St Gregory The Great Parish School

I.Introduction

We believe that tuition payments are an investment in your child(ren)’s education and religious formation. Therefore, the School Commission of St. Gregory the Great Parish School accepts the responsibility of recommending to the Pastor and Principal policies concerning the amount of tuition, the manner of payment, and, in general, the development of policy in this area of concern. Furthermore, it is the goal of the school’s leadership to make enrollment as affordable as possible to all families.

II.Tuition Policy

The main sources of funding for educational programs at St. Gregory the Great Parish School are tuition and School Choice funding. Tuition & Fee payments must be made regularly according to the schedule on the Tuition Contract form signed by each family, so payroll and instructional obligations can be met on time.

• All families who do not participate in a School Choice program must pay tuition based on the Comprehensive Tuition Schedule.

The goal of this policy is to provide a solid foundation for Catholic education. We have been entrusted with the responsibility of raising our children in the practice of the faith. Together we can meet the challenge of providing both a strong Catholic school education and vibrant parish in which our children mature in faith, hope, and love.

Exceptions to this policy are at the sole discretion of the Pastor of St. Gregory the Great Parish & School. If you have questions about your faith life, the parish or participation in the parish community, please make an appointment with the pastor as soon as possible.

III. 2024-2025 Tuition & Fee Schedule

At St. Greg’s we make every effort to remain competitive with other Catholic schools in the Diocese of Milwaukee regarding tuition and fees. Tuition rates are established to make Catholic education affordable and do not cover the entire per student education cost.  The balance of our educational cost is subsidized by the Parish, fundraising activities, scholarship gifts and the Parental Choice programs. School families have the privilege and responsibility to contribute to the financial needs of our school through generous tax deductible donations and support of fundraising activities. Parents are expected to be prompt in meeting payment obligations and encouraged to be generous in contributions to the parish. Families financially able to do so are asked to consider contributing the difference between the actual cost of tuition and the tuition amount charged as a tax deductible donation.

St. Gregory the Great Parish School

Comprehensive Tuition Schedule 2024-2025

3K – 8

Educational costs include, but are not limited to books, equipment, technology, salaries and maintenance of the building and grounds. Tuition does not include the cost of uniforms, field trips, lunch/snacks, school pictures, supplies or any extra-curricular activities.

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program funds the entire per student tuition cost for eligible students.

IV. Registration Fee / Tuition Deposit

Annual registration and re-enrollment begins on February 1^st of each year. All students must register if they wish to return to St. Gregory the Great Parish School the following year. Early registration and timely re-enrollment is critical to our planning process. It helps us gauge our needs, including staffing, for the upcoming school year. Current families are strongly encouraged to register during the February registration period of February 1^st to February 20th. Once a classroom is full, students may no longer be accepted at that grade level, and are placed on a grade-level waiting list. It is important to note that a registration can only be accepted once all of the applicable forms/information and deposits have been submitted to the School Office.

• All returning school families must be current in their payment of

              tuition to register for the following school year.

V. Tuition & Fees Payment Options

Various tuition payment options are available. Each family chooses the plan that best fits their family situation.

St. Gregory the Great Parish School uses WE SHARE to collect all tuition payments. All school families will make tuition payments through WE SHARE. To set up tuition payments click here to navigate to enroll in WE SHARE.

• 1 Payment – All tuition is paid in full on or before July 1st. Your tuition payment should be paid directly to WE SHARE.

For families that apply after July 1st, payment is due at the time of registration.         

• 10 Payments - 10 monthly payments beginning August through May.

This tuition plan divides the tuition into monthly interest-free payments. For families that apply after August 1st, payments will be amortized over the remaining months of the plan, with final payment due in May.

Payments may be made by check, electronic transfer or by credit card. (Credit Card payments may incur a 2.85% fee).

St. Gregory the Great Parish School is committed to providing a quality Catholic education to any individual who desires it. If you are experiencing financial difficulties and payment of any fees results in undue hardship, please contact the parish business manager to discuss special payment options.

