Carmen Northwest prepping for new location; raising funds for sudden move
Carmen Northwest will move to Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood for the 2026/27 school year.
Carmen Northwest junior Mariah Pokes comes across as a typical high school student – full of energy, excited about the future and proud of her individuality, as evidenced by her striking neon-pink hair.
The affable 11th-grader is also exceptional in ways that speaks to her school community. She carries a 4.0 grade point average, plans to pursue a career in medicine and is one of more than 500 students at the school benefitting from high expectations, deep relationships and a belief from leadership in their potential.
Mariah thrives in this space.
“It feels like home here,” she said. “(Teachers) stay on us about everything, even if it’s not their class or even school-related. They care about our future, not just grades. They want to make sure we’re doing the right thing and thinking ahead. You never feel like you’re in the wrong place.”
That physical place will change after the school year, but the experience will remain the same.
Late last year, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) voted to terminate Carmen’s charter after the 2026/27 school year. Because MPS also owns the building Carmen Northwest has been leasing, school leadership was suddenly faced with two urgent challenges: securing a new authorizer and finding a new home for more than 500 students in a part of the city that already lacks strong educational options.
For the entire school community – students, families and staff – the uncertainty was deeply felt.
“We were in limbo for quite a while,” said Carmen Northwest Principal Ashlei Miller.
Carmen moved quickly on parallel tracks, determined not to let that uncertainty disrupt the educational experience that students and families count on. That effort led to two critical solutions: the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee agreed to authorize the school, and Carmen secured a new location in the former HOPE Christian School in the Fortis South building on King Drive, where students will begin classes in the 2026/27 school year.
“Just knowing was a sigh of relief for people,” said Miller. “It’s sad that we’re leaving this, but it’s exciting that we get to go to another space and do the same thing.”
Others in leadership echoed Miller’s sentiments.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to move into an upgraded facility, improving the experience for students and staff, in a historically black neighborhood that is in need of more high-quality education options,” said Carmen Schools CEO Aaron Lippman. “Having UWM as our new authorizer is exciting as they have a strong track record of consistent apolitical support and accountability, focusing on what’s best for students.”
With a building and charter in hand, the heavy lifting awaits this summer as the school moves.
“We have to think about what things are coming with us,” said Miller. “We need to think about branding. How are we making sure this new building feels like Northwest? How are we integrating the Harambee Neighborhood into the new building? Are we keeping the name Northwest? There are a lot of variables. And at the same time, we have to start a new school year.”
The coming move has also resulted in unexpected expenses.
“We absolutely require additional fundraising for our Northwest campus because of the unexpected and sudden nature of the move,” said Lippman. “We need to raise approximately $1.5 million over three years to cover essential costs such as bussing, IT infrastructure, signage and improvements needed to prepare the new building for students and staff.”
Now, Carmen is inviting supporters, alumni, families, partners and community members to invest in the future of Carmen Northwest. A gift today will help ensure that more than 500 students can begin the next school year in a space that is welcoming, fully equipped and ready to support their success, Lippman said.
To support the move and help preserve high-quality educational opportunities for Milwaukee students, visit the donation page on Carmen’s website at carmenschools.org.
