MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — For the first time in nearly 60 years, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is building two new school buildings in the heart of the city’s south side.
“While we make it a building that is welcoming to students, to have any building that has state-of-the-art, modern classrooms for our students, and most importantly, safety features, is super important to our families,” said Elizabeth Aviles, principal of St. Rafael the Archangel School.
Aviles is the principal of St. Rafael the Archangel School on 31st Street, one of the locations where Seton Catholic Schools will break ground this fall.
She says the decision to update their building has been a long time coming.
“Because our building is over 150 years old, it has some maintenance concerns, and so to have the ability to make something new for our families that's going to be long-lasting for future generations would be amazing,” Aviles said.
Watch: Excitement over new K-8 buildings coming to Milwaukee's south side:
Rosio Espinoza’s youngest daughter is in kindergarten at St. Rafael.
“I’m barely getting the hang of this Catholic school. I have three other kids. They all went to bilingual schools, public schools, and so this is a change for me,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza says that is exactly what she is hoping for.
“I’ve been to the North Campus, that's where my daughter is, and the structure of the building is pretty worn down. So, it's nice to hear that they're going to have a brand new building,” Espinoza said.
Both St. Rafael and Prince of Peace, the other school getting a new building, have a large Latino student population.
Susana Roque lives nearby, and her family has been a part of St. Rafael's community for more than 20 years.
She says this announcement could mean even more students can benefit from all the school has to offer.
“Faith is really important, and I feel like this will bring new students to the school, not just from the neighborhood, but from all over the city,” Roque said.
While the new buildings aren't set to open until 2026, parents and teachers say they are already excited and hopeful for the future.
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