$2M outdoor improvements to begin at Appleton middle school

By REBECCA LOROFF

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Starting June 15, Xavier Middle School, 2626 N. Oneida St., Appleton, will begin a $2.1 million building project to enhance its outdoor space and security.

The project will include a new track, resurfaced tennis courts, a prayer garden and a new parking lot with dedicated dropoff and pickup lanes.

Xavier Catholic Schools representative Abbey Spierings told the Appleton Post-Crescent the project is set to finish ahead of the start of the 2026-27 school year. It’s part of a multiphase site safety and enhancement project. Most of the money for the first phase has already been raised, mostly by private donors, Spierings said.

“This project has been discussed for nearly 10 years, but it took a small yet powerful group of Xavier community members coming together to make it happen,” said Xavier Middle School principal Terry Tyrrell in a statement.

According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Xavier Middle School had 367 students attend during the 2025-26 school year. The school is part of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Schools system, which enrolled nearly 1,300 students during the same school year.