2024-2025 New Student Registration

Dear Parents,

Registration for new students wishing to enroll in grades K-8 at St. Hilary School for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! Enrollment for each grade level will remain open as long as seats in the grade level class are available. There is a maximum cap of 25 students per individual classroom and 75 students per grade level, with 3 classrooms per grade level.

Please note that incoming kindergarteners must be registered by February 9 to be included in planning for Kindergarten Screening in April. Arrangements for kindergarteners registering after February 9 will be made on a case-by-case basis as long as seats in the class are available.

Along with registration, you will also have the opportunity to apply for scholarships and tuition assistance for your child. You will find details in this document and we encourage you to apply for these as soon as possible. To be considered for the largest available pool of funding, please apply for tuition assistance and the Angel Scholarship by March 1. The deadline to apply for the Buehrle Scholarship for incoming kindergarten or first grade students is also March 1.

Per requirements set by the State of Ohio, to apply for the EdChoice Scholarship, your child must be officially accepted as a student for 2024-2025. As soon as you receive a letter from the school indicating that your child has been accepted, you may begin the EdChoice Scholarship application process. Details can be found in this document, so please keep this handy for later reference when the time comes.

It is important that you adhere to the above deadlines and timelines to move through the process of enrolling your child at St. Hilary School for 2024-2025, and to enable preparation of the most comprehensive funding package possible to help offset your child's tuition.

Please continue reading for complete instructions about registration, scholarships and tuition assistance for your child.

PLEASE HELP US ENSURE YOUIR CHILD'S REGISTRATION IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE

BY READING AND FOLLOWING ALL STEPS BELOW!

The first step in registering a new student at St. Hilary School for 2024-2025 will be completed online via Digital Academy. Please read the information in this section in its entirety before returning to the beginning and accessing registration in Digital Academy.

• Please use a desktop or laptop, not a phone or other mobile device. Functionality is not as complete in the phone app and the computer setup is much easier to use. If you arrived here by scanning a QR code on your phone, email the link to yourself and re-open on a computer.

• Click here to access the 2024-2025 registration forms in Digital Academy. Please also keep this newsletter open so you can see and follow the steps on each screen.

• IMPORTANT! If you already have a St. Hilary School Digital Academy account, you must use that account and not create a new one to enroll your new student.

• In Digital Academy, you will be asked to complete a series of forms. It is important that you complete these forms with accuracy as they will become the basis of your child’s permanent school record that will follow your child throughout school.

• Please be sure you are completing all fields. If you have already completed registration and did not complete all fields, you will receive an email from Digital Academy asking you to complete the missing items and resubmit.

• Items commonly skipped but necessary include:

  o Middle name for your child

  o Address (must be a residential address, not P.O. Box)

  o Information for both parents in all areas where requested (unless there is only one parent)

  o Release of Records - All children entering St. Hilary School who are currently attending another school need to have this completed. This includes preschools so we can obtain preschool records and even to be able to confer with preschools in the event of questions after Kindergarten Screening.

• The custody form must be submitted for all students who do not live with both parents in the same household regardless of any arrangements between the parents.

• Press CONTINUE on each page to move between pages. You will not be able to move to a new page until all required information is filled out on the current page. If a field is required and you do not know/have the necessary information, please type N/A or Unknown. HOWEVER, PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY DO THIS TO SKIP AHEAD! PLEASE BE AS ACCURATE AND THOROUGH AS POSSIBLE IN COMPLETING ALL INFORMATION, AS THIS INFORMATION CONSTITUTES YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL RECORD AND IT MUST BE CORRECT AND COMPLETE!

• Some pages require a signature. Please sign by typing your name and selecting today’s date.

• The registration fee of $150 per child (refundable until June 1) will be paid via Digital Academy upon completion of forms. If there is a problem with your submission and you are asked to resubmit, your fee payment will not be affected.
  

• After all forms have been completed and the registration fee has been paid, please go all the way to the end and CLICK SUBMIT. IF YOU DO NOT CLICK SUBMIT, YOUR CHILD'S REGISTRATION IS NOT COMPLETE!

• You will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please make sure that you clicked “Submit” on the final page.

• Questions? If you have questions about the new student registration process, please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org. If you have questions about Digital Academy, please contact Mary Smith, Administrative Assistant, at msmith@st-hilary.org. If you cannot access the forms or need to reach technical support, contact Digital Academy by e-mailing support@digitalacademy.org or calling 833-222-3359 during normal business hours.
  

The second step in registering a new student at St. Hilary School for 2024-2025 is to submit required documents via scan (preferred) or cell phone photo and email.

