.

ST. MATTHIAS
9300 W. Beloit Road, Milwaukee, 53227
414-321-0894
stmatthias-milw.org/school
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 6 to 7 p.m.

ST. MONICA
5635 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay, 53217
414-420-6246
stmonica.school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon

ST. PETER
206 E. Washington St., Slinger, 53086
262-644-8083
spcsslinger.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, noon to 1:30 p.m.

ST. RITA
4433 Douglas Ave., Racine, 53402
262-639-3333
st-ritasschool.org
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 5 to 7 p.m.

ST. ROBERT
2200 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood, 53211
414-332-1164
strobert.school
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

ST. ROMAN
1810 W. Bolivar Ave., Milwaukee, 53221
414-282-7970
stromanschool.com
Thursday, Feb. 1, 6 to 8 p.m.

ST. SEBASTIAN
1747 N. 54th St., Milwaukee, 53208
414-453-5830
school.saintsebs.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 9 to 11 a.m.

ST. SEBASTIAN STEM ACADEMY
3030 95th St., Sturtevant, 53177
262-425-0009
stsebacademy.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to noon

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
341 E. Norwich St., Milwaukee, 53207
414-744-1214
thomasaquinasacademy.com
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 4 to 6 p.m.

WAUKESHA CATHOLIC – ST. MARY
520 E. Newhall Ave, Waukesha, 53188
262-896-2929
waukeshacatholic.org
Sunday, Feb. 4, 9 to 11 a.m.

WAUKESHA CATHOLIC – ST. WILLIAM
444 N. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha, 53188
262-896-2929
waukeshacatholic.org
Sunday, Jan. 28, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Fourth grade students at St. Frances Cabrini School in West Bend are shown last spring with a knight’s helmet trophy used as reward for good behavior as part of a program funded with a GIFTS grant. (Submitted photo)

2024 Archbishop’s Catholic Schools Dinner
Date: Tuesday, March 5
Time: 4 p.m. Mass with Bishop Jeffrey R. Haines; 5 p.m. cocktail reception; 6 p.m. dinner and program
Location: Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
Purpose: Funds from the Catholic Schools Dinner directly benefit the GIFTS (Grant Initiatives for Today’s Students) program, which allows local schools to fund important projects and programs. In the past five years, more than $1 million has been given in grants.
RSVP Deadline: Feb. 20
More Information: Buy tickets online at archmil.regfox.com/schoolsdinner2024 or contact Paige Rohr at rohrp@archmil.org or 414-769-3451

Catholic identity is something that St. Frances Cabrini School in West Bend has been focusing on more and more in recent years. As Principal William Waech puts it: “As a Catholic school, we’re supposed to be different. We want to make sure there’s Catholicism woven into everything we’re doing.”

So, when Waech and his staff decided to implement a school-wide behavioral management system, they knew that a secular strategy would not adequately address their needs.

Enter GPS — “God’s Positioning System” — St. Frances Cabrini’s very own program for developing “holy habits” in the classroom, in the home and in the hearts of each of its 208 students.

“It’s a form of positive behavior expectations used throughout every area in our school,” explained Cheyanne Broeckel, physical education teacher and athletic director at the school.

Tracy Lehnerz, an English Language Arts teacher at St. Frances Cabrini’s middle school, described it as “a common language throughout the building.”

“It’s a tool to help us create a safe, welcoming, respectful environment for all of our students,” she said. “I can say the same thing to a kindergartener and also an eighth grader, and both understand the expectation.”

GPS was made possible by the school’s 2022 GIFTS Grant from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The GIFTS Grant funded the purchase of the Education in Virtue curriculum created by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, which provided the basis for GPS.

“Our GPS matrix hits on five important virtues, (which) also happen to (form) the acronym of HEART, our school icon,” said Broeckel. Those virtues are humility, self-control, perseverance, responsibility and respect (the “e”, “a” and “t” in the acronym are borrowed from self-control, perseverance and respect). “Our team came up with the wording based on the idea that we should behave and act in certain ways to make our hearts like Christ’s.”

The GPS matrix is posted throughout the school and taught in classrooms according to grade level. Kindergarten teacher Emily Graper said she begins the year by going through the matrix as a whole, and then discussing each specific virtue and what it looks like in practice.

“The students also learn about a saint (who) lived a life of virtue, and we spend the week practicing and reteaching throughout,” she said. “When I witness students practicing the expectation and showing an understanding of the virtue, I reward the class with a GPS slip.”

