MILWAUKEE — The Latino population in Milwaukee County has more than tripled since 1980, and the upswing has had a significant impact on Catholic schools. The increase in Hispanic student enrollment has been especially noticeable on Milwaukee’s south side, where some Catholic grade schools have seen their enrollments double in only a few years.

In contrast, however, the growth in Hispanic enrollment at Catholic high schools has been minimal. This anomaly has led to discussion about the need for another Catholic high school on Milwaukee’s south side, and the issue was the subject of a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story Oct. 16.

Capuchin Br. Bob Smith, director of the archdiocesan Department for Educational and Formational Services, told the Catholic Herald that he sees the merits of a new Milwaukee Catholic high school.

“My personal view is that the south side is large enough for more than one Catholic high school,” said Br. Smith, whose department oversees Catholic schools. “Not more than 15 years ago, we had three.”

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said that he is happy to hear that Hispanic parents are talking about Catholic school education.

“I’m just so grateful that people are so hungry for Catholic education,” he told the Catholic Herald. “To hear these devoted Hispanic parents say that the greatest thing the church can do is to provide Catholic education for our kids — that’s just a shot in the arm.”

While he is “open to the idea” of a new south side Catholic high school, Archbishop Dolan said that the archdiocese must first study whether the existing schools can accommodate Hispanic students.

“We’re blessed with 13 Catholic high schools. Almost all of them are ready to welcome new students,” he said. “So what I’d like to do first is to see that the Catholic schools we’ve got are able to welcome them. That’s my first priority.

?But I’m just glad to hear people dreaming about it, hoping for it, because I need strong allies in my whole mission to strengthen Catholic education.”

According to Br. Smith, he has been in discussion with various groups about a new high school for nearly two years.

“As folks look at the growth of the Latino population, they’ve been throwing out different ideas of how to answer,” said Br. Smith.

The main obstacle people mention is funding, he said.

“I think it’s important for people to not simply look at the building of something brand new. There are a lot of buildings on the south side that could be retrofitted as a high school,” Br. Smith explained. “The funding part I’m not as concerned with, but I do think it’s important to do everything possible to help Thomas More, because it is our Catholic high school on the south side.”

Since Thomas More High School is located in St. Francis, it is not eligible to participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. This program allows low-income families to use state-funded tuition vouchers to send their children to private schools, and many south-side Latino families utilize the program.

Br. Smith said that the voucher issue should not prevent Thomas More from accepting more Latino students.

“There are other ways to support scholarships for low-income students,” he said. “Messmer (Catholic High School) did it for 12 years, so there are models out there to have this done. I think it’s going to be a matter of putting the right people together and the right proposals to make sure that happens.”

One thing is for sure, said Br. Smith: the issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

“I see the momentum moving, and... the growth on the south side is daily, so I think we have to be responsible as school leaders and church leaders in responding,” he said. “I don’t think this is something that is going to be put on a shelf, it’s going to move relatively soon.”