Early Childhood Education Center Announcement

Cotter Schools’ One Campus plan is coming to fruition.  The Tau Center is undergoing renovations that will transform the building into an Early Childhood Education Center.  Cotter’s Early Childhood Education program will include the current Pre-school and Educare programs at the St. Mary’s Campus, an additional Montessori Toddler and Children’s House program, and a brand new infant care program. 

“We know the need for infant care is incredibly high in the Winona area, and we are excited to meet the needs of our community by opening an infant program in early 2024,” said Mary Eileen Fitch, President of Cotter Schools.  “It is a wonderful gift for our families to be able to have their students of all ages learning in spaces that are in close proximity to one another.  We recognize the convenience this provides for families, and we look forward to increased connections within our school community.  As our enrollment continues to grow, we look forward to developing even more opportunities for students of various ages to mentor, lead, and learn important lessons from one another.”   

The One Campus plan has been envisioned for years.  Due to the generosity of major benefactors, several renovations and new construction projects on the St. Teresa’s Campus are bringing this vision to life.   

The newly renovated St. Joseph Hall opened its doors to junior high and high school students in August of 2021, and with the new construction and addition of the attached Cotter Residence Hall, the site of Cotter’s previous residential building, Loretto Hall, became available.  That space, renamed St. Luke Hall, is currently being renovated, and an addition is being built using land adjacent to Maria Hall. 

St. Luke Hall, a Kindergarten through Grade 6 building, will open in August 2023.  Students from three campuses, St. Mary’s, St. Stan’s, and St. Teresa’s, will unite in a single, dynamic learning environment. St. Luke Hall will provide four classrooms per grade to accommodate recent and continuing enrollment growth. 

For information about enrolling at Cotter Schools, contact Celia Kaiser in Local Admissions. For more information about this story, contact Jana Korder in Communications.