THIENSVILLE — A group of Ozaukee County residents are another step closer to reaching their fundraising goal for NorthShore Classical Academy, a private high school that is expected to open its doors in Mequon by fall 2025.
The nonprofit, private Hillsdale Curriculum school that will serve grades nine through 12 raised $93,000 at its recent “Casino Night” gala at Shully’s Cuisine and Events in Thiensville. The event, which drew in more than 175 supporters, included various games of chance and raffles, while also providing attendees the chance to learn more about NCA’s core values and goals.
The funds raised will be used to cover initial operational costs, including curriculum development, faculty recruitment and facility acquisition. The school totaled more than $450,000 in local donations in 2023 and is partnering with the William S. Knight Foundation for a $200,000 matching grant to kick off the second half of its NCA Founders Campaign for this year, with the hopes of raising $1 million by 2025, according to a school press release.
“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support from our community,” NCA Founder and Board Member Cheryle Rebholz said, noting that they are currently at $654,000 and are looking to increase that by $165,000 by the end of August. “The funds raised will be instrumental in helping us establish a strong foundation for our school, enabling us to offer a high-quality education that prepares students to think critically, communicate effectively and lead with integrity.”
According to NCA, the Hillsdale Curriculum — used from the Christian conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan — is content-rich, balanced and strong, with emphasis on the four core disciplines of math, science, literature and history, with attention to music, art, physical education and ancient and foreign languages. It would be the first private high school in the county and the second in the state to use this type of curriculum.
Under state statutes, private schools do not require approval due to not being public instruction and not publicly funded. NCA will instead have to meet and exceed the required 875 instructional hours.
Rebholz, a former Mequon-Thiensville School Board member, originally proposed a charter school after she and three others failed to oust four Mequon-Thiensville School Board members in a recall election. The four cited declining test scores among students as one of the many issues.
“Our country and the current education system are at dangerous inflection points. Public schools are in turmoil, curriculum does not align with the needs of the business community, basic proficiency in academic subjects is declining steadily, and parent and student rights are being egregiously violated by many school boards and educators that value indoctrination over education,” Rebholz said. “Parents are coming to us looking for better education alternatives for their high schoolers, a school that will foster learning, career readiness and good moral character. This is what NCA is all about.”
In addition to providing a classical education rooted in the traditions of Western civilization and the liberal arts, NCA will also feature a unique adjunct curriculum called “World of Work,” which will expose students to over 40 different job opportunities and career paths in partnership with area businesses.
For more information about NCA and how to get involved, visit www.ncawi.org.