St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School is dedicated to continuing a long tradition of Catholic education in Sheboygan. The property on which the current school building now sits was the site of St. Mary Magdalene Parish, established in 1845, as Sheboygan's first Catholic church. In 1852, a quarter-century before the first public school opened in Sheboygan, a small two-room school was built next to the church to serve the families of the parish.
The parish and school quickly grew. With the arrival of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1859, the school was expanded to four rooms to accommodate 200 students. As the parish outgrew the small wood-frame St. Mary Magdalene Church, a new stone church was constructed across Superior Avenue and dedicated in 1872 as Holy Name of Jesus Parish. The school, now known as Holy Name School, could no longer find space for its 309 students. In 1891, the cornerstone was laid for a new school building which still stands as the western section of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School.
By 1912, Holy Name School enrollment had surged to more than 800 students, resulting in overcrowded classrooms. Thankfully, in 1915, the newly dedicated St. Clement Parish on 6th Street opened its Catholic school, staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. Just over a decade later, St. Dominic Church and School were dedicated in 1928 to serve the families on the west side of Sheboygan. St. Dominic School started classes with 97 students in grades 1 through 7 staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. As the school grew, a convent was built in 1936 to house seven Sisters.
The “Baby Boom” era of the early 1950s saw expansion at all three north-side parish schools with a new school building at St. Clement, new construction at Holy Name School that expanded the previous building, and eventually a new church built at St. Dominic with utilization of the old church building for classrooms. By the 1980s, however, declining enrollment resulted in a merging of St. Clement School with Holy Name School in 1985. A few years later, the school was given the more inclusive name of Holy Family School.
In 2012, a new era began when St. Dominic and Holy Family Schools were merged into a new corporation, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, which was established on the former Holy Family School site. Shortly after, St. Dominic, St. Clement, and Holy Name of Jesus Parishes formed a new parish cluster known as Sheboygan North Catholic Parishes. Together, the three parishes are working together to support and preserve the mission of Catholic education on the north side of Sheboygan.
About the Saint
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821) was a pioneer of Catholic education in the United States and a woman of unwavering faith, courage, and charity. Born into a prominent New York City family, Elizabeth married William Seton and became the mother of five children. After her husband's untimely death in 1803, she converted to the Catholic faith and was received into the Church in 1805. Because of the anti-Catholic sentiment of many at that time, Elizabeth’s conversion brought social rejection and financial hardship.
Seeking to provide for her family, and recognizing the need for Catholic education, Elizabeth devoted her life to teaching and serving others. In 1809, she moved to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s, the first native religious community in the United States. That same year, she opened St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School, the first free Catholic school for girls in the nation. This became the foundation of the Catholic parochial school system in America, ensuring that all Catholic children, especially the disadvantaged, had access to quality education rooted in faith.
Under her leadership, the Sisters of Charity expanded their work, opening schools and orphanages across the country. Elizabeth’s model of education emphasized both academic excellence and moral formation, instilling in students a love for God and service to others. Her vision and dedication continue to shape Catholic education today.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized in 1975, becoming the first native-born American saint. She is the patroness of Catholic schools, a testament to her lifelong commitment to educating the young in faith and knowledge. At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, we strive to carry on her legacy by providing an education that nurtures both the mind and the heart, preparing students to live lives of faith, service, and excellence.