University School of Milwaukee

Private school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US

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University School of Milwaukee

Address

2100 West Fairy Chasm Road

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

United States

Coordinates| 43°11′12″N 87°56′01″W﻿ / ﻿43.18667°N 87.93361°W﻿ / 43.18667; -87.93361
Information
Other name| USM
Former names| German-English Academy, Milwaukee University School, Milwaukee Country Day School, Milwaukee-Downer Seminary
Type| Private, Day
Motto| E Tribus Una
(From Three, One)
Established| 1964; 61 years ago (1964)
CEEB code| 501390[1]
Head of school| Steve Hancock
Enrollment| 1,107
Average class size| 15
Student to teacher ratio| 10:1[citation needed]
Campus size| 123 acres (0.50 km2)
Campus type| Suburban
Color(s)| Blue and gold
Athletics| 24 varsity sports
Mascot| Willie the Wildcat
Accreditation| Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)
Affiliation| National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Website| www.usm.org

The University School of Milwaukee (often abbreviated to USM) is an independent pre-kindergarten through secondary preparatory school in River Hills and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded as the result of the merger of three schools, Milwaukee Country Day School, Milwaukee Downer Seminary, and Milwaukee University School.[2] USM is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).[3][4]

## History

[edit]

Milwaukee University School, the oldest of the three schools that merged as University School of Milwaukee, was founded in 1851 as the German-English Academy (die deutsch-englische Akademie)[5] by a group of Milwaukee German Americans that included educationist Peter Engelmann and hardware wholesaler William Frankfurth. The Academy offered classes that taught the German language and literature, as well as English. In 1891, the academy moved to the German-English Academy Building in downtown Milwaukee. The institution changed its name in 1917 to Milwaukee University School because of anti-German prejudice that occurred during World War I.

In 1964, the Milwaukee University School, the Milwaukee Country Day School and Milwaukee-Downer Seminary merged to become the University School of Milwaukee.[6] It operated from two campuses, North and South, one in Whitefish Bay and the other in River Hills. In 1985, the two combined into one campus at the River Hills location, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

## Lawsuit

[edit]

On Monday, April 18, 2022, Craig and Kelly Robinson filed a civil lawsuit alleging that "the school acted impermissibly to silence and to retaliate against those adversely affected by, and raising concerns about, the school's unfair treatment of students of color and underrepresented students."[7] Earlier, the couple had given feedback towards the school based on racial and ethnic stereotypes in classroom assignments. Their children, then 9 and 11, were later removed from enrollment at the school.[8] Craig Robinson stated, "We feel like they were retaliated against because we brought up some issues that were sensitive to the administration." The school issued a statement responding to the allegations, "USM's enrollment decisions had nothing to do with complaints of inequity or discrimination." More families later came out with allegations of discrimination.[9]

## Athletics

[edit]

The school's athletic teams follow a no-cut athletic policy, which allows every student to participate in any sport. The athletic program begins in fifth grade when students become eligible for a number of teams, including basketball, track and field, football, and several intramural sports. The Middle School offers 13 interscholastic sports and intramural options. The Upper School has 24 varsity teams level sports, in addition to a number of junior varsity programs.

Sports[10] | State championships[11] | Conference championships[11]

|
|

Baseball  | 2010  | 5× champions
Basketball (B/G)  |  | Boys' basketball: 6× champions

Girls' basketball: 2× champions

Cross country (B/G)  | Girls' Cross Country: 2024  | Boys' cross country: 10× champions

Girls' cross country: 2× champions

Field hockey  | 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1991  | 12× champions
Football  |  | 10× champions
Golf  |  | 8× champions
Ice hockey (B/G)  | Boys' ice hockey: 2019, 2010, 2006,

Girls' ice hockey: 2015

| Boys' ice hockey: 8× champions

Girls' ice hockey: 3× champions

Lacrosse (B/G)  | Girls' lacrosse: 2021  | Boys' lacrosse: 3× champions

Girls' lacrosse 1× champion

Skiing (coed)  |  |
Soccer (B/G)  | Boys' soccer: 2018, 2013

Girls' soccer: 2008

| Boys' soccer: 20× champions

Girls' soccer: 9× champions

Softball  |  |
Swimming (B/G)  |  | 1× champion
Tennis (B/G)  | Boys': 2018, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004

Girls': 2023, 2022, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

| Boys': 46× champions

Girls': 14× champions

Track and field (B/G)  |  | Boys' track: 13× champions

Girls' track: 6× champions

Volleyball  |  | 2× champions

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Rakesh "Raj" Bhala, international trade law and Islamic law expert and professor at the University of Kansas
* Raj Chetty, professor of economics at Harvard University
* Adam Ciralsky, journalist, television and film producer, and attorney
* James Graaskamp, professor of real estate analysis and appraisal
* Carl Holty, painter
* Bob Jake, basketball player and physician
* William Kasik, businessman and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
* Robert Koehler, artist and teacher
* Von Mansfield, football player
* Lane MacDonald, hockey player
* Sue Mingus, record producer and band manager
* George Rathmann, chemist and biotechnology executive, (co-founder of Amgen)
* Henry Reuss, member of Congress
* Mark Rylance, Academy Award winner for best supporting actor; stage director
* Wendy Selig-Prieb, businesswoman, former president of the Milwaukee Brewers
* James Sensenbrenner, member of Congress
* Erich C. Stern, lawyer and Wisconsin State Representative
* Brooks Stevens, industrial designer
* August Uihlein, brewer and later owner of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
* Neal Ulevich, photojournalist, Pulitzer Prize winner
* D.A. Wallach, musician and business executive
* William Morton Wheeler, myrmecologist
* Sarah P. L. Wolffe, Lady Wolffe, Outer House Senator of the College of Justice of Scotland
* Bill Zito, general manager of the Florida Panthers

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "CENTRAL DATA REQUEST – CODE BOOK" (PDF). www.wisconsin.edu. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
2. ^ "History and Tradition". www.usm.org. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
3. ^ "USM at a Glance". University School of Milwaukee. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
4. ^ "ISACS :: Alphabetical Listing". isacs2.isacs.org. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
5. ^ Koss, Rudolph A. (1871). Milwaukee. Schnellpressendruck des "Herold". p. 364.
6. ^ "History and Tradition". Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
7. ^ "Michelle Obama's brother says his kids were disenrolled from school after raising concerns of bias".
8. ^ "Michelle Obama's brother says his kids were disenrolled from their school as 'retaliation' for parents bringing up concerns of bias". CNN.
9. ^ "More families make racist allegations against elite Milwaukee school".
10. ^ "USM Athletics". USM Athletics. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
11. ^ a b "USM Trophy Case". Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States