MESSMER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS | MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
MESSMERTODAY WINTER 2019
celebrating our diversity Messmer Saint Rose Recognizing 125 Years messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 1
table of contents
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers John S. Scheid Scheid Investment Group, LLC; Retired, PircewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
Kathy-Ann Edwards Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
Patrick J. Byrne
Vice President and CFO, Erica P. John Fund
Directors Hon. David Borowski, MHS '84 Circuit Court Judge, Milwaukee County
Dr. Kathleen Cepelka
Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Dr. Xavier Cole
Vice President of Student Affairs, Marquette University
William Mahler
Chairman, Equity Capital Markets, R.W. Baird
Lisa M. Pendergast
3
Letter from the President Challenges, Progress and Promise
4
Connecting Our Students to Opportunities Partnerships & Pathways to Success
5
Connecting Our Students to Help Trauma-informed Care
6
Messmer Saint Rose Cover Story Mural Reflects Spirit of Integration
8
Alumni Feature: David Kaltenbach ’66 Rooted in Stewardship
9
Messmer Catholic Schools Annual Report
13
Alumni Feature: Pat Koppa ’83 More Than a Good Neighbor—A Partner
14
Faith in Action Campus Minister Guides Students’ Faith Journey
16
Vatican II Award Exemplary Student Recognized
17
Community Partnership Dinner Blessed with Good Friends
18
In Memoriam
Vice President-Treasurer, MGIC
Rev. Warren Sazama, S.J.
Past President, Marquette University High School
Dr. Daniel Schmidt
Retired, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
Keith Stanley
Executive Director, Near West Side Partners
Conrad York
Vice President, QUAD
Emeritus Board William Goldammer, MHS '52 Financial Management Professional
Mikel Holt
Associate Publisher, Milwaukee Community Journal
Alfred H. Mattacotti, MHS '58 President, Milwaukee Plating Company
Jeffrey Monday
Principal, Marquette University High School; Past Principal, Messmer High School
Cover: The mural that hung on the wall of Messmer Saint Rose, painted by 15 of the school's junior high students, was dedicated in March of 1975. Titled Celebration of Cultures, the artwork was designed to depict the friendly diversity of cultures that exists in the Merrill Park neighborhood.
Peter J. Salza, MHS '60 Attorney at Law
2 | Messmer Today
Comments/questions about MESSMERTODAY may be directed to our Advancement Office at advancement@messmerschools.org | 414-264-5440
LETTER FROM the PRESIDENT
CHALLENGES, PROGRESS and PROMISE Hope-filled and true to our mission
Dear Friends,
W
inter in Wisconsin has surely seen its extremes this year. From significant snowfall and the polar vortex freezing everything in its path, to temperatures spiking into the 40s accompanied by rain just days later, we wonder whether we are making any progress toward the promise of spring. We have been through this before, of course, but we are challenged to remain hopeful. So too can the business of educating young people bring extremes, from the jubilation of graduation to the difficulty of working with a family whose child is not performing to their ability. From the return of alumni sharing in their most recent successes, to the challenges of managing the fluctuations in student reading and math scores, our teachers and administrators recommit themselves multiple times each day to stay the course and remain hopeful. We are doing so many things well. We have talented teams of educators who choose to embrace the mission of Messmer Catholic Schools. We have parents and grandparents who believe the Messmer
experience is what is best for the young people with whom they have been entrusted. We have access to growing amounts of data that allows us to be increasingly prescriptive in terms of our teaching, remediating, and counseling. But significant challenges remain. Our students live in the most challenging zip codes in the entire region. Most live below the poverty line and significant numbers of these children have been affected directly or indirectly by trauma of one kind or another. While we make no excuses for our students, we cannot ignore the influences in their lives that may not support learning and discipline. As you read this issue of Messmer Today, please keep our young people in your hearts and minds. Please pray for them as well. The positive stories will you will read about in these pages provides the basis for the hope and faith we need to help our students succeed. Sincerely, Jim Piatt President
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” —Galatians 6:9 messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 3
CONNECTING OUR STUDENTS to opportunities
Partnerships & Pathways to Success
By Elizabeth Jackson, Messmer High School College and Career Transition Coordinator
O
ne of the first activities I ever did as a college counselor was to give students a list of the colleges attended or backgrounds of America’s Fortune 500 CEOs. “Does this list surprise you?” I asked. Usually, it did. Most students envisioned that all successful people shared the same background: education at an elite college. They were surprised to find that people with demonstrated success in business graduated from a diverse group of universities, and some had no formal education at all beyond high school. Of course, this list did not even attempt to capture the diversity of backgrounds among people at the top of other fields: in the arts, medicine, nonprofits, etc. As educators at Messmer, we aim to prepare our graduates for lives of faith and purpose in their colleges, careers, and communities. It is important to expose our students to the wide variety of options that are available to them so that they may find their vocations.
alumni who are putting their Messmer educations to use at City Year, Public Allies, and at Marquette and Norfolk State Universities. I hope students understood that there is not one correct path for everyone, and it is important to make choices that will open up options for them in the future. In order to help connect our students to the opportunities that will help them fulfill their dreams, we have to build partnerships—particularly with local and national employers, universities, and internship programs. This year, we had great success bringing college admissions officers from a variety of universities including University of WisconsinMadison and College of the Holy Cross, to our campus for College Options Night in October. We have also continued to solidify our partnerships with the Milwaukee River Revitalization Foundation, Teens Grow Greens, City Year, Public Allies, Milestones Early Childhood Education Centers, and Building 2 Learn— all of which help provide information, mentoring, and sometimes jobs or internships for our students. If you or your organization would like to explore how to build a connection to Messmer, please feel free to contact me at ejackson@messmerschools.org.