IMPORTANT! Please do not forget this step. Registration is not complete without this.

You must submit the following documents at the same time as online registration (by February 9 to be included in Kindergarten Screening planning in April) to complete your child’s application for admission. Please scan and email these items to dsinopoli@st-hilary.org. Please submit all items in one email with your child’s name in the subject line.

o Most recent report card for students entering Grades 1-8

o Most recent preschool evaluation for students entering Kindergarten (please provide the form below to your child's preschool and ask them to complete it if they do not have a similar comprehensive evaluation form)

o Testing data and special education or service plans if applicable

o Current small photo for students entering Kindergarten to identify child at screening

o Birth certificate (Students entering Kindergarten must be age 5 by August 15)

o Proof of parishioner status at St. Hilary / St. Victor / Guardian Angels if applicable (offertory envelope number or Faith Direct number)

Questions? If you have questions about the new student registration process, please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

FOR INCOMING KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY:
For incoming kindergarten students only, at this time, please simply print the physical exam form below and ask your child's pediatrician to complete it based on your child's well visit between now and the first day of school. (Leeway is given for late August / September birthdays and physical exams shortly after school starts.) Also for incoming kindergarten students ONLY, you will need to attach a copy of your child's most current immunizations. PLEASE KEEP THESE ITEMS IN A SAFE PLACE UNTIL YOUR CHILD IS OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED AND YOU ARE ASKED TO SUBMIT THESE.

FOR ANY NEW STUDENT IN GRADES K-8:
For new students registering for all grades, K-8, upon acceptance into the school, a copy of your child's most current immunizations must be provided by the first day of school.

Also, for new students registering for all grades, K-8, additional forms are provided below for those who need them. If these forms do not apply to your child, please disregard. Please simply print these if they apply to your child, and ask your child's pediatrician to complete them by the first day of school. PLEASE KEEP THESE ITEMS IN A SAFE PLACE UNTIL YOUR CHILD IS OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED AND YOU ARE ASKED TO SUBMIT THESE.

Upon acceptance for all students, further information will be provided about submitting required medical information.

Questions? If you have questions about your child's medical needs, please contact Julie Bauman, School Nurse, at jbauman@st-hilary.org or Melissa Beck, School Nurse, at mbeck@st-hilary.org.

FOR INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS ONLY, the third step in registering a new student at St. Hilary School for 2024-2025 is to schedule an appointment for Kindergarten Screening.

IMPORTANT! Please do not forget this step.
Kindergarten registration is not complete without this.

• Students applying for admission to Kindergarten must participate in a readiness screening. Our regularly scheduled Kindergarten readiness screening will be held by appointment on April 10, 11 and 12, 2024.

• It is to your advantage to have your child participate in this specially designed session, as it provides valuable, timely information about your child’s readiness to attend our full-day program to help you plan appropriately. Additionally, the process of Kindergarten orientation is planned to follow this session in the spring. Finally, the $150 registration fee is not refundable after June 1 so timing of our process is designed to help you make a decision prior to June 1.

• Individual screening in the summer is not recommended if it can be avoided, as it creates a rushed situation for the child, parents and school. Additionally, we cannot guarantee a seat in the class will be available at that time.

• Please allow approximately 90 minutes for screening. Details will be mailed by March 8, 2024.

• To help your child do his or her best at screening, please consider not having your child go to preschool in the morning if his or her screening appointment is in the afternoon.

• Kindergarten students must be registered by February 9, 2024 to be included in Kindergarten Screening planning.

• Please click here to schedule your child's appointment for Kindergarten Screening. As stated in the instructions at the top of the SignUp Genius, under "SIGN UP AS", please be sure to select "DISPLAY ALTERNATE NAME" to enter your CHILD'S FIRST AND LAST NAME - NOT YOUR NAME. We do not know who everyone is yet, and many parents' last names differ from children's.

• If you need to change your child's screening appointment after scheduling, you must notify Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org. Please do not simply make the change in the SignUp Genius.

• If you have already signed up for Kindergarten Screening, please be sure you also complete the online registration in Digital Academy and submit the additional required documents to complete your child's registration. We cannot screen your child without these steps being complete.

Questions? If you have questions about Kindergarten Screening, please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

FOR NEW FAMILIES ONLY, WITH NO CHILDREN CURRENTLY OR PREVIOUSLY ATTENDING THE SCHOOL, the fourth step in registering a new student at St. Hilary School for 2024-2025 is to schedule an appointment for a Pastor-Principal Meeting. Meetings will be held on designated dates in February and March.

IMPORTANT! Please do not forget this step. Registration is not complete without this.

