Aug Prep North Q&A

Perspective from Aug Prep North’s new leaders: Keith Traska, Nghia Williams and Brita Willis

Recently, Aug Prep announced the hiring of three founding leaders for Aug Prep North: High School Principal Keith Traska, K-8 Principal Nghia Williams and K-8 Assistant Principal Brita Willis. Here, they provide their perspective on the opportunities they see at the new school, which opens on the former Cardinal Stritch University campus in time for the 2026-27 school year.

The admission process for Aug Prep North already is underway, and you can find out more here.

Q: What did you find most compelling about the opportunity to be a part of Aug Prep North?

Keith Traska: We get to build something amazing, and so needed for the community, from the ground up. We want our students to become our next generation of leaders. What are they going to bring to our school – not just for the next four years, but for generations to come? They're going to set that tone. We can be intentional, creating a supportive environment that helps our students and families thrive. We're going to learn it together and we're going to build it together.

Nghia Williams: Being able to take what has been created on the South Side and do it on the North Side, that is what's most compelling to me. Bringing in people who have the same mission and goals that I have, the same passion for teaching and just want to make a difference. That is what drew me to this position.

Brita Willis: You have the opportunity to start with a strong team right away -- find the people who are mission-driven, believe in the Aug Prep way and what they do here. Having that fresh start, looking at what kids in this area really need in terms of programming, athletics, arts and extracurricular activities. The school is going to be run according to the same principles as Aug Prep South, but some things are going to be different -- that is fun to think about.

Q: For parents who may be considering Aug Prep North as an option for their students, what would you say to them?

Nghia Williams: First, go to the South Side campus and see what amazing things they're doing there! Because my goal and my job as the founding principal is to replicate what has already been started, but make it the North Campus way. If you have questions, please go take a tour, talk to the teachers, talk to the staff and talk to the kids to get to know what Aug Prep is all about.

Brita Willis: I think there's great opportunity. Being one of those founding families in a school where grade level sizes are small and there really is a brand-new team focused on doing what's best for the kids, we want to get it right the first time.

Keith Traska: What are your kids’ dreams? We want to prepare them for that. And we want to do that in such a way that your kids will appreciate what they've had, and you as parents will know you are giving them the best opportunity for their life. That's why you send them to Aug Prep.

Q: So look forward a year into the future. Aug Prep North is opening its doors for the first time. What do you hope that experience will be like?

Brita Willis: I hope it will be a joyful welcome. I think there has been a lot of anticipation about the school opening. Having strong team members welcoming everyone. Kids coming in, excited for the possibilities. Families excited for what the school has to offer their kids. That’s what I envision.

Keith Traska: I'm hoping that when kids walk in, they feel the energy behind a new school. They feel the excitement -- “Wow, this place is brand new. This is amazing. There are all these opportunities.” But also, “It's our school.” They feel that ownership to know that they are going to be the first class getting ready to walk in those doors a year from now. Same thing with our teachers. It's our school. We're building this.

And it's really God's school. He's the one that has enabled people to come together to fund this, to build this, to put all this together. That's really the tone I want the kids to have too. It's God's school. He has given it to us to take care of. That's a gift.

Nghia Williams: That first day that we open that building, seeing the kids run in the building and knowing that a year before this, I was sitting in a room with pretty much nothing for our campus. Knowing it took us a whole year for them to find me, to find Brita, to find Keith. And now we're bringing in teachers and now we have students. Welcoming those families and those students on the first day brings me so much excitement.