In late January, I did presentations for the freshman and sophomore classes about six possible pathways after Messmer: 2- or 4-year colleges, apprenticeships in the skilled trades, military service, Americorps service, or full-time employment. The highlight of the presentations were videos of recent Messmer
#messmermoment 4 | Messmer Today
Reading is fun! Clifford the Big Red dog surprised students at Messmer Saint Rose to read with them while promoting the importance of daily reading. Literacy improvement is one of the top priorities at both Messmer Saint Rose and Messmer Saint Mary elementary schools.
connecting our students to help
trauma-infoRMed care Trauma Informed Care Training at Messmer Saint Rose and Messmer Saint Mary
A
t Messmer Catholic Schools we believe in meeting the needs of the whole child. In this belief, we find it important to recognize the stories and the history that come with each of our students. We are making a shift at the elementary schools to be trauma-informed because we know that we need to be able to meet the soft skills of our students before being able to reach them academically. Messmer’s two elementary schools have participated in two trainings to help launch this initiative in educating our staff on what it means to be traumainformed and how it will benefit students. It is our hope that with continued professional development we will be better equipped to be meet the growing needs of all our students.
Our training goals include: • Helping teachers understand the “why” behind trauma-informed care • Helping teachers build strategies in supporting the cultivation of strong relationships with students • Helping teachers understand that their self-care is important in order to serve our students.
#messmermoment
Messmer Saint Rose 8th Grade boys basketball team took first place in the Mother of Good Counsel basketball tournament this February. messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 5
THE SUM OF OUR PARTS: MESSMER SAINT ROSE
mural at st. rose reflects a celebration of cultures Messmer Saint Rose celebrates its 125th Anniversary this year
I
n 1979, an article appeared in The Milwaukee Journal that captured one of the unique aspects of the former St. Rose of Lima School. That article was entitled Integration Comes Easy at St. Rose’s and is reprinted below, with some edits for brevity and space. *** A mural (cover photo for this issue of Messmer Today) overlooking the playground shows children of all colors holding hands in a celebration of colors. The painting not only represents the spirit of the students inside the school, but of the neighborhood surrounding it. “The part I love about St. Rose is the variety of students here,” said the school’s principal, Sr. Karen Krall. While integration may have been forced on other schools, St. Rose has integrated naturally, she explained. “The kids know it is special. They know it is unusual to have friends from all different backgrounds.” In her two years as principal, Sr. Karen said she had never heard of a racially motivated fight at the school. “Oh, we have fights,” she said, “but even those are uncommon,” she said.
SAVE THE DATE
Plan to share this special day with us! On Saturday, May 4, 2019, we will host a celebration of 125 years of Messmer Saint Rose Elementary School. A ribbon cutting will be held at 3 pm, Mass will begin at 4 pm, and an informal reception and tours will follow. 6 | Messmer Today
Currently, there are 144 students in the school: 20% of the students at St. Rose are Spanishspeaking, 30% are black, 44% are white, and 6% are from other ethnic backgrounds, Sr. Karen explained. All classes are integrated; there are no particularly high concentrations of minority students in certain classrooms or grade levels. Overall, the student body is 62% Catholic. Few city neighborhoods are as integrated as the Merrill Park area. And the school’s success probably reflects that according to James Conlon, chair of the Parish Council that oversees the school. Both the neighborhood and the school try to show the importance of interacting with different cultures, he said, pointing out that his 9-year old daughter attends the school. “It is in a very real sense a community school. It’s the people in the community who make the school work. Merrill Park is like a small town within a larger city. This is a model that can show that integration can work,” Conlon stressed.
“The unifying element of the teachers is their love for the children,” Sr. Karen said. “The teachers know that this spells hope for the kids.” *** The spirit of diversity that is captured in this article is very much alive at Messmer Saint Rose today. At a time in Milwaukee’s history when the city is at the top of the ‘most segregated’ lists, Messmer is proud of the many ways that diversity is celebrated on all three of its campuses. •
The mural, painted by 15 of the school's junior high students, was dedicated in March of 1975. Titled Celebration of Cultures, the artwork was design to depict the friendly diversity of cultures that exist in the Merrill Park Community. Former Milwaukee Mayer Frank Zeidler spoke at the dedication of the artwork that used to hang on Saint Rose School (see inset photo). It was recently removed from the outside an will be repurposed as individual pieces of art and hung throughout the school at the Saint Rose campus. Above is a composite of the mural, each portion individually photographed. messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 7
ALUMNI FEATURE
Rooted in Stewardship:
David Kaltenbach — Messmer High School Class of 1966
D
ave Kaltenbach’s roots as a Midwesterner and a Messmer Bishop both run deep. His paternal grandfather traveled from Germany through the Saint Lawrence Seaway to settle in Traverse City, Michigan. After the deforestation around Traverse City made the iron ore industry unsustainable, Dave’s grandfather came to Milwaukee to work as a stonemason and also as a janitor at Holy Angels parish.
