An Immaculate Heart of Mary School

 Welch Drive, Forestville, CT 06010 (860) 583-5214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Matthew School Home & School Association

Purpose:
The chief purpose of the Home and School Association is to promote communication and cooperation between parents and the school staff, as well as provide vital support, both financially and spiritually.

Membership:
All fathers, mothers and guardians of the pupils of St. Matthew School, and members of the faculty.

Assessment

Each family is charged an assessment amount that is to be earned or paid over the duration of the school year from May 1 to April 30.

The Assessment Fee for grades K – 8 is $300 and the fee for the Pre K grades is $175. For families with a child in PK 3 or 4 and a child in K through 8, the assessment is $300 for the family.

This amount is not an optional charge but is required to minimize tuition increases and assist the Home and School Association in meeting its annual budget for fundraising.  The assessment is due by April 30 prior to the end of the school year.  Any unpaid amount is added to the following year’s assessment amount and families do not receive credit for the new year’s assessment until the prior year’s outstanding balance is paid in full.

In place of sending out monthly assessment reports, you can access your report at www.shopwithscrip.com and enter your username and password to access “reports” link.

If you do not have access to the internet, please let the scrip coordinator know and we can send you monthly reports. The reports will list what you have earned in script and vouchers (other fundraisers). When you have reached $300 ($175 for PreK), all earnings above this will go towards a chosen incentive program.

The program includes 2 incentives to choose from.  The first is whereby every $200 earned over the required assessment amount entitles a family to a percentage refund of their first child’s tuition. This refund is paid by the Home and School Association by a separate check to each respective family at the end of the school year. Credits earned in one year do not carry over to the next year. The incentive tier is as follows:

  • $200 over assessment       3% refund of oldest child’s tuition
  • $400 over assessment       6% refund of oldest child’s tuition
  • $600 over assessment       9% refund of oldest child’s tuition
 

The second incentive is a Tax Rebate. For every $1 over the $300 earned, for scrip cards only, you can apply as a charitable deduction on the current year’s taxes. You must choose to receive a Tax Rebate by filling out the Scrip Program Agreement and submitting no later than April 30th of the tax year. This form can be found on the school website or through e-communications. You cannot apply earnings to both incentive programs. If you have not filled out a Scrip Program Agreement by April 30th of the current tax year, all money earned over your assessment rate will default to the incentive check program and cannot be used as a charitable deduction

The assessment can be earned by participating in the gift card program or by participating in Home and School sponsored fundraisers, such as Reader’s Digest Magazine Drive, Current Catalog Sale or any fundraiser sponsored by the Home and School Association.  Summer purchases of gift cards are included in the assessment period , as well as, special script orders made by the Gift Card Coordinator.

Responsibilities:

  1. To meet the annual assessment through fundraising.
  2. To promote communication and cooperation between the school and the home.
  3. To influence public opinion and support federal and state legislation for the benefit of nonpublic schools.
  4. To foster a better understanding of the goals and spirit of Catholic education in the school and parish.
  5. To assist parents in fulfilling their role as primary educators.