Private school

[deelam]

WOW! Some of these tuitions are really high. I'm in South Jersey and my Catholic school tuition is $2084 for 1 third grader. The school is barely making it, and I'm afraid we are going to close. We received surveys asking how we feel about the school merging with another school. Our school has already survived 1 merge from a few years ago, but enrollment keeps dropping.

 

[Panther mom]

We have two. A DD who is in first grade. We pay $2200 a year for her. We also have a DS who is in 7th grade and his tuition is $5000 a year. They are in two different schools. The first grader's school is pre-k to 3rd and the 7th grader's school is 4th thru 12th. I wouldn't have it any other way. They go to wonderful schools and feel that they are worth every penny.

Some seem to pay high tuition. The cost of living near you must be higher than here. We think the $5,000 a year is waaaaaay too much!

 

[mamaprincess]

After home schooling for a year I went back to work so we put our twins in a Montessouri elementary (2nd grd). It's roughly 7,000 per child.

 

[WDWannabe]

We live in the North GA area.

We have an up and comming 6th grade girl.

The tuition for next year is $3690, $350 book fee and participation fee, bus fee $62 monthly, lunch fee is $66 monthly, a one time registration fee of $150. We don't do the lunch we brown bag it.

We have a small fundraiser around Thanksgiving, usually the expenceive harriet beacher, you know candy, wrapping paper, tins, and such. And then almost at the end of the year we do a Jog-A-Thon, kinda like walk a thon, only you sponser the child to walk, jog, run each lap for any amount. This is usually a very good fund raiser. The school picks something that needs done around the grounds like building, related. This year it's gym floors. Last two years it was for a new high school building.

Our enrollment is around 800, K3-12.

We really like the school, she is getting a great education! I think she is smarter than me at this age! But, I think she was born smarter! haha...

I sub in the lunch room when someone is sick. This helps out a little with the tuition and extras. I keep in touch with things this way too.

 

[hannahsmomma]

we pay 6575 a year for our dd who is in Kindergarten. That includes everything, no hidden fees. That is actually pretty cheap as far as the private schools in our area go. The rest are around 10k-14k a year. Not so bad now, but its going to be tough when our ds starts in a couple of years. We also have to do 1 or 2 fundraisers a year, but its usually stuff we would buy anyways. We love her school,it is a great Christian school.

 

[4formickey]

the things that we do for our children. We all want the best for our children and this thread prove it.What ever it takes to give my child a headstart, I'm willing todo it .

 

[bengalbelle]

DS attends an Episcopal school this year and it is $6700.00/yr. That includes tuition, the lunch fee and misc. fees. There are still classroom fees to pay for.

Next year he will go to a different school and the total cost per year is roughly $4200.00 including the tuition, lunch fee and activity fee.

 

[jomik1]

We have two boys both in Catholic School. They are currently in 7th & 5th grade and both have been attending since Kindergarten. Our tuition for next year will be $1,700 for Pre School (1/2 day 5 days per week), $1,700 for 1/2 day Kindergarten (5 Days per week), $2,700 for Full Day Kindergarten or for 1 child 1 - 8, $4,000 for 2 children PreK - 8 & $4,900 for 3 or more children Prek - 8. We have only one mandatory fundraiser which is a raffle($100 for 1 child, $125 for 2 children & $150 for 3 or more children). We have a time & talent fee of $400 per family which you can work off and a Technology Fee($75 for 1 child, $150 for 2 children & $225 for 3 or more children)

Occasionally we will have other fundraiser but they are optional and you are not penalized for not participating in these. Usually I don't bother with the extras because of the fundraising I have to do for sports ($100 per child for baseball & $200 per child for football).

We even have a hot lunch program for those who want to participate. It's nice because you can order as much or as little as you want.

The boys get everything you could want - Fully equiped science lab, large computer lab, library, music, art, spanish(7th & 8th Grade) and athletics (volleyball & basketball 5th - 8th).

High School will be a little steeper. I'm expecting about $7500 in tuition for one child when my oldest goes in 2007.

 

[texasthree]

Here in southern texas we will pay (this fall) $3000 for full day kindergarten plus varies fees and fundraisers. They have several fundraisers and a large auction night. They do not offer hot lunch which works for us since my son wouldnt eat anything they served.......unless it was peanut butter and jelly. They also do not have buses. The class has a max. 15 kids and if they enroll more than 18 kids they split the class into 2 classes with 2 teachers possibly making it an even smaller class. We have no other choice here in this tiny town with terrible poor schools. We too pay outrageous property taxes (3%) of which most is a school tax. I dont get it!

 

[PolyAddict]

This fall our private school tuition will be for 3 DD's ages 14, 13 and 5, will be $16,500 for the year. Our payment will be about $1700 a month. Yikes, it sucks living in metro New Orleans.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

My dd is in 1st grade and I pay $2400/year. That is the Catholic in-parish tuition (meaning that we are members of that Church and give regularly at Mass) if paid in full by June of the prior school year. Luckily, my dd received the Bishop's scholarship which was $600 for this current school year.

Otherwise it's $2900 Catholic tuition for ten installments. There has been no word of any increase for next year. Non-parish is $3250 if paid in full or $3600 for 10 installments.