The classroom matrices “serve as a great visual reminder for students of what is expected of them in all areas of our building,” said Lehnerz. “A quick reference to the classroom matrix is able to get a student ‘back on track’ when they are not meeting behavioral expectations.” Matrices are also sent home to parents.

Broeckel said she finds the GPS behavior expectations especially crucial in her classroom, since it is a physical environment.

“Having my students see the connection between them and then repeating the matrix year after year also creates a special culture in my gym and our school,” she said. “At the start of the year, we discuss what our matrix looks like in the gym. Each day and lesson, I remind students what we are striving for. Sometimes the lesson really challenges our perseverance. The students then know their goal for the day.”

As much as she wants her students to learn physical education skills, it’s those HEART virtues that she puts above everything else, Broeckel said.

“If my kids can be a part of a virtue/character-driven culture, their participation and confidence in sport skills increases and their enjoyment with each other in games increases.”

The virtues and expectations are reviewed and practiced all year, Graper said. “Every Monday during our school assembly, all the GPS tickets are collected and one is picked to win the knight helmet for the week.”

When Waech graduated from college, his uncle gave him a knight’s helmet handcrafted by a blacksmith. St. Frances Cabrini School’s mascot just so happens to be a knight — so he has put his knight’s helmet to a noble purpose as a traveling incentive for the students.

“The kids are all about having that knight helmet in their room,” he said.

In St. Frances Cabrini’s middle school, students in fifth through eighth grade are divided into four “houses” and earn GPS slips for their houses rather than for their classroom. “My seventh graders last year worked particularly hard to earn GPS slips,” said Lehnerz. “I never thought that GPS slips and a knight helmet would motivate seventh graders the way it did. It was quite remarkable. I’ve really noticed students rising to the occasion.”

Elementary and middle school are crucial times to model and instill these virtues, said Waech. It’s an opportunity that educators more and more are missing out on.

“When you look at the world today, there’s clearly a lack of these types of things being taught,” he said. “I think it’s important to immerse the kids in it while they’re here. The whole goal is to look at your eighth-grade graduate and how you want them to act in high school when they’re not under your care anymore.”

“We have an important job as Catholic school teachers. We not only want to make our students into good citizens, but we also want to make them saints,” said Lehnerz. “When we talk about behaviors as tied to virtues, students learn and grow in their faith as well. St. Gregory of Nyssa said, ‘The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.’ What a joy it is to be on that journey with our students.”

Alverno College held its 168th commencement Saturday, Dec. 16, conferring 105 bachelor’s and associate degrees, 165 master’s degrees and 30 doctoral degrees in Pitman Theatre on the campus of the South Side Milwaukee college. (Photos by David Bernacchi)

Katie Kasper, the board President of FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee, spoke to Milwaukee-area Catholic administrators and educators about her group’s mission in November. (Photo by Kristen Kubisiak)

A Catholic education is intended for everyone, but a number of families with children who have disabilities or special needs struggle to find a place in their local parish schools. Over the years, a variety of reasons have been offered to explain this unresolved issue, chiefly that resources are lacking to support diverse student learning needs, as is knowledge about where they might be found.

FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee would like to change that.

FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the inclusion of children with disabilities in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by uniting pastors, principals, families and donors to offer a faith-based education for all Catholic students, starting with those of greatest disability-related need.

“Many schools have the desire, but they don’t have the know-how or the funding,” said Katie Kasper, board President of FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee. “The goal of FIRE is really to gather those things up in one place and make them accessible for school leadership, with the belief that every student deserves Catholic education, and every Catholic family should be able to send all of their kids to Catholic school — children with disabilities learning alongside their siblings and peers.”

Formed in 2022, FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee is an affiliate of the similarly named organization located in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, which has granted Catholic partner schools more than $5 million in support of inclusion over its 25 years of existence.

Kasper, who has six children — including one who is disabled — noted the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has not been without inclusive programs. She pointed to St. Robert in Shorewood and Holy Family in Whitefish Bay as two schools that have established track records as inclusive education leaders, as well as Christ King and Divine Savior Holy Angels High School whose programs are growing.

“There’s no reason that a motivated school couldn’t be given the tools to do this kind of work and make it happen,” she said.

But first, schools have to learn that the tools are available. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee took a step to increase that awareness in November when Catholic school administrators and educators from across the diocese and beyond gathered to learn about ways to fund special education and considerations for programing.

