It's been more than 50 years since Prairie du Chien had a Catholic high school, but that dry run might end next year.

The Chesterton Academy of Prairie du Chien is a collaboration between the Holy Family Parish and Chesterton, which is a network of nonprofit Catholic high schools headquartered in Hopkins, Minn., with approximately 70 schools across the world, including academies in Green Bay, Sun Prairie and Kaukauna in Wisconsin.

According to Father Brandon Guenther, pastor of the Holy Family Parish in Prairie du Chien, the school plans to open in the fall of 2027. The initial enrollment goal is 20 students across 9th and 10th grades. The school plans to add junior and senior grades as the student population necessitates.

Information released about the future school claims the curriculum will teach subjects "within a coherent Catholic framework."

“As with all Catholic schools, we won’t be compartmentalizing the faith,” said Guenther. “The truths of the Catholic faith are incorporated into every subject, whether philosophy, history, science or any other element of the curriculum.”

Guenther compared Chesterton's education to a liberal arts college. "It's looking through history to the modern era with philosophy and history without leaving science and math behind... It's kind of like a franchise in that they have their branded curriculum. They're a known entity, so we don't have to start from scratch.

"The curriculum will immerse students in the classics of Western thought — philosophy, science, mathematics, history, language, poetry — in a way that shows the interrelationship of the great ideas [that] founded Western Civilization."

Guenther also noted that the Prairie du Chien Academy would welcome students from other faiths.

According to the Chesterton Academy's website, the curriculum has the possibility to offer math up to calculus and lab sciences, such as biology, chemistry and physics.

The school will make Catholic life a fundamental part of the students' educational experience, with daily Mass and weekly Eucharistic Adoration. The school will also reportedly offer "regular opportunities" for confession and spiritual formation.

"Our focus has been on what we can offer to our families," said Guenther. "If somebody is looking for a school where they can live their religion in their day-to-day life, they'll be able to do that here."

The campus will be located at the St. John's School at 720 S. Wacouta Avenue.

When Guenther arrived in Prairie du Chien two years ago, there were questions about what to do with the St. John's School property. "As we were talking about what to do with the school, some people asked, 'Have you ever thought about getting a high school back?'"

The church assembled a multi-disciplinary team comprising parishioners, parents and clergy with experience in finance, facilities and communications, among other areas of expertise, to investigate the viability of a high school program, including the possibility of housing it in the St. John’s School.

"The building is in quite good shape structurally. There are obviously a few things, like the heat's been off and the plumbing," said Guenther.

The building reportedly has some other needs, such as a roof that is at "end of life," that will require planning and budgeting to address. HSR Associates, an architectural firm out of La Crosse, is helping the school ascertain how much repair work will need to be done.

The Academy is currently seeking students and donors. Guenther said they are about halfway to their initial enrollment goal, and he has received continued interest from people in the community and from other areas, including families with homeschooled children as well as parents who want their children to have a Catholic education past the 8th grade.

According to Guenther, the school has to meet financial and enrollment requirements set forth by Chesterton Academy and the Diocese of La Crosse to operate. "If we're not meeting those standards, we would maybe delay opening or not open. It comes down to that, essentially."

For further information, contact mcaro@prairiecatholic.org or 608-326-6511. Visit the school's website at www.chestertonpdc.org.