Notre Dame School of Milwaukee

What Notre Dame School of Milwaukee does

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee (NDSM) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Catholic K3-8 school operating three campuses on Milwaukee's south side. Founded in 1999 as a sponsored ministry of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, NDSM serves over 760 students through a faith-based dual-language (English/Spanish) educational model that achieves 100% bilingual proficiency by 8th grade and a 99% high school graduation rate among alumni. The school operates three campuses: Mother Caroline Campus (coed K3-4), Saint Florian Campus (boys grades 5-8), and Blessed Theresa Campus (girls grades 5-8), offering single-gender middle school environments supported by an extended Graduate Support Program that mentors students through high school, college, and career transitions.

NDSM's revenue model combines tuition funded primarily through Wisconsin's statewide school Choice program with philanthropic fundraising. While tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed, eligible families apply to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Choice program for per-pupil state funding that flows to the school. Supplemental revenue comes from donations (annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and United Way designations) and special events, with the annual Salsa Sampler benefit dinner and auction raising over $6 million cumulatively since its 2015 inception. Other fundraising events include Fish Fry, Packer Party, Blutender, and the Book Bazaar.

The school uses community-based direct-to-family enrollment via a three-step process (in-person tour, NDSM application, Choice program application) with marketing emphasis on open houses and word-of-mouth within Milwaukee's Hispanic/Latino community. Operationally, NDSM relies on standard educational technology including PowerSchool for student information, ClassDojo for parent communication, Constant Contact for email outreach, and Google Analytics for web measurement. The organization maintains a 57-person staff across instructional, administrative, and advancement functions, and in May 2025 broke ground on a campus expansion project at Saint Florian Campus to accommodate growing enrollment.

Name

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee

Legal name

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee

Website

https://notredamemke.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee is a nonprofit Catholic K3-8 school serving 760+ students across three campuses on Milwaukee's south side through dual-language (English/Spanish) education, single-gender middle schools, and graduate support through college, funded by tuition, Wisconsin Choice payments, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Language Schools (611630), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK), English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB)

Keywords

• Catholic education
• Dual language education
• K-8 elementary school
• Middle school education
• Bilingual programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Revenue from student tuition, supported by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Choice program which provides tuition assistance to eligible families.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and United Way designations support academic programs, scholarships, and enrichment.
3. Special Events Revenue: Salsa Sampler benefit auction and dinner (annual, raised $6M+ since 2015), Fish Fry Lenten fundraiser, Packer Party tailgate event, Blutender cocktail event, and Book Bazaar. Events include ticket sales, sponsorships, live/silent auctions, and corporate sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee is a Catholic, dual-language K3-8 school that delivers bilingual English/Spanish instruction across three campuses on Milwaukee's south side. It sells bundled educational services — coed primary, single-gender middle school, after-school, summer school, and graduate support — funded primarily through tuition supplemented by Wisconsin Choice program assistance and charitable donations.

