Early registration is only available to returning students during the month of April. Only those families whose accounts are current, can take advantage of the $75.00 early registration fee.

The fee for all returning students other than in the month of April, is $100.00. No additional credits or discounts apply to registration. To be paid directly to Sterling Christian School.

If a family raises over their fund raising amount, 50% of the additional credit received will be credited to their tuition account. This will credited to your Smart account at the end of each semester.

Once a family reaches a zero balance either from payments or fund-raising, the remaining amounts fund raised or paid will not be refunded or given credit to any other year's fees.

This fee is pro-rated for families entering after the 1st quarter. If a family does not wish to do fund raising, the fund raising fee can be included in the Smart billing statement.

Sterling Christian School relies heavily on fund-raisers to guarantee a quality scholastic program. Each family is asked to participate in fund-raising events through out the school year as designated on the fund-raising form. These are separate than the fund-raising fee and each family must sign the agreement form.

All families except those paying all fees prior to the first day of school, will be required to participate in the Smart Tuition management program. The Smart Tuition form and the SCS financial agreement form must be signed by all financially responsible parties. Each family will pay a $42.00 fee ($35.00 for Auto Withdrawal) at the time of completing the above stated forms. This is paid directly to SCS.

If two or more parties are responsible for payment, each party must sign the agreement and pay the appropriate fee. Each family will have the option to pay by check, money order, on line, or automatic deduction. There is no fee for this. If you wish to make a payment by phone via a check, you will be able to do that once they have received one check from you for payment. There is a $7.00 fee to do this.

You have the new option of paying Smart by credit card. Information is available on line. You credit card will be assessed the convenience fee in a separate transaction by Smart.

Each family's account balances can be reviewed on line. To access this, you go on line to www.smartontheweb.com. You will register and request a password which will be mailed to you. You will also have a family ID #. SCS will be utilizing the billing statement option instead of coupon books. You will receive these via mail. Notification of late payments at 10, 30 and 50 days will be handled directly by SMART. Once you are determined to be more than 50 days late, you will be contacted by the treasurer to determine your payment plans.

Consequences of being in arrears may be that the Board of Directors will ask that your student/s not attend class until payment is made. If two or more parties are responsible for payment, both accounts must be kept current or the above consequences will occur. Copies of the letter you may receive are available for your perusal in the office.

At any time the board of directors can have the severe delinquent letter sent to a family. This states that a student may not return to classes until fees are brought up to date.

If you are late with a payment, you must include the $15.00 late fee to Smart or else your account will be considered delinquent and you will receive the appropriate letter and additional fees. If you notice your payment was not received by SMART, you the family may call them to request your late fee be waived. This can only be taken advantage of one time and is at the discretion of SMART. A late charge of $15.00 is assessed by Smart Tuition to your account if any payment is not received within 10 days from the payment due date. A bounced check fee of $20.00 will be assessed your account for any checks returned by your bank unpaid. Returned checks will not be redeposited.

A $10.00 fee will be assessed your account if an automatic deduction is refused by your bank. If sufficient funds were unable to be withdrawn on your due date, an attempt will be made to withdraw the fees approximately 10 days later. Be aware that multiple fees may occur. Each subsequent year the family attends SCS, the family will automatically be enrolled with SMART with the current information on file.

If at any time your banking information, address, or other information changes, you must notify SMART in writing and the SCS office. You can change your payment method at any time by contacting SMART in writing. You must inform the treasurer immediately also to sign new forms.

This is not handled through Smart Tuition. The end date of April, May, or June does not vary. The only variable is the start date.

Each family may select the most convenient payment due date. Either the 10th or the 20th of the month.

The SCS treasurer will be informing the board of that status of your account prior to each quarter. All accounts must be considered current at the quarter. If your account is not current, your student may be asked not to attend class until a payment has been made. This decision is made by the Board of Directors.

At no time may a family chose a payment option that extends past the last day of the current school year. ALL payments are to be paid in full by the last day of the current school year.

Each financially responsible party is to read, complete, and sign the Sterling Christian School financial agreement form and the Smart Tuition enrollment form prior to the first day of school.

If you are enrolling and your first payment would be due after the first day of school, you will be required to pay the first tuition payment prior to the student attending SCS. No family will be re-enrolled at SCS with an outstanding balance.

The financial aid process and information is confidential with FFNA. For more details on FFNA, you can go to www.ffna1.com for further information. To apply for aid, request a filing packet from the school office. You will need to include the required forms plus the required application fee to FFNA. Our school number is #1734.

Only full time students may apply for FFNA. For returning families your financial aid request must be received by the FFNA headquarters by May 31, 2007. If you have not applied by then, returning families will not be awarded assistance in the 2007-2008 school year.

New families may apply if there is funds available at the time of their enrollment. They will be required to have the information filed to the FFNA headquarters two weeks prior to their enrollment date.

Families will be notified by the treasurer of the exact amount of their credit when this has been determined. Usually on August 1. The treasurer will credit your Smart Tuition account accordingly.

Important: Because the FFNA amount is not known until August, you will be required by SMART to pay the full amount shown on your statement. Once your credit has been received by SMART, your amount due will be changed.

If at any time a student is withdrawn or expelled, the family is responsible to complete payment of all fees through the quarter the student was attending. No release of records will occur until all fees are paid in full.

If a family who withdrew a student or had a student expelled was receiving FFNA, the amount will be pro-rated to the quarter the student attended. There are no refunds if a student is withdrawn or expelled. Any overpayments are not refunded.

Pre-K and Kindergarten students are not figured in the 1st through 5th student discount.

Students may be assessed other fees such as chapel fees, field trip costs, band, graduation fees, special classroom supplies, roller-skating rental, tutoring, etc. This list is not exhaustive.

If some of these additional fees are not paid, they will be billed through the fund raising statement.

Cafeteria: SCS may offer a hot lunch program or partial lunch program. All fees are handled through the cafeteria. Parents are encouraged to keep their account balance up to date. If there is an outstanding balance at the end of the year, this also will be included in your fund raising statement. Notification of availability and fees will be given prior to the first day of school.

Athletic Fees: The fee for elementary and junior high teams is $30.00 per sport. The fee for high school team sports is $50.00. This is a participation fee. Cheerleading is considered a sport. If a coach has a student or students participating in his or her sport, the athletic fee is waived for that sport only. Paid directly to SCS Activity Fund.

Extended Care Fees: Details to the availability of before and after school care is announced in August of each school year. This fee is billed through the office. Fees are paid directly to the extended care provider. If any student - Grades Pre-K through 6th , are not picked up at the end of the school day, this student will be placed in after school care and charged the appropriate fees. This applies also to students who arrive before 8:00 AM. There is no exception.

Home school fees: Home school students are welcome to participate in extracurricular activities at SCS. A one time $50.00 home school fee is assessed in addition to the regular athletic fees.

To attend prom, homecoming, or spring fling, the home school student does not have to pay another home school participation fee but will have a fee to attend beyond the cost to students. This will be determined by the type of event.

Any home school student wishing to take the SAT, will be charged a $25.00 fee.

Tuition and Smart accounts are handled only by the treasurer. For information on your fund raising statement, you may contact the office or the treasurer.

A family may request in writing a waiver on fees or a change in plan. This request would be made to the board of directors. Send this request to:

Debra Thormahlen, 17910 Hurd Rd, Prophetstown, Il 61277 or call 815-537-2173.

The board of directors may require an additional meeting with a family and further documents signed such as a promissory note. The determination of the SCS board of directors is final.