Cor Jesu Academy President Sr. Barbara Thomas, ASCJ announced today that the school has purchased 10 acres from Sovereign Bank, expanding its campus to 29 acres. The land was once part of Grant’s Farm Manor and lies directly south of the new athletic field and the western edge of the school campus ending at Grant’s Trail.
“After many years of praying, hoping and negotiating, the 10 acres of additional land has been added to the Cor Jesu campus,” stated Cor Jesu President Sr. Barbara Thomas, ASCJ. “This day has long been anticipated, and we are most grateful to the entire Cor Jesu community for all the prayers, support, encouragement and loyalty to the mission of the school. This additional land will allow Cor Jesu to enhance its outstanding Catholic education for young women well into the future. We have already begun work on strategic initiatives, which include an updated campus facility plan utilizing the additional land. With these exciting plans for the future and strong enrollment, we look forward to all the possibilities that lie before us.”
Since 1965, when the school was built on its 13-acre tract on Gravois Road, Cor Jesu’s administration has worked to acquire the adjacent western 16-acre tract, which ends at the Grant’s Trail walking path. In May 2008, Cor Jesu purchased six of those acres, which brought the school’s acreage to 19. Thanks to countless supporters and the generous donations of many in the Cor Jesu community, the dream for Cor Jesu to own all 16 acres has now become reality.
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In the past three years, Cor Jesu has invested in a new performance athletic field and three new state-of-the art science labs and has completely renovated its library increasing student space, its in-house broadcast studio, and Campus Ministry. The new 10-acre campus acquisition will allow Cor Jesu to expand other facilities in the future, which may include a new field house, chapel, student commons, theater, additional parking, tennis courts, a running track and other facilities.
Cor Jesu Academy, which is owned and operated by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, provides a Catholic faith-based education for 573 young women, fulfilling our mission of preparing students intellectually, spiritually and morally to serve as responsible members of the global community. Since opening in 1956 on The Hill, Cor Jesu has educated more than 5,000 women, who are directly impacting the communities in which they live. The school has been at its present location on Gravois since 1965.