• Please click here to schedule your Pastor-Principal Meeting.

• Please allow 20 minutes for your meeting.

• Children are welcome but not required to attend.

• Details will be provided after scheduling.

• If you need to change your Pastor-Principal Meeting appointment after scheduling, you must notify Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org. Please do not simply make the change in the SignUp Genius.
  

Questions? If you have questions about the Pastor-Principal Meetings, please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

REQUESTS NOT PERMITTED

Parents and others on their behalf may not request specific teachers. Instead, we encourage every parent of a new student to be forthcoming about his or her child's needs. Things that should be shared include concerns about the child's learning or social-emotional well-being, as well as changes in the family situation, illness in the family, and similar matters. Whenever possible, we do try to accommodate requests for new students in grades 1-8 to be placed with a friend who is already attending in the same grade. We also ask parents of twins entering kindergarten if they would like their children to be placed separately rather than together as is our customary practice. Sharing all of this information is the purpose of the questions asked in the forms completed in Digital Academy, and, for incoming kindergarteners, additional materials that will be completed prior to Kindergarten Screening. Please be candid!

MANY FACTORS AFFECT CLASS PLACEMENT

We realize how important it is to you that your child be placed in a classroom setting that will be the best fit for him or her. This is our priority as well, as it is for each of the nearly 600 students we educate each year. When class lists are created, your child is one piece of a much larger puzzle with many factors that must be considered to ensure the best placement for every child. These dynamics control which students can be together, which students should not be together, and which students need to be with which teachers. There are a myriad of reasons behind each and every decision that goes into creating each class. We are blessed to have three classes in every grade level, which allows us greater leeway in creating balanced classes that aim to foster the spiritual, academic and social-emotional growth of every student. Additionally, our administration monitors the "big picture" to ensure that every angle is considered as classes are created. We need you to trust us, as educators, to do our jobs and make the best possible decisions for your children.

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES

We understand that there may be times when extenuating circumstances create a situation for your family that you did not expect and that may significantly affect your child's learning needs. Please share that with us if it happens, and we will do our best to work with you.

TUITION RATES FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR:

Parishioner
One child: $5,500

Two children: $10,000

Three children: $14,200

Four children: $16,900
Five children: $18,925
Six children: $18,925

Non-Parishioner

One child: $7,900

Two children: $15,320

Three children: $22,250

Four children: $29,100
Five children: $35,930
Six children: $42,685

FEES FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR:

$150.00 per child Registration Fee (per child)
THIS FEE MUST BE PAID WITH REGISTRATION – NOT WITH TUITION
NON-REFUNDABLE AFTER JUNE 1, 2025

$150.00** per child Kindergarten Fee

$150.00** per child First Grade Fee

$150.00** per child Second Grade Fee

$100.00** per child Eighth Grade Fee

$100.00** per child Instructional Fee*

$200.00** per child School Resource Officer (SRO) Fee
(contact Business Manager for hardship exemption)*

$ 50.00** per family Parents’ Association Fee

*An Instructional Fee of $100 per student will be charged annually to help cover the cost of instructional materials, services and technology not covered by other funding.

*An SRO Fee will be charged annually to help defray the cost of the School Resource Officer.

**Noted fees will be bundled with tuition and
prorated with tuition payments, beginning June 1, 2024.

NO TUITION PAYMENT IS DUE AT THIS TIME.

• Your school tuition and fees for 2024-2025 (excluding the re-registration fee, which is payable now) are payable between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025.

• We are pleased to again offer a discount to those families choosing to pay their tuition in full by May 15, 2024. The full-pay discount for 2024-2025 will be 1% of the tuition amount.

• For families who choose to pay tuition in installments, we will again use the FACTS tuition management service. Please see FACTS Information below for details.

• PLEASE NOTE! You will receive correspondence from our business office in May indicating the total amount of your 2024-2025 tuition and fees, the amount of the 1% full payment discount if applicable, and payment instructions. It is necessary to begin tuition payments on June 1 in order to maintain fiscal stability for operating expenses and salaries. Due to the time frame for processing EdChoice Scholarship applications and the need to evaluate all scholarships and assistance as a global item, no scholarships or tuition assistance will be applied to invoices in May. It is anticipated that award amounts will be known in the fall and revised invoices will be issued at that time with the comprehensive funding package applied to tuition. Credits and refunds will be issued as warranted depending on the amount of tuition paid up to that time. Families with extreme hardships that prevent making even the initial tuition payment are asked to contact Trey Baker, Business Manager, at 330-867-1055, ext. 203 or jbaker@sthilarychurch.org to make arrangements. Your patience is appreciated as we acclimate to this first year as an EdChoice Scholarship provider and the unknowns that come with that.