Product overview

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee is a Catholic, dual language K3-8 school serving over 760 students across three campuses on Milwaukee's south side. The school operates as a unified educational platform offering multiple programs: Dual Language Education (core K-8 bilingual program), K3 Program (early childhood), CoEd Primary School (K3-4 at Mother Caroline Campus), Boys Middle School (5-8 at Saint Florian Campus), Girls Middle School (5-8 at Blessed Theresa Campus), After School Program, Graduate Support Program, and Summer School. All programs are rooted in Catholic faith and values, with the dual language education as the foundational differentiator that builds English/Spanish proficiency by 8th grade.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dual Language Education Faith-based bilingual education program in English and Spanish that begins in kindergarten and builds fluency by 8th grade, achieving 100% English/Spanish proficiency. Available to all enrolled K3-8 students across the three campuses.
• K3 Program Early learning program for three-year-olds designed to build confidence and prepare children for a successful school journey. Rated as a YoungStar 5-Star K3 program by Wisconsin DCF.
• Coed Primary School A nurturing, faith-based, bilingual K3-4 experience at Mother Caroline Campus (1425 S. 26th St., Milwaukee) where boys and girls learn together through a holistic approach combining academics, Catholic faith, and cultural development.
• Boys Middle School A high-achieving, faith-based, single-gender middle school experience for boys in grades 5-8 at Saint Florian Campus (1215 S. 45th St., West Milwaukee), designed to meet the developmental needs of growing boys through academics, faith, and extracurriculars.
• Girls Middle School A high-achieving, faith-based, single-gender middle school experience for girls in grades 5-8 at Blessed Theresa Campus (1420 W. Scott St., Milwaukee), empowering students to thrive academically, socially, and personally.
• After School Program After-school program providing a safe space for mentoring and homework help while exploring interests, passions, and opportunities. Includes tutoring, homework help, after-school clubs, and sports teams for enrolled students.
• Graduate Support Program One-on-one application and financial aid support for NDSM alumni successfully transitioning to high school, college, and career. Includes a mentoring program where alumni mentors connect with students 2-3 times per month.
• Summer School Summer program for new students or those needing additional practice, focusing on academics and enrichment, including the Book Bazaar program for building home libraries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% high school graduation rate among NDSM alumni
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDSM is a sponsored ministry of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. SSND provides the Catholic religious identity, mission guidance, and operational sponsorship that defines NDSM's faith-based educational approach. This is a foundational relationship that shapes the school's identity and values.
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParish partner supporting NDSM's Catholic identity and providing community connections for students and families.
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Choice ProgramcoreOthersNDSM participates in Wisconsin's statewide Choice program, allowing eligible families to use state tuition assistance at the school. This enables access for lower-income families and provides operational revenue through per-pupil state funding.
• Italian Community CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for annual Salsa Sampler benefit dinner and auction. Provides event space at 631 E Chicago St, Milwaukee for the school's largest annual fundraising event.
• Fish Fry Corporate SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors including Sendik's, SecureBank, Primary Bank, Serra Toyota, Accurate Contracting, PCI, Couri, El Beso, St. Ann Center, Mr. Churro, Mad Rooster Cafe, Cataros, Embrase Spa, Sobelman's, Bunzel's, and others sponsor NDSM's Fish Fry Lenten fundraiser events. Sponsors receive logo recognition and marketing exposure.
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner referenced in alumni stories as providing after-school resources and mentorship connections for NDSM graduates transitioning to high school and college.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Seton Catholic Schools: Archdiocese-sponsored network of urban Catholic elementary schools in Milwaukee, including dual-language and Hispanic-serving campuses. Competes directly for the same Choice-eligible south-side families and represents the dominant consolidated Catholic K-8 alternative.
• Bruce-Guadalupe Community School: Catholic, dual-language K-8 school on Milwaukee's south side operated by United Community Center, serving a predominantly Hispanic/Latino population. Closest peer on dual-language Catholic curriculum and demographic focus.
• St. Catherine School: Catholic K-8 school in the Milwaukee metro area serving families through parish-based and Choice-program enrollment. Comparable faith-based educational model and tuition-assistance dependency.
• St. Anthony School: Catholic K-8 school within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee serving urban families, with comparable tuition-assistance pathways and community-based enrollment process. Competes for the same Choice-program family pool.
• Messmer Catholic Schools: Catholic K-8 (and high school) system serving Milwaukee's near south side with similar urban, faith-based, working-class family demographics. Operates multiple campuses with comparable mission and tuition-assistance model, making it the closest direct competitor for Choice-program families.

Broad incumbents

• St. Thomas More High School: Catholic coed high school in Milwaukee that receives NDSM Graduate Support Program alumni. Comparable faith-based mission and shared feeder-pipeline relationship, though at the secondary level rather than K-8.
• Marquette University High School: Catholic all-boys Jesuit high school in Milwaukee that draws from NDSM's boys' middle school graduates. Comparable single-gender Catholic education model and shares the same south-side/metro Milwaukee family pool at the secondary stage.
• Divine Savior Holy Angels: Catholic all-girls high school in Milwaukee that receives NDSM girls' middle school graduates. Single-gender Catholic model directly comparable to NDSM's Blessed Theresa Campus continuation pathway.
• St. Joan Antida High School: Catholic urban high school in Milwaukee serving similar working-class and minority populations. Comparable mission around college access and faith-based education for under-resourced families in the same metropolitan area.

Regional players

• Cristo Rey Jesuit High School: Catholic urban high school network with a Milwaukee-area presence (network headquartered in Chicago). Comparable mission serving first-generation college-bound students from working-class Hispanic and minority communities, though operating at the secondary level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NotreDameMiddleSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/notre-dame-school-of-milwaukee
• Instagraminstagram.com/notredameschoolofmilwaukee

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Notre Dame School of Milwaukee