At the meeting, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Ed Foy said that though Catholic schools have a rich history of being champions of marginalized people, children with special needs are one group that is underserved in society, in education and in Catholic schools.

“We are blessed with resources that other Catholic school leaders in other parts of the country wish they had, but too often we are not always taking advantage of those resources at hand,” Foy said. “If we can just raise that knowledge base, that’s a wonderful goal for us.”

Kasper, who was one of several presenters at the meeting, spoke about FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee and the resources her organization offers, including funding and consultative support to assist parishes and schools in providing inclusive education. Consulting services are free and available to all schools within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

“We just opened the grant application period for our next school year,” Kasper said. Annual grants, which are funded entirely by private donors and stay in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, focus on one-to-one classroom support and other critical supplementary aids and services.

In its inaugural year, FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee has already provided support to special education programs in five schools. One of those schools is Christ King in Wauwatosa, led by Principal Grace Urbanski.

“Because of the FIRE Foundation, we have been able to welcome a student with Down syndrome into our K4 class,” Urbanski said. “This student has three older siblings in our school, so we are delighted the whole family can come to school together each day.”

Keeping families together is an important goal for FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee, and Christ King.

“We celebrate the family as the most fundamental building block of society; as much as possible, therefore, we want to keep siblings together in our Catholic school,” Urbanski said. “But it’s important not to romanticize the complexities of special needs — it is extremely expensive to prepare a safe and appropriate Catholic education for traditionally underserved students. The FIRE Foundation blesses Catholic schools by relieving some of the financial burden.”

Although there are many ways to support Catholic education, FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee is the only organization that focuses specifically on the mission of providing a Catholic education to children with disabilities. Kasper is able to tap into a knowledgeable board of directors, which includes longtime St. Robert School Principal Lauren Beckman, who established a successful integrated special needs program at the school that is still thriving today.

The immediate goals for FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee as it begins year two of operation are fairly simple and straightforward: increasing awareness and donations.

“If somebody approaches their pastor and says, ‘I really want my child enrolled in the school this year,’ I want that pastor or that family to know about FIRE Foundation,” Kasper said. “We’re an all-volunteer organization. We run very efficiently. Our goal is to put donations to work directly in the classrooms for the kids that we serve.”

For more information about FIRE Foundation of Milwaukee, visit firemke.org or email Katie Kasper at katiekasper@firemke.org.

Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay, held a sponsorship transition ceremony in November. The school, founded by the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1956, will now be sponsored by Dominican Veritas Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Dominican High School)

The Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa undertook a courageous and difficult task to make sure the schools they sponsor, including Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, will continue as Dominican ministries into the future.

The sisters, who sponsor five schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, joined with four other Dominican congregations in the country to create Dominican Veritas Ministries, a Pontifical Juridic Person that will ensure the schools’ Catholic and Dominican identity will continue into perpetuity.

“The sisters developed a path to allow their mission to continue, even as their numbers decline,” said Leanne Giese, President of Dominican High School. They are following the footsteps of Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, who founded the Sinsinawa Dominicans and also built schools around the country.

“This was a tremendous achievement,” said Kristin Melley, Executive Director of Dominican Veritas Ministries. “They bravely looked the future in the eye and said we care about our ministries.”

The designation of Pontifical Juridic Person allows DVM to be a canonical sponsor of the participating ministries. Obtaining this designation required permission from the Vatican. The process began in 2016, as the congregations contemplated how they could move their missions forward while keeping their Catholic and Dominican identity. On Dec. 8, 2022, the request was approved. A year later, on Nov. 16, Dominican High School had a sponsorship transition ceremony to honor, celebrate and thank the sisters for their forethought and continued support.

Several other PJPs have come from a single congregation or province but this was the first to bring five independent congregations with their own missions and histories together. “They came together to imagine a meaningful response to this moment they all share,” said Melley. The Dominican Sisters of Houston, Adrian, Sinsinawa, Peace and Springfield have formed a new canonical entity in Dominican Veritas Ministries while maintaining their own canonical status. They remain separate civil corporations with their own identities and boards of directors.

As a result, Dominican High School is no longer sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans. “They are our founders, but now our sponsor is Dominican Veritas Ministries,” said Giese. “Dominican (High School) will remain a separate civil corporation and will continue to be governed by our board of directors. Most importantly, there will be no change nor impact on the faith formation and college-preparatory education we provide our students.”

