MAY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
The 2008-2009 School Budget has been determined. As always there were many considerations that needed to be factored in. They included:
· Full-time teacher salaries are up at least $1,500.00.
· Part-time salaries are up 3.75%.
· All special classes (gym, computers, music, study skills and library) will remain.
· A weekly Art program will be put in for grades 7-8.
· Our belief in keeping small (below 30) “average” class sizes in all grade levels.
· There will be three classrooms for grades 1, 3 and 5.
· There will be two classrooms for grade 2 with both having a teacher-aide.
Our projected expenses for 2008-2009 exceed 1.86 million dollars. Of this amount, $1,571,541.00 goes for teacher and staff salaries, taxes, health insurance, pension and professional growth (workshops, inservices and course work). $11,845.00 is for the Office of Catholic Schools per student assessment. Another $37,408.00 goes for property and casualty insurance. These three amounts are mandated by the Archdiocese and represent 87% of our total expenses. This leaves us with only 13% (just under $250,000.00) to pay for everything else including books and instructional materials ($62,000.00), printing, postage and office supplies ($10,000.00), utilities ($53,500.00), ordinary cleaning, maintenance and repairs ($80,000.00), furnishing and equipment ($5,000.00) and miscellaneous ($35,545.00) of which technology ($10,000.00) and counseling services ($11,500.00) comprise the most.
As for tuition, the following are the rates for next year.
One Child Full Day (K-8) $3900.00 (averages out to $3900.00 per child)
One Child Full Day + ½ Day PK or K $5200.00 (averages out to $2600.00 per child)
Two Children Full Day $6100.00 (averages out to $3050.00 per child)
Two Children Full Day + One 3 Year Old $6800.00 (averages out to $2266.67 per child)
Two Children Full Day + ½ Day PK or K $7000.00 (averages out to $2333.33 per child)
Three Children Full Day $7600.00 (averages out to $2533.33 per child)
Three Children Full Day + ½ Day PK or K $7700.00 (averages out to $1925.00 per child)
Four Children Full Day $7900.00 (averages out to $1975.00 per child)
Four Children + ½ Day PK or K $7900.00 (averages out to $1580.00 per child)
One Child 3 Years Old Only $1900.00 (averages out to $1900.00 per child)
One Child ½ Day PK-K Only $2800.00 (averages out to $2800.00 per child)
One Child 4 Years Old + One Child 3 Years Old $3500.00 (averages out to $1750.00 per child)
One Child Full Day + One Child 3 Years Old $5000.00 (averages out to $2500.00 per child)
· There are NO INCREASES in our curriculum fees, mandatory fundraising or registration fees.
When comparing the tuition rates from this year with those for next year, increases are seen. These increases however are the lowest in memory. The smallest is for a family of one full-day student. It is only $100.00 for the entire year. The
OVER
greatest increase ($500.00) is for a family of four or more students. While significant in total amount, the indicated “per child cost” does show a substantial reduction for each child.
As in the past, there is still a $300.00 per family required fundraising fee. At the end of this school year, each family will receive a book of thirty $10.00 raffle tickets. These tickets can be sold throughout the summer. At the August “Welcome Back Day” your sold raffle tickets and $300.00 will be due. If you did not sell all thirty tickets by Welcome Back Day, the entire $300.00 will still be due. Starting on the first day of school, and continuing every day we have school one raffle ticket will be randomly chosen. The lucky winner will receive $50.00. This amounts to $8,800.00 to be given away throughout the school year. There will also be cash prizes to the families selling the most tickets.
Is the school receiving a Parish Subsidy for next year? YES! Father Ed has agreed to give $30,000.00 to help us pay our expenses.
A very successful new revenue source for school was established this year. It came by way of the church in the monthly addition of the “In Support of Our Parish School” envelopes. Since January of this year 2/3 of the school support donations have come from “non-school” family parishioners. This shows that many parishioners are still very much concerned and financially supportive of our school even though they do not have any direct ties. For this I am most appreciative.
The remaining 1/3 of school support came from “school” families. For this I am equally appreciative.
The success of the “In Support of Our Parish School” envelopes most definitely had a positive effect on this year’s budgeting process. Needless to say, we plan to continue this program into next year and beyond.
One of the best things I have ever done as Principal is create a School Finance Committee. They have put in many long hours of work in helping prepare the figures you see in this newsletter. Their input and efforts were invaluable to me and the members of our School Advisory Council. My thanks to the members of our Finance Committee which was chaired by Kim Geraghty and included Jim Sullivan, Dorie Smith and Rose Dempsey. I’m very happy to report they have agreed to stay on and help next year.
As these dollar amounts show, an education at Queen of Martyrs is very expensive and poses a big financial responsibility onto our parents. My continued thanks to those who make the needed sacrifices to send their child(ren) to our school.
Finally, I want to emphasize our policy that NO CHILD OR FAMILY will ever be turned away from Queen of Martyrs because of inability to pay or hardship. If there are financial concerns or questions, Father Ed or I should be contacted. We will always be able to work things out.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!
Michael E. Krsek
Principal