REGISTRATIONS BEGIN FEBRUARY 2, 2012!
GENERAL POLICY- Our goal is to continue the timeliness of registrations for returning families for school year 2012-2013. We must be able to effectively plan the budget for our school based upon the number of actual registrations. In today’s economy, we can not plan a realistic school budget without knowing the number of students to expect. Your timely registration is appreciated!
Returning families need to file their registration for 2012-2013 no later than Thursday, April 5, 2012.
We plan to communicate the 2012-2013 enrollment numbers by class on a periodic basis. Check the bulletin boards in the church vestibules.
Please read this policy carefully as there are some changes to the registration process this year.
For school year 2012-2013 families can pay their tuition by one of two methods:
Tuition can be paid in full no later then Monday, July 16, 2012 or arrangements can be made to finance the amount due over a period of ten months with interest and applicable fees.
Acceptance letters for all processed registrations will be mailed beginning after April 16, 2012. No student may be registered for school year 2012-2013 unless all tuition payments for school year 2011-2012 are current.
Registration will take place on line on the school Edline web site. Both new and returning families can register by clicking here. If you receive the St. Thomas More School Edline home page, go the Contents listing on the right side and Click on REGISTRATION 2012-2013. Click on the appropriate section for Returning or New families.
THE REGISTRATION PROCESS &
REGISTRATION FEES (In-Parish and Out-of-Parish) -
After careful consideration of all the anticipated operating costs of our school, the Parish Finance Commission has set the fees for 2012-2013. The final school budget will not be completed until late spring 2012 and will be finalized based upon the number of confirmed registrations.
The Registration Fees for each family will be $350 and is due 72 hours after the registration forms are processed on line. Registration forms processed without the full deposit amount will NOT be processed. Checks are payable to St. Thomas More. The registration fees may also be processed on a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit card without a processing fee. Please complete the credit card form if you wish to charge the registration fees. Put the form in an sealed envelope and send it in to the school office to the attention of the Business Manager.
The family registration fee secures the reservation for every child and is non-refundable if the family later elects not to attend St. Thomas More School and enroll in any neighboring school. Families that physically move out of the area and change their address will receive a full refund.
The Registration Fee is not a deposit on the tuition. The tuition is due in full as noted.
TUITION SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
Registration Fees & Tuition
1 Child-In Parish K-8
$350 PER FAMILY plus
$3,295 Tuition
2 Children-In Parish K-8
$350 PER FAMILY plus
$6,395 Tuition
3 Children-In Parish K-8
$350 PER FAMILY plus
$8,965 Tuition
4 Children-In Parish K-8
$350 PER FAMILY plus
$10,395 Tuition
Out of Parish-EA Child, All Day K-8
$350 PER FAMILY plus
$4,995 Tuition per child
DEFINITIONS -
“In-Parish” is defined as a registered family of St. Thomas More Parish who regularly attends Sunday Mass at our parish as measured by the use of Sunday envelopes dropped in the collection basket. Each family is required to attend Sunday Mass at St. Thomas More at least 27 times and contribute during the year in order to continue to receive in parish tuition as noted by the use of the Sunday envelope deposited during the Offertory.
“Out-of-Parish” is defined as any school family who is not registered as members of St. Thomas More Parish, including non-Catholic families. Families will have their status changed from “In-Parish” to “Out-of-Parish” status only for school tuition based upon not meeting the Sunday Mass attendance and contribution standards during 2011.
Letters determining each returning family’s status for 2012-2013 were mailed or emailed in early February 2012.
TUITION PAYMENT SCHEDULE - The registration fees are payable at the time of the registration. A school registration will not be valid until the registration fee has been paid in full and all arrangements have been made for tuition payments.
Tuition may be paid in full by July 16, 2012, (Option A) or through a 10-month payment plan (Option B) through our new tuition payment provider, FACTS.
Option A – Payment in Full - A family may elect to pay the tuition in full no later than Monday, July 16, 2012. Families will be invoiced for the tuition payment. All payments are made through the Parish Finance Office.
St. Thomas More will accept a check for the full amount due, or with as many installments that equal the total amount due by July 16, 2012 or charged on a valid Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit card. If a credit card is used for payment, a 2% processing charge will be added to the total amount charged to cover the processing fees incurred. ACH payments will also be accepted with no service charge. Specific payment information will be included with the invoice that will be mailed in the late spring time frame.
