Tuition Adjustments for 2024-2025

Dear St. Francis School Parents,

We hope this email finds you well! We are blessed to have wonderful families, faculty, and staff in support of Catholic education. As we continue our journey together in providing your children with an exceptional education rooted in Catholic values, I want to bring to your attention some important updates regarding tuition for the upcoming school year.

Although we are more than half-way through the school year, we are planning and preparing for 2024-2025. The school and parish administration are working diligently and in consultation with the school Finance Committee and the School Board in developing the budget and tuition rates for the coming school year.

St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School strives to maintain the highest standards of academic excellence while nurturing the spiritual growth and development of our students. However, in order to continue delivering on these commitments, we are faced with the challenge of addressing rising costs across various aspects of our operations.

Over the past year, we have seen significant increases in expenses related to technology upgrades, employee benefits, insurance premiums, and necessary maintenance and repairs for our aging building facilities. These rising costs, coupled with the need to remain competitive with area public schools, have led us to the difficult decision of again adjusting tuition for the next school year.

One of our goals at St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School is to attract and retain talented, qualified, and faith-filled educators. To help us accomplish this goal, we have a 3-year plan to increase the teacher and staff salaries to at least 80% of the public rates.  The 2024-2025 school year is year 2 of this 3-year plan.

Currently the cost to educate your child at St. Francis school is about $7300 which is met by a combination of tuition, parish subsidies, and fundraising. As we have previously determined, our current tuition is not supportive of the rising costs we are faced with.

Having said that, you will continue to see some adjustments for the 2024-2025 school year:

• Preschool-8th grade Tuition will increase 10-15%*

• The Technology Fee will be eliminated and included with tuition cost

• Multiple Student Discounts will remain after the 2nd child (3rd 50% and 4th+ 75%)

• Fundraising Commitment per family will increase to $1000/family

*Tuition includes the technology, textbooks, classroom materials, curriculum & instruction.

Our priority remains ensuring the highest quality of education and resources for your children, and we are committed to working with each family to navigate any financial challenges. In order to make Catholic education available to all students, St. Francis Catholic School continues to provide financial support to families in need.  For more information, please contact Carla Coonan, Director of Advancement and Admissions.

Considering our Mission, St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School, in cooperation with and in support of the family, is committed to challenging students to grow spiritually, academically, and socially within a Catholic environment- we are here to support you in any way we can.  Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for entrusting St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School with your child’s education. We look forward to continuing to grow with you in education and faith as we anticipate the excitement for the 2024-2025 school year.

In Christ,

Jennifer Nagel, Principal
Carla Coonan, Director of Advancement and Admissions
Fr. Michael Garry, Superintendent