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Our School

History and Mission

J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School was founded in 1957 thanks to a benevolent gift from the Cosgriff-Sturdevant families in memory of James E. Cosgriff. J.E. Cosgriff was well known for his enthusiastic support of Catholic education in Utah.

Pastor’s Message
Welcome to J. E. Cosgrif Memorial Catholic School, a ministry of St. Ambrose Parish.

One of the joys of being attached our school is seeing the little ones join us as toddlers to flourish, grow, and learn. Not just academically, but spiritually, socially, and emotionally. As a Catholic school, we have the freedom and responsibility to educate the whole person. We are blessed to be able to help the children in our care to realize their full potential now and in the future–to be the persons God created them to be.

Fr. Erik J. Richtsteig

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Our story

Thanks to the support of our parent and parish communities

J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School is a ministry of St. Ambrose Parish. The school is so named because it was built through the generosity of the Cosgriff-Sturdevant families in memory of James Edward Cosgriff, husband of the late Mrs. Mildred Cosgriff. Mrs. J. E. Cosgriff and Mr. Walter E. Cosgriff, son of Mr. J.E. Cosgriff, were living at the time the gift was made and were numbered among the donors.

The first school session began on September 3, 1957 with classes from kindergarten to sixth grade. The Daughters of Charity staffed the school initially and continued with the school until 1991. Through the years, the school has expanded to include toddlers through eighth grade. The school library was added in 1982. The Extended Day Program was added in 1995. This important before and after school care program is located in the Vaughan Center, named for a former pastor, Msgr. William Vaughan. The McCarthey Center was dedicated on May 12, 2002. This addition was built where the convent and chapel previously stood. It was named after the late Thomas Kearns and Jane Finn-McCarthey because of their generous donation toward the building. They were longtime members of St. Ambrose Parish. 

The McCarthey Center now houses middle school classrooms, an art/science room, offices for our counselor and Learning Resource Center, the toddler, preschool and prekindergarten programs and one of our two kindergarten classes. This space allows the first and second grade classes to be split and for one classroom to be dedicated as the Reading Room. 

The Reading Room and the Reading Team support leveled literacy instruction, small group work and other curriculum support. With dynamic leadership and our generous community, continuous improvement and program development has been possible. 

Renovations and upgrades to the school kitchen, computer lab, classroom technology, the playground and creation of a Peace Garden, as well as the addition of Latin and violin instruction for the middle grades are examples of such efforts. Most recently, substantial projects have focused on the infrastructure to support effective schoolwide technology use and the health and safety of students and faculty.

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what continues our growth

Our mission and philosophy

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School is to guide our students to become respectful, responsible, and productive citizens through quality academic instruction that is grounded in Catholic teachings and tradition. 

PHILOSOPHY We, the faculty and staff of J. E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School, see ourselves as commissioned by the Church and delegated by parents to teach the children entrusted to our care. Together we strive to develop in our students respect, compassion, dignity and confidence as children of God. On that foundation, we will build their spiritual strength, academic excellence and artistic appreciation. It is our goal to strengthen Catholic identity in a Christian environment, by involving students in prayer, worship, and stewardship in and outside of the school setting. We strive to instill in our students the love of learning, the desire to be of service to others, and the importance of respect for all people in our school and our world. Our students will then be able to accept the challenge and responsibility of living in a diverse and global community.

Student Learning Expectations (SLE)

The desired results for student learning at J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School are:

Catholic Identity

  • Demonstrates Christ-like Spiritual Life
  • Demonstrates a solid understanding of the Catholic faith and traditions
  • Demonstrates a spirit of service in the church, family, school and community

Lifelong Learner

  • Exhibit a solid foundation of required core subjects
  • Communicate effectively
  • Think critically and solve problems independently and collaboratively
  • Develop organizational and study skills, while producing quality work and striving for academic excellence

Character

  • Demonstrate respect for self and others and respond compassionately to those in need
  • Develop a strong work ethic and does one’s best work
  • Demonstrate leadership ability in establishing and accomplishing effective goals with others

Civic and Global Responsibility

  • Understand his/her heritage and appreciates and respects diversity
  • Investigate current events and global issues and their effect on Christian life
  • Actively respond to the needs of others at school, community and the world

Donations and Giving

Help show your support

Donations are always accepted through Greater Giving. You can effortlessly earn money for J.E. Cosgriff through the AmazonSmile and Amazon Associates program, by shopping at Fresh Market or Dan’s and using your PLUS card, General Mills box tops, or directly through our donations link.

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