• Tuition and fee questions? Please contact Trey Baker, Business Manager, at 330-867-1055, ext. 203 or jbaker@sthilarychurch.org.

Scholarships and tuition assistance are available! We have more funding available than ever before! Please continue reading this section for complete details.

• ALL PARENTS MUST COMPLETE THE PRELIMINARY FUNDING INFORMATION & INCOME VERIFICATION FORM BELOW.

• IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO APPLY FOR THE EDCHOICE SCHOLARSHIP, (SEE BELOW)
  TO PRESERVE THE IMPORTANCE AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS FORM, PLEASE ENCLOSE IT IN AN ENVELOPE LABELED "PRELIMINARY FUNDING" AND BRING IT TO THE OFFICE. PLEASE DO NOT SEND THIS FORM VIA YOUR CHILD'S BACKPACK.

• IF YOU DO INTEND TO APPLY FOR THE EDCHOICE SCHOLARSHIP, (SEE BELOW)
  PLEASE GO THE EDCHOICE SECTION AND CLICK THE RED BUTTON BELOW TO COMPLETE THIS FORM AND OTHER REQUIRED FORMS AND SUBMIT THEM TOGETHER.

⚠️ APPLY AFTER ACCEPTANCE INTO SCHOOL
The EdChoice Scholarship offers the opportunity for EVERY child to receive an amount of funding from the State of Ohio to be applied toward tuition. This scholarship will address the greatest levels of financial need. ALL parents are encouraged to apply for EdChoice funding for their children as the first layer of funding to be applied toward tuition. PER REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE STATE OF OHIO, NEW STUDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY UNTIL AFTER THEY ARE OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED VIA A LETTER FROM THE SCHOOL. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE WHO APPLY AND RECEIVE AN AWARD, THIS FUNDING WILL BE APPLIED FIRST AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE FUNDING PACKAGE.

EdChoice Questions? Please contact Mary Smith, Administrative Assistant, at msmith@st-hilary.org or Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

The second layer of funding to be applied to tuition consists of the Angel Scholarship, tuition assistance through St. Hilary Parish and/or the Diocese of Cleveland (requiring the completion of the online FACTS application), and the Buehrle Scholarship for incoming kindergarten and first grade students offered through the St. Hilary Parish Foundation.

NEW STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDING SOURCES NOW.

Please carefully review each section below for details about each of these.

The Angel Scholarship will be a key component in filling gaps for students who do not qualify for a full EdChoice Scholarship. By law, priority must be given to students with financial need, with others considered after that. Please do not automatically assume you will not qualify. With the availability of the EdChoice Scholarship, the greatest need will be met and the threshold for need will be altered so that families in increasingly higher income brackets will have a greater opportunity to be considered for other funding. Click below to apply for the Angel Scholarship. Please submit the completed application form for each child to the school office in an envelope marked ANGEL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 1.

Angel Scholarship Questions? Please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

• We encourage ALL families for whom affording 2024-2025 tuition is a concern to apply for assistance through FACTS. Please do not automatically assume you will not qualify. With the availability of the EdChoice Scholarship, the threshold for need will be altered so that families in increasingly higher income brackets will have a greater opportunity to be considered for other funding. You cannot be considered for assistance if you do not complete the online FACTS application application (see below).

• Please click here for more information and click here to apply for tuition assistance through FACTS. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE LARGEST POOL OF FUNDS, APPLY BY MARCH 1.

• If you are experiencing a hardship situation or other extenuating circumstance that will not be apparent in the online FACTS application, please complete the application and contact Trey Baker, Business Manager, at 330-867-1055, ext. 203 or jbaker@sthilarychurch.org. All information shared is treated confidentially. It is our mission to make a Catholic education at St. Hilary School an affordable reality for all of our families.

• Tuition Assistance Questions? Please contact Trey Baker, Business Manager, at 330-867-1055, ext. 203 or jbaker@sthilarychurch.org.

• You have the option of 10 and 12 month payment plans with FACTS using automatic withdrawal from your checking or savings account, or automatic charges to your Discover, American Express or MasterCard credit card. (FACTS charges a 2.5% service fee for the credit card option.) You have the option of choosing one of several payment dates.

• After your child is accepted into the school, your total tuition and fees for 2024-2025 will be calculated and submitted to FACTS. You will receive instructions on how to begin your payments and more information with your tuition invoice in the coming months. If you are currently enrolled in FACTS, you do not need to re-enroll with FACTS, but you will be responsible for the annual $45 fee.

