Grounds for Greatness
Yes! I will support Grounds For Greatness and invest in the future of St. Joseph School!
Ready to set up a one time or recurring gift now? Visit sjpray.org/donatenow
To send a check by mail, please mail it to:
St. Joseph School Capital Campaign
105 Church Lane
Cockeysville, Md, 21030
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Learn More About Grounds for Greatness
Great things are happening at St. Joseph School.
This year, the PreK-8 Catholic school in the heart of Cockeysville, MD, was recognized as one of the top schools in the country as a National Blue Ribbon School. For the third year in a row, enrollment levels have been at near capacity levels. Yet despite the excellence going on inside the classrooms, its outdoor facilities are in desperate need of improvement.
On Febrary 28, 2024, St. Joseph School embarked on a bold $2 million capital campaign, Grounds For Greatness, to transform its outdoor facilities. This initiative includes installing a state-of-the-art turf athletic field and a new playground. It also includes renovating bathrooms in the older parts of the school.
The SJS Turf Field
Our current athletic field is inadequate for our needs. Built on a quarry bed, it has never provided a healthy, safe playing surface despite costly efforts. It’s constantly worn and often closed due to poor conditions.
We need a durable, versatile, and cost-effective solution to support our students’ physical education and athletic development. The field must meet the demands of a vibrant PreK-8 school, used daily for recess, gym, sports, after-school care, and extracurricular activities.
A turf athletic field will provide an all-weather surface, ensuring play regardless of conditions. Expanded to a regulation soccer field, this investment will enhance our sports programs and improve student well-being.
The Meghan Merkert Playground
It is hard to overstate the importance of a playground. It is a space where children learn how to problem-solve, engage in imaginative play, interact with their peers, and develop friendships. The playground is busy all the time. Parents take their kids to play after Mass, and it is heavily used by our children’s ministries, Hispanic groups, and families. Our playground is where parents connect with other parents and build friendships and community.
The new playground will be inclusive and accessible to children of varying ages, abilities, and needs. Named the “The Meghan Merkert Playground,” it will honor a young St. Joseph School mother who died suddenly before Christmas, leaving behind two young daughters. Meghan was an enthusiastic school volunteer, her love for the school community will always be remembered.
Upgrades to the Main School Bathrooms
The bathrooms in the main school building have not been updated since the 1960s. They need to renovated into modern hygienic restrooms.
Play Strong.
Dream Big.
Sponsorship Levels
To view the different sponsorship levels, please click on the toggles below.
Championship Sponsor (claimed)
$250,000 (claimed) naming of the field
MVP Sponsor (claimed)
$100,000 (claimed) naming of scoreboard
All-Star Sponsor (2)
$50,000 Company Logo on either Soccer or Lacrosse Field Goals, Family Name/Company Name Displayed at School/Alumni Events, Race for Education, Website, and all printed materials, social media, email shout out.
Varsity Sponsor (2)
$25,000 Company Logo on home or away team benches, Family Name/Company Name displayed at school/alumni events, race for education, website, and all printed materials, social media/email shout out.
Team Sponsor
$10,000 to $24,000 company name and logo listed on permanent outdoor plaque, Family Name/Company Name displayed at school/alumni events, race for education, website, printed materials, social media/email shoutout
Starter Sponsor
$5,000 – $9,000 company name and logo listed on vinyl outdoor sign (6 months), Family Name/Company Name listed on website, race for education, printed materials.
Supporter Sponsor
$1,500 Family Name/Company Name listed on website, race for education, printed materials
Meghan Merkert Playground Benches
$25,000 (2), your company logo or family name on 1 or 2 playground benches, Family Name/Company Name displayed at school/alumni events, race for education, website and all printed materials, social media, email shout out.
Ways to Give
Corporate Matching Gifts
Many companies offer a matching gift program for their employees’ contributions to non-profit organizations such as St. Joseph School. Simply enclose your company’s matching gift form – available from your personnel office – when sending your gift to the School. Donors are credited with the value of their personal gift plus the match amount.
Here are a few companies that offer matching gifts:
Donor Advisor Fund
A donor advised fund, which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to St. Joseph School and other charities. Donors may transfer cash or other assets to a tax-exempt sponsoring organization such as a public foundation, and recommend how much and how often money is granted.
St. Joseph’s tax ID number is: #52-0591429
Gifts of Securities
Transferring securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds is a particularly beneficial way for you to support St., Joseph School since capital gains tax is avoided and the tax deduction is based on the value of the stock on the day of transfer. Securities may be given to St. Joseph by transferring them through your broker to the Archdioces of Baltimore who processes them for the school and parish