Dominican Veritas Ministries plans a new experience for sponsorship that connects each unique ministry. “A Dominican education can be approached in different ways. The schools are unique but also have much in common,” said Melley. “Now they can collaborate and help each other out in what continues to be a challenging culture. The leaders of the school will be connected and approach challenges with support from one another and a wider community of professionals and Dominican educators.”

Dominican Veritas Ministries will offer ongoing formation for school leadership, including presidents and boards of directors. They will help each school remain distinctively Dominican. They hope to tackle the question: What makes us Catholic and Dominican?

The Dominican order, also called the Order of Preachers, was founded by St. Dominic in 1216 with the mission to proclaim the Gospel to every corner of the world. St. Dominic envisioned a “family at the service of the Church to preach Jesus Christ and his mercy.” The Dominican motto is Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare — to Praise, to Bless, to Preach.

Dominican priest Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli was born in Milan, Italy, and came to America in 1828 at the age of 22. As he traveled the Northwest Territory, he established parishes and religious congregations, including the Dominican Sisters in Sinsinawa, in Grant County. In 1993, he was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II.

As part of their ministry, the Sinsinawa Dominicans sponsor educational institutions based on the five values of truth, justice, community, compassion and partnership. While Dominican High School is no longer officially sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans, these values are still an important part of the school.

“The Sinsinawan values will always be symbolic to Dominican High School, because they will forever be our founding congregation,” said Giese.

Dominican High School began in 1956. “The original plan of excellence created by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa included a college-preparatory curriculum with the perfect combination of academic rigor and high expectations, infused throughout with our Catholic faith and traditions,” said Giese.

Now 67 years later with 335 students, the school in Whitefish Bay continues to offer a rigorous program of study and exemplifies St. Dominic’s vision of a family at the service of the Church. Dominican High School was recently awarded Exemplary Recognition in Mission and Catholic Identity by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Schools.

Susanna Hundt took sixth place at the state girls tennis meet as a freshman at Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee. (Photo by Larry Hanson)

After finishing sixth in singles at the WIAA Division 2 State Tennis Tournament, Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee freshman Susanna Hundt knew exactly where she stood in relation to the five girls who finished ahead of her.

State champion Angela Wang, a sophomore at University School of Milwaukee, will be moving up to Division 1 next season. The other four are seniors.

“It’s definitely more pressure, but I won’t worry about that too much,” said Hundt, who travels from her family’s home in Elm Grove to the school in Menomonee Falls.

More miles were added during the fall season because she was only the player from Chesterton on her co-op team with St. Joan Antida, Milwaukee.

Jeff Mrochinski is the athletic director at St. Joan Antida and serves as the girls tennis coach for the Jaguars. Chesterton Athletic Director Tammy Streitmatter approached Mrochinski, indicating she had a freshman who was interested in tennis and wondering if he would be interested in a co-op arrangement.

“The Hundts were excited about the opportunity from the start and actually saw the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of our program as a positive opportunity for Susanna,” Mrochinski said. “Peter and Ashley Hundt, Susanna’s parents, were incredibly supportive through the whole season. It was startling how smooth the transition was from a social perspective with Susanna and her SJA teammates. I honestly believe our shared Catholic faith and Christian values allowed our players, coaches and families to become a uniquely bonded team.”

She said the St. Joan players accepted her from the start.

“It was honestly really fun,” Hundt said. “They’re very different, but they’re very fun and loud. They’re going to say whatever they think, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“I was slightly worried about being accepted, but it wasn’t a problem at all,” Hundt said.

“I have been blessed as a coach in that Susanna has utilized her God-given talents to model and teach her teammates tennis tactics and skills in order to improve their games too,” Mrochinski said. “The way Susanna has bonded with her teammates has been awesome, and it has worked out as well as me and the rest of the coaching staff could have imagined. One of the most rewarding aspects of the season was to hear Susanna’s teammates screaming and cheering for her at the state tournament to the point they were hoarse at the end of the day.”

Hundt said the atmosphere was so different at the state tournament, with all the cheering and screaming, that it took a full match to get used to it.

Mrochinski has coached high school tennis for 23 years, winning state team titles at Catholic Memorial High School for boys (2021) and girls (2019); he also served as an assistant coach for 10 years at Marquette University High School while the Hilltoppers were collecting seven team championships.

Because Hundt wasn’t a regular on the USTA youth circuit in recent years, she kind of flew under the radar, but Mrochinski had spoken with Scott Carson, the Director of Tennis at Western Racquet Club, last spring. Carson said she was a strong player, so Mrochinski got on the phone, trying to line up opponents that would test Hundt and prepare her for the state tournament.