• FACTS Questions? Please contact Trey Baker, Business Manager, at 330-867-1055, ext. 203 or jbaker@sthilarychurch.org, or visit the FACTS website.

Kristina N. “Tina” Buehrle was a beloved member of the St. Hilary community, as the mother of four sons who attended the St. Hilary School, and as a trusted and dedicated substitute teacher at the school over many years. Through the generosity of the Buehrle family, a scholarship fund was established in 2022 in her memory. A scholarship through this fund will be given to up to two qualifying newly enrolling kindergarten or first grade students each school year.

• All materials must be submitted per the instructions listed on the form, and all are due by March 1, 2024.

• All students applying for this scholarship must also be registered for the 2024-2025 school year by the March 1 application deadline.

• With the availability of the EdChoice Scholarship, the threshold for need will be altered so that families in increasingly higher income brackets will have a greater opportunity to be considered for other funding. We encourage all eligible families to consider applying for this scholarship, especially if financial need or special circumstances are present.

Kristina N. Buehrle Scholarship Questions? Please contact Debbie Sinopoli, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at dsinopoli@st-hilary.org.

A new scholarship opportunity through the Diocese of Cleveland, Catholic Community Foundation, is now open to all parents enrolling students at all schools in the Diocese of Cleveland.

The Fund A Dream Scholarship presents a unique opportunity for families facing financial constraints. This $2,500 scholarship is purposefully designed to alleviate the financial burdens faced by parents with demonstrated financial need, providing direct assistance toward their child’s tuition.

We invite all families enrolling a returning or new student for the 2024-2025 school year to complete the Fund a Dream Scholarship application. All K-8 students with financial need will be considered to receive a $2,500 Fund A Dream scholarship to be applied toward their tuition.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR THE FUND A DREAM SCHOLARSHIP

FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

PLEASE NOTE! WHEN COMPLETING THE APPLICATION, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE OUR SCHOOL’S FUND A DREAM (FAD) LIASON AND EMAIL ADDRESS.

PLEASE LIST TREY BAKER, AT jbaker@sthilarychurch.org FOR THIS PURPOSE.

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE FUND A DREAM SCHOLARSHIP

FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR IS MARCH 25, 2024.

• FEBRUARY 9, 2024: INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS MUST BE REGISTERED BY THIS DATE TO BE INCLUDED IN PLANNING FOR KINDERGARTEN SCREENING IN APRIL

• MARCH 1, 2024: APPLICATIONS FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE THROUGH FACTS, ANGEL SCHOLARSHIP AND BUEHRLE SCHOLARSHIP DUE

• MARCH 25, 2024: APPLICATIONS FOR FUND-A-DREAM SCHOLARSHIP DUE

• MAY 1, 2024: ACCEPTANCE PACKETS MAILED FOR ACCEPTED INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS (ACCEPTED INCOMING GRADES 1-8 STUDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AS THEY APPLY)

• MAY 1, 2024: PARENTS OF ACCEPTED INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN APPLYING FOR EDCHOICE SCHOLARSHIP (PARENTS OF ACCEPTED INCOMING GRADES 1-8 STUDENTS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN APPLYING FOR EDCHOICE SCHOLARSHIP AS SOON AS THEY ARE NOTIFIED OF ACCEPTANCE)

• MAY 1, 2024: 2024-2025 TUITION INVOICES SENT

• MAY 15, 2024: PAY FULL 2024-2025 TUITION FOR 1% DISCOUNT

• JUNE 1, 2024: 2024-2025 TUITION PAYMENTS BEGIN

• FALL 2024: REVISED 2024-2025 TUITION INVOICES SENT WITH SCHOLARSHIPS AND ASSISTANCE APPLIED

General Registration Questions

Digital Academy Questions

EdChoice Questions

Angel Scholarship Questions

Buehrle Scholarship Questions

Tuition, Fee, Tuition Assistance, & FACTS Questions

Our mission is to keep Christ at the center of all that we do. In solidarity with our parish and school community, we will inspire our students through inclusive, innovative, and challenging academic and spiritual experiences, to be leaders capable of making a positive change in the world.

The Admission Policy of St. Hilary School is in accordance with the student acceptance regulations of the Diocese of Cleveland. St. Hilary School admits qualified students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Email: dsinopoli@st-hilary.org
Website: www.st-hilaryschool.org
Location: 645 Moorfield Road, Fairlawn, OH, USA
Phone: 330-867-8720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StHilarySchoolFairlawnOhio/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sainthilary_school/?utm_source=qr