The Kaltenbach family includes at least two boys who attended Messmer, and a girl who became a School Sister of Notre Dame. Dave’s father, Herbert Kaltenbach, attended Messmer, left to serve in World War II, and obtained his MHS diploma after returning from his military service. One of Dave’s first memories of Messmer was entering the classroom of Sister Immanuel. Her response to Dave’s introduction was, “I hope you are smarter than Herb or your Uncle Bob!” While at Messmer, Dave gained employment at Hagert’s Grocery on 42nd and Good Hope and also for Coca Cola. His father, Herb, worked for Binks Spray Equipment as an Industrial Engineer, and in that role was transferred to Ohio before Dave’s senior year at MHS. Dave lived with his grandfather during his senior year and earned his MHS diploma while continuing his employment in the grocery business. While Dave assumed he would continue his work in Milwaukee, Herb had a different plan. Dave recounts his father showing up at a graduation party making it clear Dave’s plan was not going to happen, and hooking Dave’s Volkswagen to the back of his car. Dad and son were off to Ohio whether the new MHS graduate was on board or not! In Ohio, Dave worked for a time for his father, but soon decided that it would be best to forge his own career. Some coursework in a local community college brought Dave not only some skills, but also his wife Linda—they married in 1969. Dave moved from working as a meat 8 | Messmer Today
cutter to store management at Kroger. During that time, he networked with wholesalers and a local CEO in the grocery business. In the early 1970s, Dave purchased a rundown grocery store in Oberlin, Ohio—which a century earlier was the end of the underground railroad for escaped African American slaves from the South. He rebuilt that IGA store on its same site. In the early 1980’s, Dave added a second store in nearby La Grange, Ohio, which expanded in the 1990s to a shopping center housing other businesses, including restaurants, a bank, and a daycare. Around 2000, the Oberlin store was again remodeled and expanded. During this past decade, Dave sold those stores (one to a former employee), after having bought a tree farm in the mid-90s. In his “retirement,” Dave is caring for hundreds of acres of forestry that is preserving 12,000 trees that include oak, maple, black walnut, white pine, tulip poplar, green ash, and sweet gum. He knows many of these will reach a harvest life long after his time on this earth. Long after he came to Milwaukee due to the deforestation in northern Michigan, Dave speaks of how much he has learned about the ecology of trees, land, and water. When not tending to his land, Dave and Linda enjoy summer time in Michigan. Dave’s life continues to be one of stewardship on many levels. He and Linda support Catholic education around Cleveland, in Michigan, and at his alma mater—Messmer—which has included generous annual support and estate planning. We thank and proudly salute him for his example as a lifelong steward in so many ways. Keep growing Dave! •
OFFICERS John S. Scheid Scheid Investment Group, LLC; Retired, PircewaterhouseCoopers, LLP Kathy-Ann Edwards Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
DIRECTORS Hon. David Borowski, MHS '84 Circuit Court Judge, Milwaukee County Dr. Kathleen Cepelka Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Milwaukee Dr. Xavier Cole Vice President of Student Affairs, Marquette University William Mahler Chairman, Equity Capital Markets, R.W. Baird Lisa M. Pendergast Vice President-Treasurer, MGIC Rev. Warren Sazama, S.J. Past President, Marquette University High School Dr. Daniel Schmidt Retired, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Keith Stanley Executive Director, Near West Side Partners Conrad York Vice President, QUAD EMERITUS BOARD William Goldammer, MHS '52 Financial Management Professional Mikel Holt Associate Publisher, Milwaukee Community Journal Alfred H. Mattacotti, MHS '58 President, Milwaukee Plating Company Jeffrey Monday Principal, Marquette University High School; Past Principal, Messmer High School Peter J. Salza, MHS '60 Attorney at Law
Dear Friends:
W
ith the arrival of 2019 comes both the gratitude of a the year just passed as well as the hope for many good things in the year ahead. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Messmer Catholic Schools, please accept my deepest gratitude for all of the ways you support our students and teachers. Whether you financially support the Messmer mission, offer us your prayers and good wishes, or whether you choose to say a positive word about our work here on Milwaukee’s North side – thank you. Messmer has much to celebrate in its 92nd year of service to Milwaukee. From the thousands of alumni across the county, to the strong presence we have in three distinct neighborhoods, to the nearly 1,500 students we serve each day, Messmer is as unique an educational institution as you will find anywhere in America. It truly is a privilege to serve the Messmer mission as a volunteer member of the Board. The future is bright for our students, but only if people such as yourself not only realize our value, but also invest. While the School Choice program has been a blessing, we cannot operate on voucher income alone. To support our students’ post-secondary options—whether it be college, trade school, the military or employment—we need to insure they are equipped. Your financial support insures that we have the resources necessary to prepare them well. Thank you for your belief in and support of Messmer.
John Scheid Chair, Board of Directors Messmer Catholic Schools
Mission Statement In service to Milwaukee, Messmer Catholic Schools welcomes diverse students in the tradition of the Catholic faith. Called to teach as Jesus did, we develop ethical thinkers and faith-filled learners. Messmer prepares our graduates to succeed in their endeavors and build their communities. messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 9
MESSMER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ANNUAL REPORT
Patrick J. Byrne Vice President and CFO, Erica P. John Fund
Letter from the Board Chair
Messmer Catholic Schools, Inc. Statement of Financial Position As of June 30, 2018
Messmer Catholic Schools, Inc. Statement of Activity July 2017 - June 2018 Total
Total
ASSETS
Support and revenue:
Current Assets Cash
$
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
1,496,003 95,905
Current portion of pledges receivable, net of allowance for doubtful pledges and discount
335,850
Prepaid expenses
159,781 2,087,539
Total current assets
$
Investments
1,622,740
Pledges receivable, net of current portion
509,104
Property held for sale
89,400 2,221,244
Total other assets Property and equipment Land and land improvements
433,858
Building and building improvements
24,883,973
Furniture and equipment
1,905,672
Construction in progress
505,991
Total property and equipment
27,729,494
Less-Accumulated depreciation
(10,199,504)
Property and equipment, net $
12,362,314
Contributions and operating grants
2,435,223
Food service
1,077,345
Transportation
140,738
Fund raising events, net
46,976
Activities relate to education department
122,985
Investment income
68,848
Impairment of property held for sale
Other Assets
TOTAL ASSETS
Student tuition and fees
(52,044)
Supply resales
41,049
Insurance proceeds
5,389
Other
76,543
Total Revenue
16,325,366
Expenditures: Instruction
6,397,908
Pupil support
4,445,003
Federal food programs
967,886
Federal grants
2,847
Central services
1,875,831
Buildings and grounds
2,191,149
Advancement
392,851
17,529,990
Other activities
37,216
21,838,773
Total Expenditures
16,310,691
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
$
14,675
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Current liabilities Current portion of notes payable
$
127,950
Accounts payable
315,412
Accrued payroll and payroll taxes
614,758
Other current liabilities
50,965
Total current liabilities
1,109,085
Notes payable, less current portion
386,518 1,495,603
Total liabilities Net assets Unrestricted net assets
18,225,995
Temporarily restricted net assets
2,027,175
Permanently restricted net assets
90,000 20,343,170
Total net assets TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$
21,838,773
Messmer Catholic Schools, Inc. 2018-2019 Percentage of Functional Expenditures Spending This graph presents three main areas of functional expenditures: Program: for goods and services that fulfill the educational purpose of the school (90.9%) General and Administrative: management of the school, recordkeeping, budgeting, finance and other administrative activities of the school (6.19%) Advancement: fund raising campaigns and events (2.91%) Of every dollar spent at Messmer Catholic Schools, Inc., more than 90 cents is being used to meet the diverse educational needs of our students and prepare them with the academic and cultural competency to succeed in a global society.