In her first match of the season, Hundt defeated a two-time state qualifier 6-0, 6-0.

“In one of the last matches of the season, Susanna defeated a 2022 state medalist 6-3, 6-1, which made us all believe she could do something special if she qualified for the state tournament,” Mrochinski said.

Hundt finished the season 23-3, winning three of her five matches at the state tournament.

“Susanna surprised everyone all season since she was not well-known in the high school tennis scene,” Mrochinski said. “I told her now she is ‘on the map,’ and people will start sharing notes on how to play against her. I know Susanna will handle being known very well. Susanna’s toughest match at state was actually her first match, since she was playing in a situation that was new to her with the crowds and the expectations. Susanna played better and stronger with each match after that first-round win, and her confidence grew each day. I think Susanna likes the expectations that will be on her. This may sound funny, but I think it makes it more interesting for her and motivates her to prepare and improve in the off-season.”

Sophomore running back Tommy Novotny had 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns on 38 carries Nov. 17 as Marquette defeated Franklin, 27-10, in the WIAA Division 1 State Football championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. (Photo courtesy of Glen Barkow)

The day before Marquette University High School defeated Franklin, 27-10, to win the WIAA Division 1 state football championship, Fr. Ross Pribyl, S.J., celebrated the school’s Thursday liturgy and gave a homily about dealing with pressure.

However, the following evening, the Hilltoppers played with a fearlessness, physicality and reckless abandon that suggested they didn’t even realize there was any pressure.

To be fair, Marquette (12-2) became just the fourth team in state history to win Division 1 with two or more defeats, using a stout defense, an impressive running game and just enough big plays to cruise to victory past the previously unbeaten Sabers (13-1) on Friday, Nov. 17, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

“In the week prior, nobody was giving us any credit whatsoever, so we just kept to ourselves,” MUHS Coach Keith Klestinski said. “We kept working. We knew all year we had played a physical brand of football and we felt we were going to give them a type of game they hadn’t seen. I don’t think anyone pressured them the way we pressured them, and nobody shut down their all-state running back who was the player of the year like we did.”

Klestinski cited Fr. Pribyl’s homily as one of the major highlights of the week leading up to the game, saying it really fired up his team.

“He really set the tone for us,” Klestinski said, noting the Mass wasn’t mandatory, but every one of his players was in attendance. Fr. Pribyl is Associate Director of Campus Ministry and a teacher at MUHS.

The championship was Marquette’s second as a member of the WIAA and first since 2009.

“It’s just a great group of kids,” Klestinski said. “The senior class this year is just a great group of leaders. They get it. They’re good kids. They do things the right way. They put in the work, and they’re just a great model for the rest of the kids in our program.”

One of the Hilltoppers’ two losses during the season was a 50-21 defeat at the hands of Greater Metro Conference rival Sussex Hamilton. After giving up those 50 points, Marquette pitched three shutouts in a row and gave up just 39 total points over the final eight games.

“If you can answer that question (of how they gave up 50), I want the answer,” Klestinski said. “I think what it did was it really took our kids and focused them, and took them to a new level, just understanding you can’t just walk in and win a game. Even though we have a good team, we’re going to have to work for everything we get this year.”

After going into halftime tied at 10-10, Marquette’s defense left its stamp on the game. The Hilltoppers held Franklin to just 50 yards of total offense after the break.

For the game, Marquette limited Franklin’s Terrance Shelton, the state’s big-school offensive player of the year, to just 24 yards on nine carries while forcing the Sabres to pass an uncharacteristic 37 times.

“I think they wanted to run on us, but I think they found out really early that we were going to be the more physical team,” Klestinski said. “We wanted to win the line of scrimmage. All year our kids have put in the time in the weight room.”

Klestinski noted the team’s dedication to the weight room began in the summer, when his players lifted two hours a day, four days a week and continued through the season, culminating in the team’s last hard lifting session just two days before the championship game.

The Hilltoppers put Franklin quarterback Joey Kallay under extreme pressure the entire game, sacking him six times and recording seven tackles for loss. Mitchell Nigro led the defense with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks.

In addition, senior defensive back Murphy Monreal had four pass breakups and an interception in the second half.

Offensively, Marquette was extremely balanced, rushing for 153 yards and passing for 155.

The offense leaned heavily on sophomore running back Tommy Novotny who, at 5-foot-9, 169 pounds, carried the ball a staggering 38 times for 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns. Novotny’s scores came from 1 (with 3:26 left in the third quarter) and 2 yards (with 10:54 left in the game) away. He also caught two passes for 40 yards.

