Milwaukee Academy of Science expanding, 2nd campus announced
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Academy of Science is expanding to a second campus that will enroll students starting this August, the school's CEO announced Thursday.
An independent charter school founded in 2000, Milwaukee Academy of Science said the move is a response to demand from parents and the community for additional capacity. The second campus will serve 600 students and will be located in a recently vacated school near 24th and Cherry.
The second campus will serve students in 4-year-old kindergarten through fifth grade. The main campus recently added 250 middle and high school students on its main campus due to increased enrollment and retention in the elementary grades, the school said.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Despite that expansion, leaders said, applications to the school continued to skyrocket, leaving approximately 1,600 students on the waiting list as recently as last year.
"Families deserve a high-quality education for their children, and today represents a significant opportunity for us to answer that call," said Anthony McHenry, the school's CEO. "In addition, these students will eventually transition to our high school, which we believe will enhance Milwaukee’s workforce. Our students will graduate to pursue post-secondary education and then select careers in high-demand STEM fields."
Milwaukee Academy of Science said the second campus will eventually grow to serve students through eighth grade, at which time the district will serve a total of 2,000 students.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
The 24th Street campus will be renovated before opening, the school said, and it will replicate the original campus’ STEM focus, approach to learning, parent engagement strategy, curriculum, culture and overall design.
The existing campus has had waitlists for every grade level for the past four years, according to school leaders, and currently enrolls 1,400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade from 31 different Milwaukee ZIP codes.
Applications for fall 2024 student enrollment on the 24th Street campus will open Feb. 1. Employment opportunities for teachers and staff are available now.