Cotter Sees Continued Enrollment Growth

The enrollment reflects the strong interest families have in Cotter’s Catholic education, comprehensive academic offerings, and commitment to developing the whole student from the earliest years through high school graduation.

Enrollment across Cotter’s five buildings includes:

• Main Square Montessori: 38 students, 16 months through preschool
• St. Nicholas Hall: 160 students, serving Cotter’s infants 6 weeks old through preschool
• St. Luke Hall: 514 students, serving students in Grades K-6
• St. Teresa Hall: 187 students in Grades 7 and 8
• St. Joseph Hall: 302 students in Grades 9-12

Cotter welcomed 74 new students in Grades K-12 for the 2026-27 school year. These new Ramblers come from a variety of backgrounds and communities, including 13 students whose families relocated to Winona, and students from other communities such as Fountain City, Galesville, Trempealeau, Cochrane, Arcadia, Wabasha, Rollingstone, and Saint Charles.

Cotter’s boarding program also continues to grow, with 44 boarding students enrolled this year, representing a diverse group of countries and communities, including Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey, Vietnam, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, with U.S. students coming from Minnesota, New Jersey, and Virginia. Among the boarding students are three sets of siblings. Cotter is also proud to welcome Julian Daechert of Germany. Julian brings a unique accomplishment to Cotter as well; he is the youngest web designer in Germany and started his own web design company at just 12 years old.

“Every new student represents a family choosing to become part of the Cotter community, and that is something we don’t take for granted,” said Erin Koetz, Director of Local Admissions. “We are so grateful for the families who have placed their trust in us and for the opportunity to welcome them to Cotter. Seeing our community continue to grow is truly special.”

The enrollment growth comes as Cotter continues to invest in opportunities for students and families, including expanded academic offerings such as Advanced Placement (AP) courses and College-to-Career (C2C) opportunities through Minnesota State College Southeast for high school students, as well as the Believe and Read literacy program for elementary students. Last year, Cotter students earned an impressive 319 college transcript credits, reflecting the strength of these academic opportunities and our commitment to helping students prepare for their futures. Cotter has also continued to invest in its facilities, with new buildings already part of campus and a new athletic field house planned to open in the summer of 2027. Offering education from infancy through Grade 12 on one campus allows families to grow with the Cotter community from their child’s earliest years through high school graduation.

With 1,201 students now part of the Cotter community, the 2026-27 school year begins with continued momentum and a growing number of families choosing to make Cotter their educational home.