VI. Delinquent Tuition & Fees

Tuition and fees make up an essential portion of the school budget. We expect all families who send their children to St. Gregory the Great Parish School to pay tuition and fees promptly. At the same time, we recognize that a family can experience temporary financial difficulty due to the loss of employment, illness, or other factors beyond the family’s control. If such circumstances affect the family’s ability to meet their financial obligations to the school, it is the responsibility of the family to make this situation known to the Parish Business Manager.

All tuition and fees must be paid according to the agreement on your payment plan.

• If payment is not received by WE SHARE on the due date, your account will be assessed a $40 late fee.
• We will notify you by phone and email to alert you that payment has not been received on the due date. We will continue to contact you by phone and email once a week until your account is brought up to date.

In accordance with Archdiocesan policy (3240(a)):

No student shall be terminated during the first trimester for non-payment of tuition. Dismissal of a student in the second or third trimester for non-payment of financial obligations is used only as a last resort when the parent or guardian has failed to demonstrate sufficient good faith in attempting to meet these obligations. Non-payment of a prior year’s tuition may however result in non-admission for the following school year. All students must be allowed to complete all academic work in progress, including class/semester/final exams before terminating enrollment for non-payment of tuition/fees.

VII. Tuition Assistance & Scholarships

St. Gerard Scholarship

The St. Gerard Fund was established in 1997 with the proceeds from the sale of the St. Gerard property and the closing of the parish. The parishioners of St. Gerard established the fund to provide grade school scholarships for Catholic school students in a defined area surrounding the St. Gerard facility. St. Greg's is among the parishes whose families can apply for student scholarship money through the Archdiocese. Scholarships are awarded based on volunteer service, academic achievement or efforts and special financial needs. Each year the scholarship awards $500 to selected students in grades 1through 8. Applications for the scholarships are available in the school office. Families who have previously received scholarship funds from St. Gerard’s are eligible to apply again. In order to apply for the scholarship fund, registration information must be completed and on file in the school office.

Milwaukee Parental Choice Program

St. Greg’s is proud to be a Milwaukee Parental Choice Program School. The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (Choice) funds the cost of tuition for families who reside in the City of Milwaukee if eligibility criteria are met and seating is available. For details, visit the Choice homepage at http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/choice.html or contact the school office.

Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP)

The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) allows parents to receive a voucher to enroll their children in private or religious schools. The program is limited to those families with adjusted gross incomes at or below 220% of the federal poverty level. If a student resides outside of the City of Milwaukee and the Racine Unified school district, they are eligible to apply to the WPCP.  For details, visit the Choice homepage at dpi.wi.gov/choice or contact the school office.

VIII. Tuition Refund Policy

In the event that a student is withdrawn from St. Gregory the Great Parish School prior to the first day of school – 100% of paid tuition will be refunded.

In the event that a student withdraws from St. Gregory the Great Parish School during the 1st or 2nd trimester of the school year and has pre-paid tuition beyond the month that they are leaving, a tuition refund is given for the months the student/s will not attend school. Parents are responsible for the full month’s tuition if the student attends any school days during the month. There is no refund of any fees paid.

In the event that a student withdraws from St. Gregory the Great Parish School during the 3rd trimester of the school year, no tuition or fees are refunded.

No refunds will be issued for a temporary absence from the school for any reason (i.e. vacation, illness, etc.). Refund requests will only be considered if a student leaves during the school year and does not return for the balance of the school year.  No refunds are given for unexpected school closings, including (but not limited to) snow days or loss of electricity.

In any instance the school is unable to meet a child's needs and the school refers a child out and recommends withdrawal, parents will receive a tuition refund on a pro-rata basis. Should a student be expelled or suspended, then in such event, no tuition refund will be made.

In order to withdraw a student, parents are to provide the school with a 30 day written notice. All tuition refunds are contingent upon St. Gregory the Great Parish School receiving notice prior to the student’s actual departure date. The refund amount will be determined based on the actual departure date.

Should one student, with sibling(s) in the school, be withdrawn, the refund amount shall be applied to any unpaid tuition or fees of the remaining sibling(s) before a refund check is issued.

Request for tuition refunds must be made in writing and directed to the parish business manager. Refunds will only be granted after review by the pastor and parish business manager. The final decision is left to the discretion of the pastor.

No refunds will be given unless all tuition and fees are current.

Parents who finance tuition are required to pay out any balance owed within thirty days of withdrawal.