"Help them reach their full potential:" St. Augustine Prep welcomes new students

St. Augustine Prep opens

MILWAUKEE -- Roughly 650 students started off their school year by becoming the first students ever to start class at St. Augustine Preparatory Academy. It's a brand new school in Milwaukee instructing grades K-12.

St. Augustine Preparatory Academy

New gym, new classrooms, new materials, even a new building. But you wouldn't know it by looking at these students.

"I used to go to Saint Anthony Middle School, which is right off on 4th street - not too far from here," said Emilio Munoc, 9th grade student.

Emilio has been a student at the brand new St. Augustine for all of three days -- and already he feels like this new school is familiar to him.

St. Augustine opened its doors for the 2017-2018 school year on Wednesday, August 16th -- and Emilio along with roughly 650 other students made the jump to this new school.

"There does seem to be a bit more of an involvement with the teachers and the students," said Munoc.

St. Augustine Preparatory Academy

"Making new friends, getting my grades good, and having fun," said Amy Carranza, 6th grade student.

St. Augustine Preparatory Academy

The school's curriculum is aimed at increasing students' scores in STEM programs -- as well as an education in faith and wellness.

"We want to meet students where they are and then help them reach their full potential," said Gus Ramirez, Founder of St. Augustine Preparatory School.

Part of the education platform at St. Augustine Preparatory Academy is to teach students how to swim. They have a brand new pool -- and by the end of the academic year they hope to have 1,000 students water safe.

St. Augustine Preparatory Academy

The school's founder, Gus Ramirez, says they hope this new building will become an institution for the nearby community.