10 | Messmer Today
STATE REPORT CARD • This report card notes Messmer Catholic Schools (MCS) as an integrated K-12 system.
November 13th, 2018
FINAL - PUBLIC REPORT - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Messmer Catholic Schools Milwaukee | Private - All Students School Report Card | 2017-18 | Summary
Overall Score
Priority Areas
Student Achievement
School Max Score Score
K-12 K-12 State Max
19.3/50 11.3/50
32.1/50 30.9/50
30.6/100
English Language Arts (ELA) Achievement Mathematics Achievement
70.5
School Growth
61.3/100
66.0/100
Closing Gaps
85.1/100
67.9/100
On-Track and Postsecondary Readiness
80.3/100
85.4/100
English Language Arts (ELA) Growth Mathematics Growth
Meets Expectations
Overall Accountability Ratings
Significantly Exceeds Expectations Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Meets Few Expectations Fails to Meet Expectations
Score
83-100
★★★★★
73-82.9
★★★★☆
63-72.9
★★★☆☆
53-62.9
★★☆☆☆
0-52.9
★☆☆☆☆
School Information
Grades K4-12 School Type Elementary/Secondary School Enrollment 1,633 Percent Open Enrollment Not applicable Percent Choice Enrollment 99.3% 0.1% 5.5% 79.9% 11.1% 0.0% 0.6% 2.8% 2.9% 71.8% 3.1%
38.7/50 22.6/50
English Language Arts (ELA) Achievement Gaps Mathematics Achievement Gaps Graduation Rate Gaps
43.6/50 41.5/50 NA/NA
Graduation Rate Attendance Rate 3rd Grade English Language Arts (ELA) Achievement 8th Grade Mathematics Achievement
NA/NA 75.4/80 3.8/10 1.1/10
Priority Area Weights
33.0/50 33.0/50 17.8/25 17.3/25 32.8/50 NA/NA 73.4/80 6.3/10 5.7/10
Percentage Weight
Student Achievement School Growth Closing Gaps On-Track and Postsecondary Readiness
5.0% 45.0% 25.0% 25.0%
Note: For details about how weights are determined, see weighting calculator: https://oea-dpi.shinyapps.io/overall_weighting_calculator/
Student Engagement Indicators
Total Deductions: 0
Absenteeism Rate (goal <13%) Dropout Rate (goal <6%)
Goal met: no deduction Goal met: no deduction
Test Participation Information
Includes Forward Exam (grades 3-8), ACT (grade 11), and Dynamic Learning Maps (grades 3-8 and 11)
Group
ELA 1Year
ELA 3Year
Math 1- Math 3Year Year
All-Students Rate
99.4%
99.4%
99.4%
99.4%
Lowest Subgroup Rate: EL
98%
95%
100%
97%
^Note: Outlier score fluctuation is noted by ^ when any school or district report card has a 10-point or greater change (up or down) in its Overall Score. This amount of change in a single year is considered an outlier, and may or may not be reflective of actual school/district change in performance. Careful and cautious review of the report card and all supplemental pages is recommended. For assistance in better understanding this report card, contact the Office of Educational Accountability: reportcardhelp@dpi.wi.gov.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction | dpi.wi.gov
Report cards for different types of schools or districts should not be directly compared.
Page
1
• MCS gained 9 points on our score from 2016–17 to the 2017–18 year. • The Wisconsin state report card for schools was first issued in the 2015-2016 school year. Three years of data in the Priority Areas on the right side of the report is needed to calculate an overall score on the left side. • Report card results show that our student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math lags behind the state average as shown in the priority area labeled Student Achievement. • The report card also shows we outpace the state in ELA under School Growth. We also outpaced the state average in ELA and Math under the Closing Gaps priority area. • School Growth is defined as the school's impact on student learning resulting in higher than predicted growth.
St. Rose Campaign Results to date
M
essmer Saint Rose Elementary School is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its founding in 1893. The former St. Rose of Lima parish school remains a vibrant center point in the Merrill Park neighborhood on Milwaukee’s near west side. Today, more than 400 students are enrolled in grades K4-8 in a building that has just seen four years worth of improvements. To date, nearly $5.8 million has been raised for building improvements that addressed security, accessibility, and provides for year-round teaching and learning. An additional $800,000 remains to be raised. The school has a strong collaborative relationship with both St. Rose and St. Michael parishes, is an active neighbor in Merrill Park, and is a member of the Near West Side Partners organization.
