There are many options for high school - charter, private, boarding, religious, public – and each have their advantages. However, there are unique benefits to attending a private Catholic high school that the other options don’t provide.

Small Class Size

Going to a school where the class sizes are small is beneficial because students are able to receive more personalized feedback from teachers, smaller classes encourage more participation and students can get more one-on-one learning time with teachers. According to studies, when class sizes were reduced from 22 students to 15, student achievement increased by an amount equivalent to about 3 additional months of schooling.

At St. Lawrence Seminary High School, our average class size is less than twenty students and our student to faculty ratio is 9 to 1. We have seen firsthand the benefits a small class has on students in terms of performance and confidence in speaking.

Community Service

Some high schools require their students to complete a certain amount of service hours on their own, but at St. Lawrence Seminary high school, all of our students participate in community events together. Students bond and learn about the importance of helping others as they volunteer for a variety of community services. Some of our popular community projects include the angel tree project, make a difference day, operation back to school and Special Olympics bowling. These opportunities to give back not only aid the community, but instill in students a desire to help others throughout their life.

Preparation for Post-Secondary Education

One of the benefits of attending a private Catholic High School is that many of these schools focus on preparing students for further education after high school – instead of focusing on passing tests. At St. Lawrence Seminary High School, our overall academic curriculum reflects a strong bias toward college preparation. We partner with Marian University of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to offer students the opportunity to earn college credit while taking courses at St Lawrence. The courses are taken on campus and are taught by St. Lawrence instructors.

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Opportunities to Travel

Getting the opportunity to travel and be immersed in different cultures is a life changing and beneficial experience for students in high school, but one that is not always available. At St. Lawrence Seminary High School, we partner with Collegium Johanneum in Germany. Alternating years, our two schools send students and teachers to other countries to experience the language and culture of one another. St. Lawrence students live with host families, tour various German cities and even attend lessons at the partner school.

Recently, we also formed an exchange program with Colegio Santa Ana in Lima, Peru. In alternating years, our two schools send a delegation to the other country; while there, students and teachers will stay with host families, attend classes at the respective school, and participate in the everyday life of a normal student, immersed in language, culture, food, and history of the place.

Robust Student Life

At larger schools, it’s very easy for some students to fade into the background and have difficulty making friends. The fraternity of attending classes, volunteering and in some cases living together creates an unshakeable bond at private Catholic schools.

If the academic program is the “brain” and the spiritual life program is the “soul” and the athletic and activities programs are the “body” of the residential life environment, then it is not an exaggeration to say that the emphasis of community is the “heart” of St. Lawrence. Students are placed in fraternities of 10-12 boys that are balanced on grade, culture and compatibility. These fraternities forge lifelong friendships. Learn more about our fraternities and how we develop social skills.

For more information on the benefits and details about St. Lawrence Seminary High School, download our FREE Parent's Guide.

St. Lawrence Seminary is an all boys Catholic boarding school located in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin. We welcome students from Minnesota, Illinois and across the United States. Inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the example of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Lawrence Seminary provides a residential college preparatory education in a living Catholic community nurturing mature, well-rounded men of faith. See if St. Lawrence is right for you and your son.