“He’s got a really strong frame, and he’s just a tough kid,” Klestinski said. “He’s made such a big jump from freshman year to sophomore year. This year, his field vision has just gone off the charts.”

Senior quarterback Peter McDevitt went 11-for-19 passing for 155 yards and opened the scoring with 2:04 left in the first quarter when he hit a streaking Cam Russell in stride down the left sideline for a 44-yard score. Russell had 64 yards on three catches to lead the Hilltoppers, while Thad Hoffman and Peyton Roby-Brown also had three catches.

Members of DSHA’s girls golf team pose with the state championship trophy, the first in school history. (Submitted photo)

When Dave Himm was hired as the girls golf coach at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Athletic Director Peggy Seegers-Braun gave him a tour of the school.

When they stopped in the gymnasium, Himm looked around at all the state championship banners hanging on the wall.

“She said that golf never had one, then she pointed to one empty spot on the wall and said that would be a good place for the first,” Himm said.

On Oct. 10, Himm’s Dashers squad completed their mission to fill that blank space, edging Waunakee by two strokes to win the school’s first state championship at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.

That was part of an impressive fall season by DSHA, which won four state championships (girls golf, volleyball, rugby and tennis doubles), had a runner-up (field hockey) and sent individuals to state in cross country and swimming and diving. All seven of the school’s programs were represented at the state tournaments.

While individually, those teams have had success at one point or another, Seegers-Braun said she can’t remember a season when it all came together for every program in her department at the same time.

“I think DSHA has always been blessed with great student-athletes, and we have a great coaching staff who are able to form meaningful relationships and get the best out of our student-athletes,” Seegers-Braun said. “You can have talented athletes, but unless they are willing to play together and for each other, have everyone on the team embrace their role, and all pull in the same direction, you may not experience the success they are capable of.  We have been working really hard the last few years on the concept of ‘great teams have great teammates’ and what that looks like, as well as ‘Success is a Choice,’ and we are choosing to be successful in all the things that lead to success.”

Girls Golf: Breaking through

In just his second season, Himm took a team that had finished sixth of seven teams in the Greater Metro Conference in 2021 and brought th

After the first day of the state tournament, DSHA and Waunakee were tied for second place at 325 strokes, one stroke behind Westosha Central.

Ava Roesch, who led the Dashers with a two-day total of 76-75—151, finished birdie-par-birdie, going 2-under par for the final three holes.

Rounding out DSHA’s lineup were Zoe Gryniewicz (79-80—159), Kate Krueger (82-80—162), Hannah Strachota (88-81—169) and Emma Bruckman (103-96—199).

“It’s still like a dream,” Himm said. “It’s a fantastic feeling. I told the girls afterwards that they will forever be linked together because of that.”

In 2022, the Dashers had made it to state, but Himm said he thought they were happy to be there after being the first DSHA team to qualify in 11 years.

“We have a group of fantastic girls, and they are incredibly talented,” Himm said. “They work very hard, and they were hungry for more than just being second and getting to state.”

Volleyball: Twice as nice

In the state championship match against Oconomowoc, the Dashers found themselves trailing two sets to one, their hopes of repeating as state champions hanging by a thread.

DSHA took the fourth set and opened up a nice cushion early in the fifth set to claim their second consecutive, defeating the Raccoons 25-14, 20-25, 25-27, 25-22, 15-8. The win left the Dashers with a 48-1 mark for the season, including four wins over Oconomowoc for the year.

“We were able to learn their tendencies and recall strengths of their players to help us prepare for playing them in the state finals,” DSHA Coac

h Caitie Ratkowski said.

The only loss came to Mother McAuley of Chicago, which has won the last two state titles in Illinois, at the Asics Challenge Tournament in Chicago. The Dashers did bounce back in that event to beat eventual Kentucky state champions Assumption in two straight sets.

“I would say our strength was in our experience,” Ratkowski said. “We returned 10 players to our roster from the 2022 state championship team, and seven seniors that led the team this year. We had our strong core of Sophia Wendlick, Madison Quest, Jordan Czajkowski and Olivia Durst return as our starters, and they were our impact players in last year’s state tournament. To have that core of on-court players return, in addition to the experienced senior class returning, that combined for our team’s strength this season.”

Wendlick, a senior who will play at Creighton University next season, was named first-team all-state along with juniors Quest and Czajkowski. Durst, a junior, was second-team all-state.

