WAUKESHA, WI – February 11, 2026 – Catholic Memorial High School (CMH) is proud to announce that Mr. Mike Roemer has been selected as its next principal. Roemer, current principal at Ronald W. Reagan College Preparatory High School in Milwaukee, WI will begin his role at CMH on July 1, 2026, succeeding Mrs. Bonnie Scholz who will retire at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
Roemer has spent the entirety of his professional career in education, as a teacher and administrator. Most recently he has served as the principal of Ronald W. Reagan College Preparatory High School since 2011. In this role, Roemer has overseen continuous growth since the school’s inception, increasing from 127 students and six teachers to nearly 1,400 students and 142 total staff members. During his current tenure he has produced impressive academic outcomes including development of three International Baccalaureate (IB) programs (Diploma, Middle Years, Career-related), earning a top-10 statewide school ranking, and increasing the school’s average ACT composite scores by six points.
“I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to lead Catholic Memorial High School as its next principal,” Roemer said. “CMH’s commitment to helping students discover their God-given potential mirrors the values I learned at St. Lawrence Seminary and have carried throughout my career. I believe deeply in forming young people who are academically prepared, spiritually grounded, and ready to serve the Church and the world.”
Roemer’s education includes a M.S. in Educational Leadership and a M.S. in Special Education from Cardinal Stritch University, along with a B.A. in History/Broad Field Social Studies from St. Norbert College.
“We are very excited for Mike to join the Catholic Memorial community as our next principal,” CMH President, Donna Bembenek said. “It became clear in the interview process that Mike’s commitment to his faith and experience in educational leadership will make him an outstanding fit in our school community. I have every confidence that he will have an immediate positive impact on our school.”
Catholic Memorial began its principal search in 2025 when Mrs. Bonnie Scholz announced in May that she would be retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year after serving as the school’s principal since 2022. CMH immediately developed a plan, in partnership with Partners in Mission, to identify the school’s next principal with a goal to announce Mrs. Scholz’s successor by March 2026.
A search committee comprised of board members, current parents, CMH faculty and staff and the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, was formed and led the screening and interviewing process. Partners in Mission vetted more than 35 qualified candidates on a nationwide search. Top candidates met in person with the Search Committee and two interview panels comprised of CMH faculty and staff. Roemer’s combination of educational leadership and deep connection to his Catholic faith made him the clear choice.
CMH presents a thriving school community with a growing enrollment, extensive advanced curriculum – including IB programs, PLTW, Advanced Placement, Concurrent Enrollment – strong community support, and a deep connection to its mission and Catholic identity.
The CMH school community is grateful for Mrs. Scholz’s leadership and all she has accomplished in the last four years to continue to push the school’s standards of academic excellence. Catholic Memorial is confident that Mr. Roemer will continue to carry the mantel of academic innovation, rigor, and support that families expect