Our Mission

At Catholic Memorial High School we educate students as individuals, intellectually and spiritually. We guide students to work to their highest God-given potential. We prepare them for postsecondary education and to become leaders who serve the Church and the world.

Our History

In the early 1920s, the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Waukesha raised a fund of $10,000 for a future high school with the goal of providing a high-quality Catholic education for the area’s youth. The school was named in gratitude as a memorial to the 23 young men of St. Joseph’s who gave their lives for their country in World War II.
Later, the dedication of the school was extended to include all graduates of Catholic Memorial who have died in service to their country. Since the school’s inception, six more men have been added to the Honor Roll. 

  • 1948 – Easter Sunday, March 28, Archbishop Kiley broke ground.
  • 1949 – CMH opened its doors and welcomed 97 freshmen in September.
  • 1953 – The first class of graduates was commenced.
  • 1961 – An addition of classrooms, a cafeteria, and the Julia Weber Gymnasium was constructed.
  • 1967 – The library, auditorium, and a new chapel were added to the school.
  • 1991 – The southwest wing was added to the building to house science, art, math, and foreign languages.
  • 1997 – The InPro Gymnasium was constructed.
  • 1998 – CMH celebrated its 50th anniversary.
  • 2011 – The Vision 2020 strategic plan was approved by Archbishop Listecki which led to the start of the Crusading for Excellence Campaign.
  • 2014 – Air conditioning was installed throughout the building and a new Astroturf football field replaced the grass one in “the Valley.”
  • 2015 – Thanks to the success of the Crusading for Excellence Campaign the Academic Resource Center was renovated, and the Innovation Wing was created.
  • 2017 – The Our Lady of Memorial Chapel was constructed; added onto the front of the building.
  • 2018 - Bishop Jeffrey Haines presided at the Dedication of the Our Lady of Memorial Chapel on January 10 which became a Solemnity for the Catholic Memorial community.

Our Values

It is necessary, in the pursuit of excellence, to express and model our shared values through observable behaviors for which all members of the CMH family are held accountable:

Memorial - School spirit and pride, alumni engagement, recognition of CMH legacy, passionate advocacy

Faith - Belief in God and belief in the goodness of the human person in the image of Christ

Trust - Integrity, open-minded dialogue, mutual support, a safe learning environment

Respect - Recognition of each person‘s talent, motivated by gratitude and humility

Inclusiveness - Understanding of global history, culture, and economics while fostering engagement with people around the world

Professionalism - Set expectations, communicate, collaborate, commit to personal, professional, and academic growth and be accountable

Excellence - Strive to be the best, put God‘s gifts to work: academically, athletically, and artistically

Caritas in Omnibus - Genuine care for and interest in the lives of others