High School Student Productivity Center Planning Moves Ahead
P
lans are underway at Messmer High School to create a new teaching/learning space in the space that formerly housed the 1926 swimming pool. The iconic pool, one that holds many memories for alumni, has been retired. In its place, a Student Productivity Center will be built once funding is secured. A formal feasibility study has just been completed in which several dozen donors were interviewed regarding the likelihood of them making such a project a priority for their charitable giving. Plans continue to move forward for the Center, a space that will allow our growing STEM and trades curriculum/program to expand from the various temporary spaces they are now using throughout the building. Over four years, student interest has grown, enrollment has increased from 30 to 170 students, and overall, the academic performance of the students— across the curriculum—has improved significantly. Stay tuned for more information in the months ahead.
NEW STEM / TRADES LAB
messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 11
MESSMER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ANNUAL REPORT
Race/Ethnicity American Indian or Alaskan Native Asian Black or African American Hispanic/Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White Two or More Races Student Groups Students with Disabilities Economically Disadvantaged English Learners
63.0/100
THANK YOU T
he following individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations have each made gifts of $1,000 or more to Messmer Catholic Schools in calendar year 2018. The sacrificial nature of these gifts makes these donors especially worthy of our recognition and gratitude. We thank them and we humbly encourage them to continue to partner with us in the stewardship of the Messmer mission in our community.
All donors are important to the students and teachers in our three schools. Our complete list of 2018 donors can be found on our website at www.messmerschools.org. INDIVIDUALS
Ms. Mary Jo Anzia Mr. Ronald V. Anzia Mr. George P. Archibald Mr. Frank A. Aukofer 1953 Mr. Thomas J. Berghammer Mr. N. Thomas Berry 1950 Mr. John D. Bonney Mr. Juergen M. Bruckner 1961 Mr. David Buechel Ms. Elaine Burke Mrs. Elsa Burke 1951 Ms. Joanne Conrad Estate of Mary C. Corcoran 1948 Mr. Daniel Cummings Dr. John E. Curran Mrs. Mary L. Davis Mrs. Kathryn M. Debnar 1961 Mr. Luca DeFlorentiis Mr. Louis A. DeMers 1949 Mr. Ernest J. Desautels Mr. James M. Doyle 1967 Mr. Thomas E. Dyer Mr. James C. Fleming Mrs. Anne K. Fleming 1977 Mrs. Tammey Fletcher Mr. Louis G. Friedrichs Mrs. Elfriede J. Gallun Mr. John P. Gehl 1956 Mr. Michael Giffhorn Mrs. Joyce L. Griepentrog 1949 Mrs. Barbara J. Haessly 1950 Mrs. Mary E. Henke Mrs. Estate of Frank and Eleanor Heritsch Ms. Rose Marie Hoffmann 1962 Mrs. Virginia Horning 1958 Mr. Kevin J. Howley Mr Richard Jochem Rev. Joseph Juknialis Mrs. Margaret A. Kaczmarek 1970 Mr. David H. Kaltenbach 1966 Mrs. Ellen Kass 1964 Mr. Thomas Kegel Mr. Thomas J. Kiely Rev. Timothy Kitzke Mr. Gale Klappa
12 | Messmer Today
Mr. Dennis J. Klisch 1961 Ms. Emily A. Koplin Ms. Mary A. Krohn 1956 Ms. Mary Lacy Mr. Glenn E. Langer Mr. Brian G. Lanser Estate of Marcelena Lemanski Mr. John L. Linnemanstons 1950 Mr. William J. Listwan Mr. David A. Lueck 1971 Mr. James E. Lyons Mr. William W. Mahler Mr. Alfred H. Mattacotti 1958 Mr. Hugh S. McManus Mrs. Carolyn F. Megal Mr. Paul W. Meyer Mr. Thomas C. Mielcarek 1961 Mr. Michael F. Munson 1962 Mr. Harlan J. Murray 1942 Mr. Philip G. Neary 1974 Mr. James A. Nelson Mrs. Lynn M. Obermeier-Fasi 1980 Mrs. Laurie A. Ocepek 1966 Mr. Thomas Ognar Ms. Jeanne O'Keane 1968 Mr. Bernard F. Osterkorn 1958 Ms. Barbara A. Ostrowski 1960 Estate of Loyola M. Pawlowski 1950 Ms. Lora M. Pecor Mr. James G. Piatt Mr. John D. Piatt Sr. Richard R. Pieper Mrs. Judith M. Plute 1963 Mr. Henry R. Posnanski 1941 Mr. Angelo Provenza Mr. Stephen P. Przybylowski 1971 Mr. John R. Raitt Mr. Thomas P. Rauen 1955 Mr. William H. Risch 1955 Mr. William H. Roche Dr. Thomas R. Roth 1969 Mr. Thomas J. Saeger Mr. George Schaefer Mr. John S. Scheid Mr. Michael H. Schinzer Mr. Paul J. Schmidt 1957 Dr. Daniel Schmidt
Mrs. Judith R. Schmidt 1958 Mr. James M. Schneider 1970 Mr. Thomas F. Schramka 1955 Mr. John M. Schueller 1965 Mrs. Therese R. Schulist 1967 Mr. Richard E. Schumaker Mr. Thomas M. Schumann 1961 Mrs. Anne M. Sherman Mr. Thomas Sowell Mr. Scott P. Stanek Mr. Craig Steffes Ms. Josephine A. Steinberg 1971 Mrs. Jean E. Steinhafel 1946 Mr. Earl G. Stintzi 1947 Mrs. Lois A. Stolz Mr. Aaron L. Strand Rev. Robert Streveler Mrs. Kathleen C. Strittmatter 1958 Rev. Thomas M. Suriano Mrs. Nora G. Taranowski Mr. David V. Uihlein, Jr. Mrs. Mary L. Urlakis 1953 Mr. Edward L. Vander Grinten 1961 Mr. Frank J. Wintersberger 1954 Mr. James R. Witherow 1956 Mr. Conrad York Mrs. Judith J. Zetting Mr. Joseph Ziino
CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS A.O. Smith Foundation Aileen Ryan Scholarship Trust American Endowment Foundation Badger Meter Foundation, Inc. Robert W. Baird & Co. Foundation Joseph & Catherine Bennett Family Foundation Betty Brinn Children's Museum BMO Harris Bank Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Catholic Financial Life CG Schmidt, Inc. Christ Child Society Inc. Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc. Erica P. John Fund
Emil Ewald Family Foundation, Inc. Forrer Business Interiors Gesu Parish Goldammer Family Foundation, Inc. Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Inc. Edwin Gross Revocable Trust Lakeview Foundation, Inc. Lawlis Family Fund c/o Greater Milwaukee Foundation Legacy Capital Partners Malik Communications, Inc. Marquette University Marsh & McLennan Agency Metalcraft of Mayville, Inc. MGIC Modern Home Products New Berlin Hills New Threads of Hope Northwestern Mutual Foundation Our Sunday Visitor Outsource America, Inc. PAVE + Schools That Can Milwaukee Price Foundation PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Priebe Family Foundation, Inc. Professional Communication Systems Puelicher Foundation, Inc. Reinhart, Boerner & Van Deuren Sasafrasnet, LLC School Sisters of Notre Dame Schramka Funeral Home Sensient Technologies Foundation Sinsinawa Domincans, Inc. R.A. Stevens Family Foundation St. Mary's Congregation Three Holy Women Congregation Todd Wehr Foundation Trinity Home Group, LLC United Way of Greater Milwaukee WE Energies Foundation Weiss Family Foundation Windhover Foundation, Inc.
