Dear Maimonides Families, We are excited to present you with this original, hot-off-the-press 2021-22 Enrollment Packet, which includes all the information and details you need in order to enroll your child(ren) at Maimonides School for the 2021-22 school year. Our hope is that through the information provided, the enrollment process – which entails several changes from previous years – will be simplified, straightforward, and transparent. We are providing you with all financial material – including the 2021-22 tuition rates, school fees, and MAI Way information – earlier than in years past, knowing that it will be helpful for you to have these details in advance of your decisions for the next school year. In addition, our new internal systems require us to process all enrollment and contracting information earlier. While we recognize that this new timeframe may entail some adjustments on your end, we are confident that ultimately, this schedule will benefit each family in the Maimonides community, while also enabling the school to operate in a much more efficient, educationally sound, fiscally responsible, and productive manner. You will notice throughout this packet that we have been explicit about the respective deadlines for each part of the enrollment and contracting process. It is crucial that you comply with these deadlines in order for your child(ren) to be successfully enrolled in Maimonides School for the 2021-22 school year. Doing so will not only guarantee a spot for your child(ren), but will also avoid your having to pay any late fees. As an added incentive this year, by simply complying with the noted deadlines you will be entered into a drawing to win $5000 off your 2021-22 tuition bill, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor! Inside this packet, you will find information about the following: • Introduction and Overview of the Enrollment Process • 2021-22 Tuition Rates • 2021-22 School Fees • MAI Way and the ECC Discount • $5,000 Incentive Reward • Tuition Insurance The enclosed information is also available online on the Maimonides School website and through the Veracross Parent Portal. Please remember that our staffers are always available and eager to help should you have any questions, or if you would like them to help walk you through any part of the process. Please feel free to reach out to MAIWay@maimonides.org at any time. Looking forward to partnering with you and to welcoming your child(ren) back to Maimo next year! Sincerely, Ernest Mandel, Board Chair Scott Mattoon, CEO Carol Smith, Director of Finance
Thank you for entrusting us with your children as we guide and inspire them with our exceptional Maimonides education and experience. We feel privileged to educate, nurture, support, and champion every single one of our Maimo students! Below is information on the 2021-22 Tuition Rates for students in the Early Childhood Center through Grade 12: Tuition Rates for the 2021-22 Academic Year 2 Days/ Week $6,250 $6,100
Toddler Core Day (Age 2) Preschool Core Day (Ages 3-4 / Trans-K) Elementary School (Grades K-5) Middle School (Grades 6-8) Upper School (Grades 9-12)
3 Days/ Week $9,380 $9,150
Full Week $14,245 $12,990 $24,925 $31,170 $37,585
Supplemental ECC rates for 2021-22 ECC Early Drop Off (5 days per week) 7:30 - 8:30 ECC Afternoon Activities (Monday - Thursday) 1:00 - 4:00 ECC Afternoon Activities (Per day Mon.-Thurs.) 1:00 - 4:00 ECC Afternoon Activities (Long Fridays only) 1:00 - 2:30 Extended Day (Monday - Thursday) 4:00 - 6:00 Extended Day (Per day Mon.-Thurs.) 4:00 - 6:00
No Charge
$3,945 $1,085 $350 $3,000 $800
Please note the following change from past payment systems for K - 12th grade students: In an effort to simplify the payment process for our families, we will be streamlining the process by merging the Tuition Rates with two fees. These fees were charged separately in years past, but we will be folding them into the 2021-22 tuition rates as follows: 2021-22 Tuition Plus Registration and Neta Fees FY22 Tuition Tuition Deposit
ES
MS
US
$24,275
$30,445
$36,860
$650
$650
$650
$75
$75
$31,170
$37,585
Neta Hebrew Language Materials Fee New Combined Tuition Rate
$24,925
You will find a separate information sheet in this packet with more information about discretionary fees for the 2021-22 school year.
Along with tuition payments, private schools typically collect additional fees which help cover the costs of various activities throughout the school year. Some fees are applicable to all families, but most fees are individualized. In past years, the fee amounts and processes were not always clear to Maimonides families before the start of the school year. But we have changed that timeline in an effort to make the fee system more transparent, simple, and readily available. Our hope is that by having the fee information available now, you will be able to make appropriate decisions for your family in plenty of time before the start of the next school year. Below you will find information regarding three fee categories. Fixed Fees The fees listed below are required for all students in the noted grade or category. They will be included in your Tuition Contract in Veracross. Veracross Registration Fee – All Families
$75/$25
Teva Trip - 5th Grade
$450
Washington, DC Trip - 8th Grade
$500
AIPAC Policy Conference (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) - 12th Grade Upper School Activities Fee
$450
$100
Administration and processing fee. $75 for first student plus $25 for each additional student.This fee will automatically be included in your Veracross statement. Three-day nature trip to Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in CT, focusing on the environment, composting, recycling, and more. Three-day trip to learn about our country’s capital, visit historical and other sites, enjoy evening recreation, and bond with classmates and faculty. Three-day policy conference in Washington, DC is the culmination of our Israel Advocacy curriculum. The cost is partially underwritten by donations. Annual fee to defray cost of bi-annual weekend retreat and ongoing student life activities.
