Home Ideas Education & Workforce Development Milwaukee Academy of Science buys former Penfield Montessori Academy building

Milwaukee Academy of Science buys former Penfield Montessori Academy building

The former Penfield Montessori Academy building.

An affiliate of Milwaukee Academy of Science has purchased the former Penfield Montessori Academy building at 2433 W. Cherry St. in Milwaukee for $2.475 million, according to state records. Originally known as St. Michael’s Roman Catholic School, the building was built in 1923 and expanded in 1956. Located in Milwaukee’s Midtown neighborhood, Penfield Montessori Academy

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Andrew is the editor of BizTimes Milwaukee. He joined BizTimes in 2003, serving as managing editor and real estate reporter for 11 years. A University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, he is a lifelong resident of the state. He lives in Muskego with his wife, Seng, their son, Zach, and their dog, Hokey. He is an avid sports fan and is a member of the Muskego Athletic Association board of directors.
An affiliate of Milwaukee Academy of Science has purchased the former Penfield Montessori Academy building at 2433 W. Cherry St. in Milwaukee for $2.475 million, according to state records. Originally known as St. Michael's Roman Catholic School, the building was built in 1923 and expanded in 1956. Located in Milwaukee’s Midtown neighborhood, Penfield Montessori Academy was a public Montessori charter school that served children from age three to 6th grade from 2016 until this year. It operated in partnership with Milwaukee nonprofit organization Penfield Children’s Center and its charter was through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Due to “funding challenges” Penfield Montessori Academy ceased operations at the end of the 2022-23 school year. The school’s board and leadership said that it would have needed another $1.5 million to operate for another school year. In a statement about its decision to close the school, Penfield Montessori Academy attributed its funding challenges to the disparity in state funding compared to traditional public schools, the large number of special needs students that the school served and unexpected additional building maintenance costs. Penfield Montessori Academy said it had received nearly $13 million in philanthropic support since its founding, but the school said relying solely on charitable giving was not sustainable and was not enough the fill the state funding gap. Under a deal reached earlier this year between the state Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers, private charter schools will receive approximately $2,000 in additional state funding per year. Penfield Montessori Academy said it received about $5,000 to $7,000 in state funding per student per year less than traditional public schools. Milwaukee Academy of Science is also a public charter school. It is located in the city’s Avenues West neighborhood, less than a mile south of the former Penfield Montessori Academy building. A representative for Milwaukee Academy of Science could not immediately to reached for comment.

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