New private high school receives a $250,000 donation

By KRISTYN HALBIG ZIEHM

Ozaukee Press staff

NorthShore Classical Academy, which last month announced it had secured funding for renovations to its planned school in Saukville, has received a $250,000 grant to prepare for a fall 2027 opening.

The grant from the William S. Knight Foundation is intended to “provide critical early stage support” for the school, according to a press release.

The money will help modernize the building, develop curriculum, attract faculty, expand community outreach and build needed infrastructure, it noted.

NorthShore Classical Academy will be the county’s first private high school, created in the school building that once housed Ozaukee Christian School and Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Saukville.

The school, which will not be religiously affiliated, will use the Hillsdale College Curriculum, with one day a week dedicated to teaching students about careers through partnerships with area businesses.

The curriculum will provide a foundation in literature, history, science and math and provide four “pathways” for students — college preparation, career technical education, the military and entrepreneurship.

The Knight Foundation is dedicated to supporting classical education, entrepreneurship, self-reliance and civic responsibility.

Cheryle Rebholz, founder and president of NorthShore Classical Academy and a former Mequon-Thiensville School Board member, said she believes the grant will serve as a catalyst for additional donations.

“Together, we can build a lasting legacy of educational opportunity, creating a school that will inspire young minds, strengthen families and serve our community for generations to come,” she said.

NorthShore Classical Academy purchased the building last year for $305,000, according to state real estate transaction records, and in January the Village of Saukville Plan Commission approved its plans for $2.4 million in renovations.

Those plans include a 940-square-foot addition to the front of the school between the newer section of the building, which dates to 1962, and the older portion built in the 1800s.

The first phase of the building project, which is to be completed before the school opens, focuses on the new section of the building and includes updating electrical systems, replacing the roof, painting the interior and renovating two classrooms and bathrooms, which will be reconfigured to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The gym will also be updated and painted.

The third and final phase of improvements will include the renovation of the cafeteria and the creation of a “teaching kitchen,” as well as work to restore the older portion of the building.

The high school plans to open next year to freshmen, then add a grade level every year.