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. USM is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
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History
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) 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. 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.
In 2022, Craig and Kelly Robinson filed a civil lawsuit alleging retaliation and discrimination by the school after they raised concerns about its treatment of students of color. The school denied the allegations and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in 2024.
Athletics
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.
Athletic conference affiliation history
Wisconsin Prep Conference (1940-1952)
Midwest Prep Conference (1952-1964)
Wisconsin Prep Conference (1940-1952)
Midwest Prep Conference (1952-1964)
Midwest Prep Conference (1964-1983)
Midwest Classic Conference (1983–present)
Notable alumni
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