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Dear Parents, The 2011 – 2012 school year is one that many of us feared would not happen. However, we joined together and here we are 100 days into it and the excitement and energy of our successes keeps us smiling and looking towards the future. We opened the doors with 103 students, 16 in Pre K and 17 in kindergarten, 4 new teachers, and plans for an exciting year. This year has been a year of change and moving from surviving to thriving. We do all of this with the core values of faith, academics, and service in everything we do. Some of the highlights from this year are: o Reinstatement the National Junior Honor Society o Establishment of a plan to replace a dying bingo program o A Fall Festival that exceeded its budget and profits from any previous year o A successful completion of Middle States, reaccreditation coming to fruition in March o Successful participation in community events o Positive coverage in local newspapers o Establishment of a marketing group o A full house at the brilliant Christmas program o An Annual Fund campaign that exceeded its expectations o Family School Organization actively involved in connecting our families and the school Catholic Schools Week has been a great reminder of who we are, what we do, and why we are here. It is now time to commit ourselves for the upcoming year by completing our registration papers. In planning the finances of the next school year we took a very cautious path- not setting ourselves up for failure. We were determined to maintain the level of education and the variety of programs that we offer. As the rise in the cost of living over the past year has affected our personal finances, the cost to maintain and operate the school has increased significantly over the past year as well. For example, health insurance premiums will rise anywhere from 10-15%, the cost of fuel to heat the school rose almost 25%, and food expenses rose 7%. We had to make several changes to our financial contract this year to absorb some of these costs. I know that the economical situation is not easy for many of you. Please take this time to apply for Diocesan tuition assistance (applications due by March 1st). The information from these applications is shared with the parish to determine parish-level scholarships that are offered based on need and merit. We have had many generous parishioners donate to our scholarship fund over the years to help ease the financial burden that a Catholic education might cause. On the left side you will see the forms for next year. Please complete the registration form to notify us our your intent to register. Once this form is returned, we will forward the appropriate financial contract for your consideration. We ask that you read the definition of the qualifications for parishioner tuition rates. The parish has the responsibility to support the school financially and does so by providing a significant subsidy to the school. It is one the largest expenses in the parish’s budget. We need and expect any family who registers for parishioner rates to fulfill the obligations as defined on the registration form. Join us as we count down to our goal of 100 students enrolled by March 1st. Watch the numbers on the tote board out front to see our progress! If you register by March 1st, you will receive a financial discount of $25.00 off of each child’s registration fee. We ask that you make this commitment now, and know that the school that we all love will continue to provide a faith-filled education in a caring environment that fosters the growth of young men and women of strong character. Sincerely, Sharon Hodges Interim Principal Good Shepherd Catholic School
