ENROLLMENT CONTRACT

2020-2021 Academic Year

I (We) now enroll our child in High Meadow School for the 2020-21 school year. I (We) promise to make the tuition payments according to the Schedule of Fees and by the Terms of Payment enumerated below. I (We) will be governed by all the rules and regulations stated in this contract.

To accept this enrollment offer and reserve a place for Fall 2020, please complete the following:

1. All Parties financially responsible for tuition must electronically sign this contract by March 15th, 2020
2. Submit a non-refundable $1,000 deposit per child by check to the Finance Office by March 15th, 2020.  
3. Enroll in a payment plan via FACTS or submit full payment to the Finance Office
4. A $350 non-refundable late fee will be charged for contracts received after March 15th.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

I (We) understand(s) that participation in service and fundraising activities is an essential aspect of our role as parents in the school. We also recognize that some parents are not available to provide volunteer hours, and we now offer a fee in lieu of volunteer hours.

As members of the High Meadow School community, each family agrees to provide a minimum of 25 hours of community service to the school per year, or pay $750 in lieu of service. These efforts help to maintain High Meadow School’s ongoing commitment to providing an excellent education at an affordable rate.

SCHEDULE OF FEES

As stated in this contract, I (we) promise(s) to pay High Meadow School the tuition due for my child in accordance with Schedule of Fees outlined below and by the terms of this contract.

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Families have the option of paying tuition either in full, quarterly or on a 10 month payment schedule. Payments are automatically deducted from your chosen bank account on the 5th or the 20th of each month. All incidental charges incurred such as field trips, pizza, After School Clubs and After/Before Care, etc. must be paid through the FACTS system within 30 days of the date on which an invoice is sent. Incidental billing can be set for AutoPay and/or a credit card may be used for these charges

• After 30 days a monthly charge of 1.5% on the outstanding balance will be applied.
• At 60 days an additional 2% will be applied to the entire unpaid amount.
• After 90 days students will not be allowed in class until payment is made in full, or at least half of payment due is made and a signed arrangement has been established.
• The school has the right to suspend students for any delinquency of payment.
• The school reserves the right to discontinue or deny re-enrollment to a student if an outstanding balance greater than 20% of annual tuition remains after May 1st.
• If the contract is in default, and High Meadow School refers the matter to its attorney for collection, the defaulting parents or guardians will be charged a legal fee that will not exceed 15% of the amount of tuition and interest outstanding at the time of referral.
• An annual fee of $50 is charged by the FACTS Tuition Payment service for any plan on a payment schedule.

FINANCIAL AID

If a family wishes to apply for Financial Assistance, applications and/or work exchange proposals must be submitted to the Finance Office. For financial aid, eligibility is determined by submitting an online application via FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment, relevant tax information and stating criteria to be considered to the Finance Office. Aid is awarded by an administrative committee in accordance with a matrix approved by the Board of Trustees. No more than 50% of tuition is granted in cash assistance. For families joining the community after February, awards may be granted throughout the year depending on availability of funds. Financial Aid is not available for Preschool students.

Financial Aid applications will only be considered complete, when the following are provided:

1. Online application via FACTS at https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3GBJM by February 15th, 2020.                
2. Copy of the 2019 IRS Form 1040
3. Cover Letter to Admissions Director, Jen Bousliman, admissions@highmeadowschool.org, stating need of financial assistance.

WORK EXCHANGE

Work Exchange is defined as a parent, guardian or family member providing skilled services to High Meadow and remuneration is received in the form of a credit toward tuition. Compensation is at a non-profit rate and does not necessarily reflect market value. This remuneration is documented at the end of the calendar year as non-employee compensation Form 1099 and submitted to the IRS

Apply for Work Exchange here by February 15th to be considered for tuition-remission for the 2020/21 School Year.  

TUITION REFUNDS

I (We) am(are) responsible for paying the full year’s tuition except under the following conditions:

1. Any child whose behavior creates an unreasonable disruption of the school’s program, or meets the expulsion criteria outlined in the “Parent Handbook” may, at the discretion of the High Meadow School administration be suspended or dismissed from the program without notice. I (We) am(are) relieved of paying subsequent tuition if this occurs.
2. If the school is notified that it is necessary to withdraw a child, for any reason at all, the non-refundable deposit and tuition paid to date will be forfeited.
3. Any outstanding tuition balance at the time of withdrawal is subject to the discretion of the High Meadow Board of Trustees. A formal request to be excused from the terms of this contract must be submitted in writing and with the explicit understanding that the school’s operating budget is based on signed enrollment contracts. Teachers are hired and programs are funded by your commitment to meeting the unconditional terms of this contract.
4. If HMS were to close, the chosen remedy is future service delivery, not a refund of tuition.

CONFIDENTIALITY

As a condition of enrollment, I (we) permit(s) the sharing of information related to student health, safety, and welfare with school personnel and parents, on a need-to-know basis. It is the goal of all staff to maintain the privacy of every student when consulting with licensed helping professionals, such as school counselors, nurses, social workers, etc.

We honor the privacy of every family applying for Financial Aid, and ask that families receiving tuition assistance to keep their award confidential.

This agreement and any attachments hereto constitute the entire agreement and contract between the parties. Any and all previous agreements or discussions are merged into this contract and do not survive it. If any provision hereof is deemed unenforceable by a court of law, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. Any dispute arising under this agreement shall be governed by New York law. No modifications may be made to this contract unless in writing and signed by both Head of School and all parties financially responsible for tuition.