Transportation and Incidentals These fees will appear in your Veracross tuition contract as optional. You do not need to sign up for any of these options, but you can select some or all of them. If you decide to opt in to any of these fees, you will need to select them at the same time you complete your tuition contract, which is due by April 30. Annual Parent Dues for PTA and PAC cover teacher appreciation gifts, special programs, and treats for students throughout the year Parent Teacher Association (PTA) $36 / $18 $36 for ES; $18 for MS and US Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) $75 ECC Only MBTA $300/Year Monthly student pass for unlimited rides on the T and bus. Excludes commuter rail. Upper School students only.
Maimonides receives a $35,000 grant from CJP to support Sharon busing for Middle and Upper School students because they do not have a Modern Orthodox educational option close to home. In an effort to further assist both our Newton and Sharon families, Maimonides School also subsidizes busing costs. The fees for our families (listed below) are significantly lower than the actual cost of the busing.
# Students Round-Trip 1 2 3 One-Way 1 2 3
Bus Fees Sharon ES Sharon MS-US
Newton
$ $ $
2,000 3,500 5,250
$ $ $
1,500 2,500 3,750
$ $ $
1,100 2,000 3,000
$ $ $
1,250 2,000 3,000
$ $ $
1,000 1,500 2,250
$ $ $
650 1,200 1,800
Activities and Meals These fees cover various additional programming and activities that occur throughout the year. Since they are applicable only to families that sign up for a particular activity, they will not appear in your Veracross tuition contract. Instead, information will be sent to our families prior to the start of each particular activity, at which time you can register for that activity. Please note: if a student is enrolled in multiple sports, there will be a required fee for the first two sports, but no additional fee for the student’s participation in any additional sport. Bus Recess
$145/day (full year)
Recess for Grades K-2, Mon.-Thu. 3:05-3:45, to coincide with dismissal time for Grades 3-5. Fee is $145 per year for each day selected, up to $580 for four days.
Mates
$10/hour
Safe, supervised, creative afterschool program for grades K-5 offering arts and crafts, outdoor play, and games. Mon.-Thu. 3:45-5:45. Registration is on a monthly basis. Drop-ins accepted at a fee of $11/hour.
Maimonides School Afterschool Program (MSAP)
$85 $350
Fall/winter and winter/spring activity sessions (e.g. All-sports, Zumba) with cost per activity from $85 to $450. Grades K-2: 3:05-3:50; Grades 3-7: 3:55-4:50.
Harvard Medical School MedScience Program
$450
An innovative 12-week medical simulation course in a world-class medical and academic setting. Open to 11th graders taking Biology.
Varsity Sports
$450
The most competitive sports teams within our school for each sport; tryouts required.
Junior Varsity Sports
$350
Developmental teams for students in their chosen sport; tryouts required.
Middle School Sports
$100
Competitive sports teams for Middle School in which skill development is the fundamental goal; tryouts required.
Practice Squad
$100
Students join team practices to develop skills in a sport; they do not play with the team during games.
Catered Hot Lunch
$7 - $12
Meals delivered by Dushez Catering four days a week to ES and ECC. Prices may vary in FY22.
Take-Out Hot Lunch
$3 - $16
Separate MS and US student-run activities to raise funds for trips. Students provide take-out lunch options from local eateries a few times a week.
Rosh Chodesh Pizza
$35 - $70
Rosh Chodesh pizza from Cafe Eilat every month, up to 10 times during the year. $35 for one slice per month, $70 for two slices. Available to ECC and ES students.
We are so grateful that you have chosen to send your child(ren) to Maimonides School. We cherish each and every one of our students and we recognize and appreciate that our families make many sacrifices in order to endow their children with the gift of a Jewish day school education. We are committed to making Maimonides affordable and accessible to all families who wish to send their children to our school, and it is for that reason that we have developed the individualized tuition model called MAI Way. MAI Way is an equitable, simple, and predictable tuition plan in which your family’s tuition is customized for you. Maimonides no longer offers a financial aid program, as we found the system to be intrusive, burdensome, and unpredictable for families. In contrast, MAI Way was received with great enthusiasm and success in its 2020 pilot year. And because MAI Way is managed by an outside organization (HEAG), your finances and personal information remain completely confidential. Applying for MAI Way is easy, and both new and returning Maimo families can access the MAI Way application through the portal on the Maimonides School website. How Does MAI Way Work? Through MAI Way, K-12 families with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) under $400,000 and net assets less than $1 million are offered an individualized tuition plan, rather than being asked to pay the published tuition rate. Each individualized tuition plan is based on a formula which uses the number of children in your family enrolled in Maimonides and a percentage of your AGI. Your tuition rate will increase proportionally depending on your income. As an offshoot of MAI Way, we also offer an ECC Discount tuition program for families who have children in the Early Childhood Center (ECC). This program is available for families with an AGI under $125,000 and is based on the number of children in the family enrolled in Maimonides. The following is an outline of the ECC discount tiers: • • •
15% discount for one student enrolled in the ECC 20% discount for ECC student with one sibling enrolled in ECC - Grade 12 25% discount for ECC student with two or more siblings enrolled in ECC - Grade 12
The ECC Discount is applicable to tuition, afterschool programs, and extended day. Families can apply for the ECC discount through the MAI Way portal on the Maimonides School website. Please note that if you apply and are eligible for both MAI Way and the ECC Discount, your ECC tuition will be assessed separately, and will then be added to the MAI Way tuition obligation for your family. MAI Way Timeline February 1, 2021: DEADLINE for MAI Way intention application. In mid-January, current Maimonides families will receive a link to the Veracross portal on the school’s website, where you will need to indicate your intention to re-enroll and apply for MAI Way for the next school year. Once we receive your response, we will set up your Veracross contract for MAI Way. February 1, 2021: The MAI Way portal will open for applications. Unlike last year, when all Maimonides families were asked to enroll through MAI Way, this year only families who apply for MAI Way or the ECC Discount will access the MAI Way portal on the Maimonides School website. If you applied for MAI Way last year, your login information will still be active.