Option B - Payment Over 10 Months - Families may elect to pay the tuition due over a period of ten months beginning in July through April. Families may elect to make a down payment on the total tuition amount due and finance the balance.
Beginning this year, we will be utilizing a new monthly tuition provider, FACTS Management Company. FACTS is a nationally renowned tuition provider service. Our former provider, Tuition Management Systems, has sold a majority of their K-12 contracts to FACTS including St. Thomas More's.
Because we are changing monthly tuition providers, every family wishing to use this service beginning in 2012-2013 and beyond must register on line for the first year. In subsequent years, only changes to the account need to be made. We cannot legally transfer a family's file from one tuition provider to another. Every family wishing to pay their tuition over a ten month period must set up their account online by click on the FACTS logo:
Optional: Click here for more information regarding how to complete the FACTS monthly payment plan enrollment.
Optional: Click here for more information about FACTS.
Families that need help to complete the on line FACTS enrollment should call the school office for assistance.
The $38 FACTS enrollment fee will be added to the total amount due and will be part of the monthly fee.
FAMILIES WISHING TO PAY THEIR TUITION ON THE 10 MONTH PAYMENT PLAN MUST SET UP THEIR ACCOUNT ON LINE AT FACTS AND COMPLETE THIS PROCESS BEFORE THEIR SCHOOL REGISTRATION IS ACCEPTED BY ST. THOMAS MORE.
Once the online enrollment has been completed, the Finance Office will enter the final amount due. Families can check the total and monthly amount due online by accessing their new FACTS account. The ten-month FACTS payments begin in July 2012 and run through April 2013. Payment are due either the 5th or the 20th of the month as in the past. A interest rate of 5% will be added to the total balance due. The monthly payment will be the total amount due plus 5% interest and the $38 FACTS processing fee A family may also choose to process their monthly payment on Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit card with an additional 2.0% processing fee added to amount due.
Families registering after the cut off date for the first monthly payment will have their total balance due divided by the number of months remaining in the program.
The monthly payments are electronically processed each month by FACTS from the family's designated checking, savings account, or credit card.
Any checking, savings account, or credit card transaction returned due to insufficient funds, inadequate credit limit, or use of an invalid card, will be reported to St. Thomas More as delinquent. Each return for insufficient funds or low credit limit will be liable to pay all the bank and late fees in addition to the tuition. The family will have 14 days to correct the problem and bring the account into a current status including the payment of all fees.
Families may monitor their account or seek assistance by directly contacting FACTS on line on the family account at http://www.factsmgt.com/ or call 1-877-606-2587.
Monthly invoice billings are not available.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - Tuition aid is provided based upon the parish’s ability to do so to families who are active participating members of the parish and who meet income requirements. A Tuition Aid application (PSAS) must be completed and submitted by April 17, 2012 as directed with a copy of the family's 2011 federal income tax return. The aid application is then processed and a recommendation provided by late May or early June to the parish. Families wishing to apply for aid should do so at the time of registration. Registration will not be completed until all financial arrangements have been made. FACTS monthly contracts will be processed and any financial aid decision rendered will be posted as a credit prior to the first payment in July. All approvals for financial aide must be approved by the Pastor. PSAS applications must be obtained from the Business Manager in the Finance Office or on line. Please go to the Financial Aid Information page on the parish web site for more information.
REFUNDS - Registration Fees are not refundable except as previously noted.
Students' families who are physically relocated out of the area served by the parish may request a refund according to the following schedule:
- Before July 1 100% Refund
- Before December 1 50% Refund of total due, if paid
- Before February 1 25% Refund of total due, if paid
- After February 1 NO REFUND
- Students who are withdrawn for any other reason are responsible for the entire tuition, but they may request a review of their case by the Pastor. School records are not released for such transfers until the entire bill is paid and all other outstanding financial obligations have been satisfied.
OTHER - Registrations of existing students for the coming year are due in school office no later than April 5, 2012. A $100 late fee will be charged for registrations submitted after April 5, 2012.
The registration numbers by class will be posted on the bulletin boards in the back of church on a periodic basis on a secure Edline site.
All questions or concerns related to fees, tuition, or payments should be directed to the Finance Office; 513-753-2543.