Education
Madison schools are rated high in national publications. Yet the spirit of independence remains strong in the city, keeping a healthy population of private schools—both religiously affiliated and independent—running waiting lists. The surrounding communities have nothing to be ashamed of either. When moving to the Madison area, consider what schools correspond to your new neighborhood. But also be aware that according to state law, parents can send their children to a school in another district. Applications for doing so are available at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Web site (www2.dpi.state.wi.us) and must be completed by the posted deadline, typically in late February of the academic year before the intended start date. Higher education includes the state’s enormous University of Wisconsin–Madison, the flagship of a strong statewide system that was founded at the same time Wisconsin became a state. Other options include a private liberal arts college and a fine technical college system, as well as a variety of options for working adults seeking to complete degrees on evenings and weekends.
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Address: 545 West Dayton St.
2. Abundant Life Christian School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 221-1520
Address: 4901 East Buckeye Rd.
Description: Founded in 1978, the school’s mission is academic achievement with a Christian context. This ministry of Madison’s Lake City Church enrolls about 300 students from prekindergarten through grade 12. Over 60 different churches are represented. The multimillion dollar facility has 24 classrooms, two gymnasiums, two music rooms, a computer lab, art room, library media center, science lab, weight room, and cafeteria. The 28-acre campus includes fields for football and baseball/softball, sand volleyball courts, as well as playgrounds.
3. Blessed Sacrament School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 233-6155
Address: 2112 Hollister Ave.
Description: This Catholic school is well attended by students from other backgrounds. Grades 1 through 3 are multiaged and mixed into units, as are grades 4 through 6, and 7 and 8. Kindergarten is self-contained. Units move from classroom to classroom throughout the day for different teachers.
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Address: 2219 Monroe St.
5. High Point Christian School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 836-7170
Address: 7702 Old Sauk Rd.
Description: Christian-based but nondenominational, High Point teaches around 200 students from kindergarten through grade 8 as well as preschool. The school was founded in 1975.
6. Holy Cross Lutheran School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 249-3101
Address: 2670 Milwaukee St.
Description: Holy Cross is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The church operates a preschool and K through 8 school as well as an after-school program. Enrollment is just over 100 students.
7. Madison Central Montessori School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 274-9549
Address: 4337 West Beltline Hwy.
Description: Founded in 1972, the school enrolls almost 150 students in three primary classrooms for ages two-and-a-half to six years, two lower elementary classrooms for the six- to nine-year olds, another classroom for nine- to 12-year olds, and still another for 12- to 14-year olds. They also provide care for before and after school and a summer camp for kids three to nine years old.
8. Our Lady Queen Of Peace School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 231-4580
Address: 418 Holly Ave.
Description: This Catholic grade school was founded in the 1940s on Madison’s west side. Enrollment approaches 500 for the K through 8 program. Kindergarten class sizes are under 20 while approaching 30 in the other grades. Enrollment is open to all students regardless of religious background.
9. St. Ambrose Academy
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 827-5863
Address: 602 Everglade Dr.
Description: The academy, founded in 2004, is run by laypeople and independent of any parish though it operates within St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Students are taken from 6th grade through high school. The student body was initially small but is growing very quickly in the past couple years. The first students to take all four years of high school graduated in 2007.
10. Walbridge School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 833-1338
Address: 7035 Old Sauk Rd.
Description: Walbridge aims to personalize instruction and keep student-teacher ratios low in order to reach students with learning differences. This may mean learning disabilities, ADD, or just frustration with traditional methods and settings. Grades K through 8 are served.
11. Wingra School
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 238-2525
Address: 3200 Monroe St.
Description: Since 1972, this independent progressive school has been educating kids aged five through 14. Part of the mission is to “teach tolerance, conflict resolution, appreciation for different points of view, self advocacy, negotiation, and listening.” The teaching approach focuses on student interests and the important experience of being a child. Classes mix ages, the enrollment is around 135, and the student-teacher ratio is 7:1. Before- and after-school programs are offered.
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Address: 1000 Edgewood College Dr.
13. Madison Area Technical College
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 246-6100
Address: 3550 Anderson St.
Description: MATC offers a wide variety of educational and professional development programs from short bartending courses to full technical and professional certifications including graphic design and areas of IT and nursing. Associate degree and professional certificate programs total over 140. The college also has a liberal arts transfer program by which a student can finish the required classes toward a bachelor’s degree and transfer to the UW–Madison or other four-year colleges. MATC has eight Madison campuses including one downtown near the Capitol. The Truax campus on the northeast side is the largest of them.
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Address: 716 Langdon St.
15. Cardinal Stritch University
City: Madison, WI
Category: Education
Telephone: (608) 831-2722
Address: 8017 Excelsior Dr. # 140
Description: Founded in the Franciscan tradition, Cardinal Stritch is a Milwaukee-based college. Its College of Business and Management operates this satellite campus, which provides degrees for working adults including an associates degree in business and bachelor’s degrees in public safety management, human services management, strategic management and information systems, and business administration.