Quest has committed to play at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Czajkowski at Belmont University and Durst at Michigan State. But first, those three will be looking for a third straight championship in 2024.

Girls Tennis: Complete domination

When senior Molly Jex and sophomore Lizzie Stuckslager won the WIAA Division 1 Girls Tennis doubles championship in 2022, they made

em to the top of the mountain.

it clear they wanted to come back and defend their crown.

At the time, DSHA Coach Melissa Gebhardt said she would have to wait and figure out what was best for the team.

In the end, Jex and Stuckslager easily defended their title, going 22-0, dominating the state tournament and winning the championship match in just 47 minutes, defeating Middleton 6-1, 6-2. In five matches, they lost a total of seven games and had two 6-0, 6-0 victories.

The closest they came all season to losing a set was a 7-6, 6-0 dual meet victory over Brookfield East.

“Lizzie and Molly handled the pressure of being the No. 1 seed and defending their title like the two champions they are,” Gebhardt said. “They went into the tournament confident, and took the experience and knowledge they gained from 2022 and carried it with them into 2023. They were focused and had the ‘eye on the prize.’ They played their game and never let down, and with each round became more and more confident, and raised their level of play so they could achieve their goal of becoming back-to-back state champions.”

Jex, who is looking to play hockey in college, was invited to play in the Junior Admirals program this fall, allowing Stuckslager to occasionally work on her singles game, which is where she might end up playing the next two seasons.

Rugby: Stingy defense

It wasn’t until the state championship that DSHA’s rugby team even allowed a point. However, it wasn’t enough to derail the Dashers’ pursuit of their second consecutive title or 20th in program history, defeating Catholic Memorial 38-7 to finish undefeated at 6-0.

“We have traditionally played good defense; it’s part of our success,” Coach John Klein said. “Our success comes down to our fitness, our hard work, just the way we go about conducting our business on a daily basis.”

The Dashers had a group of eight seniors who were in their third year as starters and another who was in her second.

“The key to our success was our family atmosphere and the experience of our seniors,” Klein said. “We were ready to go right from the start.”

The group’s success may continue in the future, if Klein has assessed his underclassmen correctly, noting he also has a strong corps of sophomores and juniors ready to pick up the torch.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to regroup, and we don’t typically allow ourselves to have a down year,” he said. “The expectation is always to be the best that we can be as a team, and hopefully that’s good enough to reach incredible goals.”

State qualifiers

The Dashers’ field hockey team lost to Arrowhead 3-2 in the state championship match Oct. 21 to finish the season 9-1-1. DSHA had allowed just six goals all season heading into the state tournament, including a 4-3 overtime win over Arrowhead late in the regular season.

In the state cross country meet, sophomore Ava Johnsen finished 23rd with a time of 19:17 over 5 kilometers.

In the swimming and diving state meet, sophomore Kendall Rummel finished sixth in 1-meter diving and senior teammate Allison Brennan was one spot behind. The Dashers’ 200 medley relay team of freshman Jane Johnson, senior Lauren Correa, senior Rose Kachelski and sophomore Maggie Brzezinski was 15th. Johnson finished 19th in the 200 freestyle, 15th in the 500 freestyle. Correa was 15th in the 100 breaststroke. In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Correa, freshman Katie Dean, Johnson and Brzezinski was 17th.

Sometimes all of that success has a snowball effect.

“I also believe that success breeds success and when teams are successful it helps other teams believe they can be successful as well,” Seegers-Braun said. “It is part of our culture and is one of our core values to strive for athletic excellence.  I believe we achieved athletic excellence this fall.”

Players from St. Mary, Hales Corners, celebrate winning the girls Division 1 championship at the Seton Volleyball Tournament. (Photos Courtesy of Glen Barkow)

St. Mary, Hales Corners, defeated St. Charles, Hartland, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18, in the girls Division 1 championship match.

Bruce-Guadalupe/Acosta defeated the co-op team of St. Leonard, Muskego/St. Joseph, Big Bend, by a count of25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23, in the girls Division 2 title match.

St. Dominic defeated its Brookfield neighbors, St. John Vianney, 25-14, 25-20, 25-20, in the boys championship match.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 334 fold the U.S. flag Friday, Nov. 10, at the conclusion of a ceremony honoring veterans at Catholic Central High School, Burlington. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Central High School)

Marna Boyle traced her fingers around her late brother-in-law’s military photos on the wall of Catholic Central High School, Burlington, following the military honors tribute held at the school Friday, Nov. 10.

