Residents of Milwaukee’s Garden Homes neighborhood long had to bus their children outside of the

neighborhood to find quality schools that work for urban kids. In response to community leaders, PAVE fostered a unique partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and Garden Homes Lutheran School (GHLS) a participant in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. A key element in this partnership was the creation of a new MPS Montessori school in the Garden Homes area, which allowed GHLS to expand into a newly-constructed school addition.

GHLS’s new state-of-the-art school wing allows the school to serve 250 students in a high-tech educational environment as well as the broader community through increased outreach activities. Garden Homes enjoys the benefits of a strong and productive partnership with MPS and has secured a stable revenue source by leasing classroom space to the district for its Montessori program.

The result is a strong network of schools serving a working class neighborhood on Milwaukee's north side. Garden Homes families now have three quality educational options nearby, thus strengthening efforts to stabilze and revitalize the area.