History

Our school district has a long, rich tradition of education. There were schools in the Middleton area as early as 1847, developing into the two high schools, two middle schools and seven elementary schools we know today.

Early History

  • In 1879, Middleton opened the doors to its first High School.  The brick structure, built for $1,000, still stands at the corner of Terrace Avenue and High Point Road, and is currently the home of the Little Red Preschool. 
  • In 1896, the old Pheasant Branch School was built, and served as the second graded school in the area. In the 1950s, the building became the home of the local VFW post, and is still occupied by William “Sonny” Simon VFW Post 8216 today.
  • In 1903, a second High School, a 2-story brick building, was built at the corner of Middleton and Franklin Streets.  After serving Middleton students for about 15 years, the former school became home to the Masonic Temple.
Pheasant Branch School and teacher Julia Ziller in the 1940s. Source: Middleton Historical Society.

High Schools

  • In 1918, a third High School was built on a 3-acre North Avenue tract on North Avenue, the current location of Middleton High School. Designed for 150 students, the building was formally dedicated on February 4, 1919.
  • The building was renovated during the mid to late 1940s, and a building constructed in 1949 still serves as part of the current school. More additions and renovations occurred in the mid to late 1960s and a major addition in 1980 not only expanded the facility but also marked the demolition of the 1918 structure.
  • During 2001-2003, additional high school expansion occurred, leading to room for 2,000 students.
  • In November 2018, voters approved a referendum to fund a major reconstruction of the school, expected to be complete in Fall 2022.
  • In 2001, the Middleton Alternative High School was constructed on Clark Street. The school was later renamed the Clark Street Community School.
Third Middleton High School in 1938-39, source: Middleton Area Historical Society

Elementary and Middle Schools

In the 1968, the consolidated school district now known as the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District was created. In addition to two high schools, the District includes the following middle and elementary schools:

  • Glacier Creek Middle School: Glacier Creek Middle School in Cross Plains was opened in Fall 1996.
  • Kromrey Middle School: Kromrey Middle School, originally named Parkside Heights Middle School, was constructed in 1962 on Donna Drive. It was renamed for Principal E.G. Kromrey in 1967. Except for a 1990 gym addition, the school building was demolished and rebuilt on the same site from 2013-15.
  • Elm Lawn Elementary School: The first Elm Lawn School was a five-room, two-story brick school between South and Hubbard Avenues. It opened for grades one through eight in January 1913. A second four-room building was built in 1937, and expanded in 1951. This second building became home to the District Administration Center when Elm Lawn Elementary School was opened at its current location on Woodgate Road in 1987. Six classrooms were added to the building in 1988, and a multipurpose room was added in 2006.
  • Northside Elementary School: Northside Elementary School opened in 1976 on High Road. Two classrooms were added in 2006, and a multipurpose room was added in 2008.
  • Park Elementary School was built in 1965 in Cross Plains. A library was added in 1972, along with additional classrooms in 1972 and 1978. A multipurpose room was added in 2016.
  • Pope Farm Elementary School: Opened in Fall 2020, Pope Farm is the newest school in the District.
  • Sauk Trail Elementary School: Constructed in 1953 on Branch Street. A major addition was constructed in 1955. A gym was added in 1958, and more classrooms were added in 1968. In 1990, a cafe and additional classrooms were built, and air conditioning was added in 2006.
  • Sunset Ridge Elementary School: Constructed in 1996 on Airport Road. Classrooms were added in 2013.
  • West Middleton Elementary School: Constructed in 1967 on West Mineral Point Road. Classrooms were added in 1970, and classrooms and a library were constructed in 1978. A multipurpose room was added in 2006.
Stone pillars on Hubbard Avenue, marking the entrance to the original site of Elm Lawn School, source: Al Watrud.

Sources

  • Middleton Historical Society website: https://middletonhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MAHS-City-Schools.pdf
  • Middleton Historical Society, Historic Middleton Schools: https://middletonhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MAHS-City-Schools.pdf
  • Lorena Dahmen Gordon, Middleton High School 1879-1979: Our First One Hundred Years, 1979.
  • MCPASD Facilities Status Report, 2016: https://mcpasd.k12.wi.us/sites/mcpasd.k12.wi.us/files/content/facilities-planning/NEW16-17FacilitiesPlanningReport.pdf