Cosgriff students show 'Strength for the Journey'

Courtesy photo

+ Enlarge

Lisa Romero

J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School is celebrating Catholic Schools Week with all students, faculty and staff receiving a 2022-2023 spirit shirt.

Students in third, fourth and seventh grades created spirit shirt designs in art class with teacher Grace Cier. Their art was inspired by the Cosgriff tiger mascot, the annual schoolwide theme of Strength for the Journey and the new ROAR positive behavior intervention support program.  

The Strength for the Journey theme invokes the strength given by God to persevere. The 2022-2023 school year has been a great opportunity to take note of lessons learned and use them going forward in our journeys. Faculty, staff and students have reflected on what gives them strength and how they can strengthen others.  

The ROAR PBIS program incorporates the Student Learning Expectations and tiger mascot. Central to the new program are ROAR expectations and recognition. J.E. Cosgriff students are called to be Respectful Christians who take Ownership of their learning, whose Attitude reflects positive character traits, and who exhibit civic and global Responsibility.  

Respect, ownership, attitude and responsibility and the related behaviors are common language used within the classrooms and posted throughout the school, and have become a frequent part of morning announcements.  

The Power Hour Team and reading coach, Raquel Austin, also developed ROAR expectations specific to this important small group literacy work in kindergarten through fifth grade.  

Students are recognized for meeting ROAR expectations with ROAR slips. The slips are filled out by faculty and staff, with one copy going home, one posted in the classroom and one delivered to the office, where the students are celebrated. Carrie DiVall, the office manager, records all slips and then they are available for biweekly ROAR rewards drawings, which are announced during morning announcements.  

J.E. Cosgriff’s new assistant principal, Mary Thorne, school counselor Jessica Mertlich and DiVall, the office manager, were critical in designing the ROAR program and launching it with faculty at the beginning of the year.

The art teacher, Cier, uploaded all the designs, and the ultimate winner was seventh-grader Maya Powell, who was chosen by faculty and staff. Examples of many of the students’ work fill one of the school’s prominent bulletin boards. During Catholic Schools Week the schoolwide wearing of the spirit shirt is a joyful highlight.  

Lisa Romero is principal of J.E. Cosgriff Memorial School.