ALUMNI FEATURE
MORE THAN A GOOD NEIGHBOR–A PARTNER
Alumnus Pat Koppa, ’83, provides transformational gift to Messmer High School
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fter being named President at Forrer Business Interiors earlier this year, Pat Koppa, Messmer High School Class of 1983, made reconnecting with his Alma Mater one of his top priorities. One of the unique opportunities that presented itself to Pat was the fact that Forrer is located less than a mile from Messmer, making it that much easier to make a connection and forge a partnership.
to be the fortunate recipients of this incredible gift – valued at $25,000 – and one that would immediately impact students and teachers and the environment in which they are learning and teaching. And so it came to pass on an afternoon last fall when the school building was empty (due to the annual Catholic school teacher’s convention), a bus filled with unsuspecting Forrer employees and several trucks full of classroom furniture pulled up to the high school. The employees only knew it was a service day – they did not know where it was happening. Upon their arrival in the building, the eager (but still clueless) Forrer team learned what they were to do over the following two hours. A wave of emotion washed over them as they grasped what their employer—and what they themselves—would be doing that afternoon. Literally, they were helping their neighbor; a neighbor that they knew was there, but one they had never met. Pat Koppa said, “When my team approached me with the concept of transforming a classroom space in just two hours, I immediately thought of Messmer. Sure, I attended the school and I wanted to have an impact on my alma mater. But I was eager to share my pride in what Messmer is doing on Milwaukee’s north side.”
A man of faith, Pat was not certain in what ways he was being called to reengage with his high school, but he knew he wanted to get involved in some way. Busy getting to know his new work colleagues, Pat spent the first several months fully immersed in learning a new company. And then one day the phone rang—Pat Koppa was calling Lisamarie Arnold, the Director of Admissions and Community Relations at Messmer. He ‘had an idea,’ he told her.
“The school’s mission is different than the one it had in the 1970s and 1980s. The city has changed,” Koppa said. “The needs of the 53206 zip code are well documented and Messmer remains committed to providing a quality education in a disciplined learning environment. They have earned our support. We couldn’t be happier to call ourselves a Messmer partner.” •
That idea was shared and soon, the Messmer administration was presented with something just short of unbelievable—a full classroom of new desks, shelves, cabinets, furniture, and new white boards. All of these items would be delivered and installed by his employees during an afternoon following a retreat/team-building day. Messmer had been chosen by Pat and his team messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 13
NEWS FROM OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Messmer Saint Mary and Messmer Saint Rose Students are busy learning, growing and having fun
You Can Count on It
At both elementary schools, a new Math curriculum was implemented for grades K-5th this school year. The curriculum, Zearn, delivers personalized lessons daily, in addition to teacher-delivered instruction. The digital lessons allow students to work at their own pace and also receive targeted practice on skills in need of improvement. During this first year of implementation, students are learning how to use the online platform, catch-up on past learning gaps, and also master their current grade-level curriculum. This can be a challenging task! In order to help students keep up with the fast-paced curriculum, the afterschool Zearn Club was created. Zearn Club runs once per week at each elementary school and serves students in first through fifth grade. Students are invited to participate based on teacher recommendation. During Zearn club, students meet in the computer lab where they have a small snack and then have extra time on the Zearn digital lessons in a safe and welcoming environment. As students progress through lessons, they learn grade-level content as well as strategies that will help them complete digital lessons in their daily class work as well as at future grade levels.
Celebrating our Growth
At the end of each trimester, parents and families are invited to come into our school buildings and visit their child’s classroom at both Messmer Saint Rose and Messmer Saint Mary. Classes prepare presentations and activities to highlight what they have been learning in the classroom. Together, our young people are affirmed as they share their success in front of peers and together our community celebrates progress.
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Catholic Financial Life Prayer Service
On December 14th volunteers from Catholic Financial Life helped lead the prayer services at both grade schools again this year. Pictured here is the 4th grade class at Messmer Saint Mary. Â The students and staff always appreciate their generosity and the cookies, backpacks, and prayer cards they share. This tradition began many years ago and we are very grateful for the friendship of Catholic Financial Life and its enthusiastic volunteers.
Christmas in our Schools
At both Messmer Saint Rose and Messmer Saint Mary, our K4/K5 students prepared a Christmas Program for their families where they performed Christmas songs and then enjoyed breakfast with Santa! During Breakfast with Santa, students were able to talk to Santa, receive a book and have their photo taken. This was surely a highlight for our the smallest people in our buildings!