The school’s Wall of Honor Tribute included more than 60 local veterans, including Fr. Patrick J. Boyle, S.J., who served as a paratrooper and chaplain in the U.S. Army from 1961-75. He achieved the rank of colonel

“He was the most decorated chaplain in history,” said Marna Boyle, who attended the event with her daughter, Ellen Kmecak. “He was so handsome, and we were very proud of him. He also received two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star for his bravery in battle. He taught moral theology at (University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois) for many years. He died at St. Camillus Home in the Jesuit community there last year and his funeral was a year ago today.”

Next to Fr. Boyle’s military photos was Marna’s son, Col. Gerald Boyle, who recently retired from the U.S. Army.

“Because of what is going on now in the Middle East, he is doing a lot of contract work,” said Kmecak, his sister. “I hope he can enjoy his retirement one day soon.”

To honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces, the Catholic Central Military Honors Tribute included the Burlington American Legion Honor Guard and Boy Scout Troop 334. Also taking part was the school choir and band, which performed patriotic music. The audience included family, friends and veterans from Catholic Central families.

Army veteran and CCHS Principal Brian Shimon explained the ceremony was conducted in the manner of a military funeral.

“Veterans are foundational in this city. The center of our city features a beautiful building called Veterans Terrace. If you have been there and seen some of the tributes, many of the names of the people who have given the ultimate sacrifice — their names are carved into the side of that building,” he said. “Today, we can’t let Veterans Day or veterans week go by without honoring their sacrifices and giving our thanks to the people who are sacrificing right now because we have not gotten to a world that is free from turmoil. You just have to look to the Middle East to see that there is a need for peace and a need for freedom.”

Boy Scout and CCHS freshman Max Hazard began with a prayer before he, Skandar Larson, Life Scout and CCHS senior; Noah McCourt, Eagle Scout and CCHS senior; and Nate Robson, Life Scout and CCHS sophomore, provided a history of Veterans Day.

Guest Speaker Mike Olson, VFW Post Commander, described the origins of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

“On Nov. 11, 1921, the remains of the Unknown Soldier were solemnly delivered to the Arlington National Cemetery, which overlooks our nation’s capital. This late, great body was carried about in the same simple carriage that once carried the body of Abraham Lincoln,” Olson said. “The name is known only to God, and he was killed while fighting for his country in the trenches of World War I. On the 11th month of the 11th hour of the 11th night, that soldier was finally laid to rest on his home soil.”

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier serves as a reminder to all Americans that the cost of freedom is great.

“On Veterans Day, we take a moment to honor our veterans — past, present and future — those who served, who are serving and who are preparing to serve the nation in the days ahead,” Olson said. “One can see the handiwork of veterans who have done great things for their country.”

Olson said soldiers in George Washington’s army were leaders in the construction of the nation’s transportation system, including the Erie Canal. Veterans of the Spanish-American War were instrumental in completing the Panama Canal. The military men of World War II vastly expanded the nation’s colleges and universities. Others participated in building America’s freeway system.

“Every day in America, veterans are making significant contributions to our communities. Emergency medicine is enhanced by the experienced, skilled surgeons past and present who learned to save lives in combat support hospitals,” he said. “Our airlines are staffed with thousands of competent pilots who received their wings on active duty. Our police forces and firefighting units are teeming with veterans, and it is not just jobs they bring; they also bring commitment, work ethic, a sense of fair play and willingness to act as a member of the team.”

Those values are the core values of Americans in uniform who continue to refresh American society. Olson added that these great soldiers are committed to their mission and steadfast in their belief that their country and the world will be safer and more prosperous thanks to their efforts.

Following Olson’s talk, the VFW Honor Guard performed a 21-gun salute and Brian Shimon played “Taps.”

Teagan Yonash, Marine Veteran and Troop 334 Scoutmaster, led the Boy Scouts in a flag folding ceremony for a military funeral and explained the meaning of each fold.

Meaning of the 13 folds

1. The first fold of our flag represents life.
2. The second fold signifies our belief in eternal life.
3. The third fold is made in honor and tribute of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace.
4. The fourth fold exemplifies our weaker nature as citizens trusting in God; it is to him we turn for his divine guidance.
5. The fifth fold is an acknowledgment of our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
6. The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
7. The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies.
8. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
9. The ninth fold is an honor to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
10. The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
11. The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
12. The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
13. The last fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”