March 1, 2021:
DEADLINE for completing MAI Way and ECC Discount applications. 2020 tax forms with all schedules must be uploaded for your submission to be considered complete. We will not be able to process your MAI Way applications without your completed tax forms.
March 15 to April 15, 2021:
Contracts will be published on a rolling basis in Veracross.
April 30, 2021:
DEADLINE for signing tuition contracts. Your MAI Way individualized tuition rate will be honored through April 30. After that date, we cannot guarantee that funds will be available for your individualized rate.
YOU COULD WIN $5,000 OFF YOUR 2021-22 TUITION BILL… SIMPLY BY ADHERING TO ALL ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION DEADLINES! Due to Maimonides School’s internal changes to the enrollment, registration, and payment processes, we have had to shift all associated deadlines to earlier timeframes than in years past. These changes will be extremely beneficial to the school, enabling us to operate in a fiscally and educationally responsible manner. But we recognize that these scheduling shifts may be challenging for some families. Therefore, we are introducing an exciting incentive:
ALL FAMILIES WHO COMPLETE EACH ENROLLMENT STEP BY THE RESPECTIVE DEADLINES WILL BE ENTERED INTO A LOTTERY TO RECEIVE $5,000 OFF THEIR 2021-22 TUITION BILL! This incentive has been generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.
To be eligible for this lottery, you will need to complete the following: 1. Respond to the Veracross e-mail which you will receive in mid-January, indicating your intention to re-enroll your child(ren) in Maimonides for the 2021-22 school year. We will need your response by February 1. Along with the re-enrollment intention form, you will also be required to indicate whether you plan to apply for MAI Way or the ECC Discount. Your responses to these questions are not binding, and no payment will be requested at this point. However, all families are required to fill out this form, and we request that you provide as accurate information as possible. 2. If you intend to apply for MAI Way or the ECC Discount, you will need to complete those applications and upload your 2020 tax returns – including all schedules – by March 1. Unfortunately, we will not be able to guarantee any individualized tuition plans if your documentation is not completed by this deadline. 3. Tuition contracts will be published on a rolling basis between March 15 and April 15. We will need you to log into your Veracross account, complete the steps for the re-enrollment process, and sign your tuition contract by April 30. Veracross will automatically send you an e-mail to verify that your re-enrollment process is confirmed as soon as all of these steps have been completed.
Each family that complies with the aforementioned deadlines will be entered into our exciting $5,000 tuition lottery! The winner will be notified in early May.
Dewar’s Tuition Refund Plan for the 2021-22 Academic Year As a courtesy to all of our Maimo families, we are offering you the opportunity to purchase tuition insurance from Dewar, an external insurance company. There is no obligation to purchase this insurance, but we are introducing this plan for those who may be interested in it. As you may know, once students are registered at Maimonides School, they are enrolled for the full academic year and no tuition adjustments can be made by the school for absences, withdrawals, or dismissals. This is necessary because the school has ongoing expenses, and we depend on our expected tuition income to fund these expenses. In an effort to protect our parents, should withdrawal from Maimonides become necessary at any point during the year, we have made arrangements with Dewars for any parents who may be interested in purchasing tuition insurance. This Tuition Refund Plan will provide an allowance of tuition not only in the event of a student withdrawal for medical causes, but also in the event of withdrawal for other reasons or dismissal by the school. (Annual tuition charges, both prepaid and remaining due, are insured.) The cost is 1.4% off the family’s tuition obligation for the 2021-22 academic year, and the enclosed brochure provides complete information on the plan. Please review the brochure carefully. Maimonides School is pleased to offer this Tuition Refund Plan as a means to insure your annual financial obligation under the terms of the Tuition Contract you will be signing in Veracross. Coverage is optional for any family, however the school recommends that you consider this insurance option when you register for the 2021-22 school year.