Messmer saint mary | messmer saint rose
Intergenerational Reading Program
Through SHARP Literacy, a 5th grade class at Messmer Saint Mary has been traveling to the Sarah Chudnow Center bi-weekly to share in fellowship and reading with the senior residents. They were recently featured in the Ozaukee News Graphic newspaper:
Donuts with Dad
Our schools again hosted a ‘Donuts with Dad’ event. Male role models in our students’ lives were invited to come in to eat breakfast with their students! Both schools had a great turn out! Editor’s note: there are also ‘Muffins with Mom’ events that have a similar focus and energy for the girls and their female role models.
Marquette University Peace Works Program
Thanks to the success of our early collaboration, as well as new funding sources, the 5th and 6th grade classes at both of our elementary schools are again working with the Marquette Center for Peacemaking. This is a yearlong engagement – a leadership, personal growth, and peacebuilding program to increase students’ capacity to live out their faith in their families and in their communities. In December, the program included a family connection where students took home Christmas cookies, frosting, and sprinkles to decorate with their family. Funding for this program has come from several Milwaukee area families including the Henke Family Foundation and the Weiss Family Foundation, as well as the Catholic Community Foundation. •
#messmermoment
For the fourth year, Messmer partnered with the Milwaukee Police, Fire, and Sheriff departments in hosting a Neighborhood Thanksgiving Dinner for our friends in the Harambee, Riverwest, and Merrill Park neighborhoods. More than 250 meals were prepared by the very generous Wild Planet Hospitality Group.
messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 15
faith in action
HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS MINISTER IS CALLED TO LEAD
Laura Hancock, Messmer High School campus minister (far left) is shown above in Montgomery, Alabama, while on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage where they visited the new Legacy Museum.
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aura Hancock's faith has navigated her to her calling as campus minister at Messmer High School. She is now in her seventh year at Messmer, having started out as a theology teacher for two years and serving in her current role these most recent five. It is important to her that she could work and minister in a place where she can serve, integrate her faith and be a positive presence of love and faith in young peoples’ lives during this developmentally rich time in their lives. She does this in a variety of ways. “I support the mission of MCS by engaging in the faith formation
of the students, providing opportunities outside of the classroom for students to engage in a variety of prayer forms, retreat, service opportunities, and leadership development,” she said. Part of the faith journey for students includes an annual retreat for each grade level. Laura said they are designed so that students have the opportunity to experience faith development outside the classroom, growing in knowledge of self, God, and others, while building community with their classmates. The freshmen build community and learn principles of leadership and small group work. The sophomores explore healthy relationships in all their variety. Juniors challenge themselves to overcome fear and support one-another while doing high and low ropes courses at Camp Minikani. Our seniors overnight at the Camp, reflecting on their years at Messmer, how they’ve grown, and what the Messmer community means to them. “This retreat is deeply rooted in Messmer tradition,” she said. There are many other opportunities for students to live their faith through service to others that will be shared in future Faith in Action columns. •
STUDENT RECEIVES VATICAN II AWARD K
arina Cortes, who will graduate from Messmer High School this year, was honored with the a Vatican II award by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. She was nominated by Fr. Jerry Herda (Vicar General of Clergy) because he was so impressed with her while on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage together in 2018. The Award was conferred at a ceremony at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on November 6, 2018. The Vatican II awards were established in 1991 to honor men, women and young adults who exemplify the Catholic Church’s vision set forth in the Second Vatican Council. •
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community partnership dinner
BLESSED WITH GOOD FRIENDS Honoring community leaders
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t this year’s Community Partnership Dinner (formerly Portraits In Leadership) we honored four individuals who have not only been instrumental in supporting Messmer, but in leading and building our city: Vincent Lyles, Charlie Uihlein, and Ulice Payne and Carmella Garza Payne. Portia Young, Sargento Cheese executive, graciously emceed the evening at the Wisconsin Club as we celebrated our community leaders and shared the mission and vision of Messmer with more than 250 guests. Under the leadership of our event co-chairs, Tricia and Bill Mahler, we filled the room with generous friends that helped us gross slightly more than $100,000 to support the 1,500 children who attend Messmer Catholic Schools. The Messmer Community Partnership Dinner was enhanced by the generous support of our Vision Sponsors: CG Schmidt, Robert W. Baird, Tricia and Bill Mahler, and Julia and David and Uihlein. •
Editor’s note: Messmer President Jim Piatt was sporting a Milwaukee Brewer’s baseball cap because the team was playing in the NLDS. Go Brewers!
messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 17
in memoriam 1930 S Joseph Graw ’33 on August 29, 2018 Erwin La Croix ‘ 38 on December 4, 2018 Elaine Schreiber (nee Heck) ’39 on November 21, 2018
Alice Zinky ’46 (nee DeBuhr) on September 9, 2018 Frank Brhely ’46 on December 22, 2018 William Murray ’47 on August 22, 2018
rest in peace MESSMER EXTENDS ITS CONDOLENCES TO THOSE GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE.