I do not like the public schools in the area which is one of the reasons why I chose Catholic school. Yes, we do have fundraisers , but it's the usual Candy bar sales (2), and dinner dances/raffles (2). I forgot to add that we are also encouraged to contribute to One-for-Books, collect printer cartridges, Box Tops, Campbell's soup labels, and of course the Book Fair! We love that school! It is from 3 year olds-8th grade and what I love is that everyone knows each other. It's a family atmosphere.

 

[Olallamom]

We pay 4700 currently for DD (4th grade). Independent private christian school. Next year will be $5100 plus registration fee. I homeschool my DS (1st grade) and our oldest DS is in public school, he is 17. Potentially we will be paying $10,000 a year for 2 kids, when I put my youngest in school.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

WOW! Some of these tuitions are really high. I'm in South Jersey and my Catholic school tuition is $2084 for 1 third grader. The school is barely making it, and I'm afraid we are going to close. We received surveys asking how we feel about the school merging with another school. Our school has already survived 1 merge from a few years ago, but enrollment keeps dropping.

Unfortunately, this happened to dd's old school after many years of getting by. It was also me and my sister's alma mater. Very sad. She was the last graduating Kindergarten class last June. Hers was one of the 24 schools that the Diocese closed last June. Their enrollment was under 100 for K-8th. Merging has been to our advantage. Her new school is larger (it's housed in an old Catholic H.S) and has more facilities available like the library, gym, cafeteria, lab, computer, art, spanish and Italian classes. The invited the kids to a buddy day last year with the current grades so they can meet their future classmates, teachers, and get a feel for the school. Now, at any event, after the prayer they not only call on the school's patron saint to "pray for us" but also the old school's saint as well.

I hope your school makes it.

 

[deelam]

Unfortunately, this happened to dd's old school after many years of getting by. It was also me and my sister's alma mater. Very sad. She was the last graduating Kindergarten class last June. Hers was one of the 24 schools that the Diocese closed last June. Their enrollment was under 100 for K-8th. Merging has been to our advantage. Her new school is larger (it's housed in an old Catholic H.S) and has more facilities available like the library, gym, cafeteria, lab, computer, art, spanish and Italian classes. The invited the kids to a buddy day last year with the current grades so they can meet their future classmates, teachers, and get a feel for the school. Now, at any event, after the prayer they not only call on the school's patron saint to "pray for us" but also the old school's saint as well.

I hope your school makes it.

I hope our school makes it too, but I wonder if it's too late. They say we need 250 kids to justify keeping the school open. We are at 194 and dropping every year. It will be so sad if we close. There is 1 class per grade. All of the kids and all of the parents are friends. We have been together for years.

 

[LetsgoDisney!]

For full time kindergarten for my DS- $3970 plus books, uniforms, lunches, fees and fundraising- but the public school my son would attend is terrible. They've tried rearranging districts and the result is bad. On one of the school rating websites, it said that the only thing the teachers can focus on at this elementary school is discipline- with only a little time for teaching. The standardized tests results back up that comment. It's a shame.

 

[AspiringCindy]

We paid $12,500 this year for 3 kids in elementary. SADLY, our school didn't make the enrollment for next year...and will be closing the doors June 20th! I already have them enrolled in another catholic school for next year, and will see a $5,000 decrease in tuition.

 

[LisaInNc]

My DD is in a private preschool right now and will start Kindergarten in Sept at a private Christian School.

Tuition is 3,600 and a registration fee yearly of $200 which includes books. I think that is a bargain, we live in a small town and there are not a lot of options for schooling, public school is a disgrace here.

It is a small school the grades are doing studies about a year and half ahead of the public school. Teacher to student is guaranteed to be no larger than 1-15.

Then there are uniforms. That expense will actually same me money I believe.

The do what someone else called "nickle and dine you" but I expect that. I plan to contribute about 20.00 a month in misc things for the class room and do all the fundraisers they want but I refuse to sell things. I will bake up a storm and do anything else they need but I draw the line there. This year at school I just wrote them a check for 50.00 rather than do the gift wrapping, junk fund raiser. It was better for me than trying to sell and deal with that whole nightmare.

 

[Hensandchickens]

the things that we do for our children. We all want the best for our children and this thread prove it.What ever it takes to give my child a headstart, I'm willing todo it .

So, does that mean that people who can't afford to send their children to private school or don't have a private school in their area are doing their children wrong?

 

[LisaInNc]

So, does that mean that people who can't afford to send their children to private school or don't have a private school in their area are doing their children wrong?

All in the name of a good debte.

I have the philosophy that the 4formickey expressed. I think it is the best start I can give my child. I went to a private school and I had a single Mom, no child support who worked hard to pay for it and I am forever greatful. I had a top notch education. She couldn't afford it, but she found a way.

A lot of families can't afford it but they do, take a second job, trade in a car, move to a smaller house or even move to a cheaper geographical area to live. I will do whatever it takes. Please note the "I" in that. No one is saying "YOU' have to. But if you want it, there is always a way.

I am NOT saying that you or anyone else that isn't sending their child to a private school is doing as you said "wrong". Everyone has their own priorities in raising a child. To each his own.

Anyone want to talk about spanking now ?

 

[Gillian]

It sounds like my son's public school (K) fundraises more than most of these private schools. We have one going on just about all the time - starting with the first day of school! There was the Multi stuff one, the wrapping paper & junk, cookie dough, magazine sales, book fair, and currently, chocolate. They also do non-selling ones like box tops, target, and local restaurants. The 5th graders do pretzel sales all the time.

It just never ends. I figure private school will be the same, so I don't worry about it.