Esther Pehoski (nee Singer) ’47 on October 15, 2018
1950 s
Virginia Wehse (nee Kornely) ’39 on December 4, 2018
George Baumann ’48 on June 21, 2018
Charlotte Cronce (nee Pallister) ’50 on June 30, 2018
1940 s
Mary Gutschow (nee Schmaus) ‘48 on December 24, 2018
Caroline M. Hollenstein (nee Baumgartner) ’50 on November 21, 2018
Agnes Fritsch (nee Braunreiter) ’40 on August 20, 2018 Madeline Hegedus (nee Niss) ’42 on June 28, 2018 Peter Brown ’43 on October 12, 2018 John Longdin ’43 on September 18, 2018 Dolores Schmerbauch (nee Strelka) ’43 on June 14, 2018 Werner Schurman ’44 on June 17, 2018 LaVerne Vergiels ’44 (nee Schultz) on August 29, 2018 Robert Paquette ‘ 44 on November 29, 2018 Robert Buntrock ’45 on June 20, 2018 Shirley A Ryan ’45 (nee Hutt) on April, 2018 William Feess ’45 on May 17, 2018 Loretta Shecterle, ’45 on August 6, 2018 Roy Binder, ’46 on September 22, 2018 Eugene Perlewitz ’46 on June 19, 2018
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Shirley Marcetich (nee Dedinas) ’48 on July 8, 2018 Mildred Puechner ’48 on September 12, 2018 Marilyn Stenzel (nee Schneck) ’48 on July 31, 2018 Jane Strenski (nee Wambach) ’48 on July 20, 2018 Mary Ann Zauner (nee Benson) ’49 on January 6, 2018 Dolores Gaveras (nee Reuter) ‘49 on November 19, 2018 Lorraine Felske (nee Hackert) ’49 on August 9, 2018 Elizabeth Gaffney (nee Dundon) ’49 on June 15, 2018 Joyce Gill (nee Butler) ’49 on September 12, 2018 Joan Miller (nee Haines) ’49 on August 21, 2018 Richard Vogl ’49 on August 7, 2018 Elizabeth Tilk (nee Spalda) ‘49 on November 27, 2018 Eugenia Dries ’49 on December 14, 2018
Mary Ann Kowalski ‘50 on October, 2018 Joan Drake (nee Gilman) ’50 on July 23, 2018 Nancy Goebel (nee Dathe) ’50 on August 7, 2018 Susanne Smaglick (nee Koehler) ’50 on September 20, 2018 Barbara Braham (nee Kloes) ’50 on December 10, 2018 Marilyn Chiappetti ’50 on December 21, 2018 Richard Dobschuetz ’51 on June 27, 2018 Conrad Weinlein ’51 on August 14, 2018 Elizabeth Boswein (nee Blong) ’51 on December 6, 2018 George Kamrath ‘51 on January 11, 2018 Ronald Ebly ’52 on September 4, 2018 Howard Campbell ’53 on May 27, 2018 Edwin Czarnecki ’53 on September 7, 2018 Donald Gilbert ’53, October 1, 2018
Donald Guzzonato ’53 on August 2, 2018 Hoerig, Marvin ’53 on August 31, 2018 Thomas Mayer ’53 on November 30, 2018 Otto Timm ’53 on December 16, 2018 Warren Markus ’54 on July 6, 2018 Tom Bahringer ’55 on May 28, 2017 Kay Frederick ’55 on December, 2018 Judith Rappette ’55 on November 18, 2018 Betty Demshar (nee Albenberger) ’55 on June 18, 2018 Nancy Loepfe (nee Hanrahan) ’55 on August 10, 2018 Lois Spredemann (nee Schueller) ’55 on July 15, 2018 Rosemary Ulicki ’55 on August 23, 2018 Joan Heder (nee Klainot) ’55 on December 12, 2018 Vincent Catteruccia ’56 on September 28, 2018 Robert Jung ’56 on September 27, 2018 Geraldine Kudlewski (nee Bugalski) ‘56 on December 24, 2018
Thomas Schmidt ’56 on September 1, 2018
Karen Estrada (nee Brinkman) ’62 on April 15, 2018
Richard Herrmann ’57 on September 10, 2018
Robert Sherman ’63 on June 24, 2018
Harvey Lathrop ’57 on October 2, 2018
Angeline Hummel Ebert ’63 on October 12, 2018
Judith Ledvorowski (nee Kubczak) ’58 on December 5, 2018
Mary Adam ’65 on September 30, 2018
Jeanette Mary Fretschel (nee Leffler) ’58 on January 9, 2019 Lynn Boudreau ’59 on November 15, 2017 James Flynn ’59 on August 12, 2018
1960 s Carol Harthun (nee Beyer) ’60 on August 12, 2018 L. Ronald Neitzel ’60 on May 14, 2018 Sandra Ciotti (nee Beksel) ’61 on September 29, 2017 Dennis Klisch ’61 on October 12, 2018 Thomas Schumann ’61 on November 3, 2018 Janet Triplett (nee Lukasavitz) ’61 on January 9, 2018
John Bahringer ’65 on May 5, 2018 Kenneth J. Stollenwerk ’65 on November 3, 2018 Debra A. Cygnar (nee Robel) ’65 on November 1, 2018
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1970 s Sharon Gross ’70 on August 14, 2018
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Jeffrey Lelivelt ’70 on July 31, 2018 Ronald Vasely ’75 on October 24, 2018 Timothy Ludorf ’76 on November 29, 2018 Jay Frohwirth ’77 on October 8, 2018 Current as of 12.31.18
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MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 New Berlin Hills Golf Course
13175 West Graham Street | New Berlin, WI
#messmermoment Nov 11, 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended WWI. Therese Waldman Vogel, MHS ’32, is pictured here at the Veterans Day parade in San Francisco in November 2018, a month before her 105th birthday. messmerschools.org | Winter 2019 | 19
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MILWAUKEE, WI PERMIT NO. 4764
messmer alumni:
REMEMBER WHEN This photo of Messmer students learning to stay afloat when a canoe overturns was one published in the Milwaukee Journal in April 1962 . The young women—all Messmer High School students—were participating in a Red Cross water safety and lifesaving class held in the high school pool. The pool is now empty and will soon be transitioned into a new teaching and learning space. Stay tuned for more information!
your Alumni Profile today! VISIT THE ALUMNI PAGE AT MESSMERSCHOOLS.ORG 20 Update | Messmer Today