ST. MARGARET’S CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
WHAT IS IT?
The Certificate Program is very simple to understand once you get the
concept. I’ll give you an example
just using your grocery purchases. A
family spends a minimum of $400/month at the grocery store.
They can purchase the certificates for that grocery store through the
school. That would be $4,800 per
year spent on groceries which would amount to a tuition credit of $120.00!!! That
is 2.5% the grocery store gives us back for purchasing their certificates.
It is that easy just for shopping where you normally would – not to
mention that the school also would receive $120.00!
That is another 2.5% the grocery store is giving the school, for a total
of 5% back for most grocery stores. Now
think how much money your family would save if you made all of your other
clothing, fast food and gift purchases through the program, just to name a few.
It’s as simple as that! This
program utilizes everyday consumer purchases to earn credit dollars towards your
tuition and also receive the same credit towards your fundraising goal since SMS
is receiving the same credit. YOU
DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WANT OR NEED!
Certificates are like cash used to purchase items at retail and grocery
stores. And can be used to pay your
credit card bill at some stores. Examples
are JCPenney and Kohls.
The program’s highest tuition credits this year
2006-07 were:
$1,706.93-McAnulty
$1,260.97- Bruner $1,191.61-Morgan
Imagine receiving almost one child’s free tuition!
This is just for shopping where you normally would shop and being able to
ask your friends, family and co-workers to help out as well.
HOW THE ORDER FORM WORKS
Attached you will find a list of retailers and their denominations
available, along with the percentage rates awarded to the program.
YOU WILL RECEIVE ½ OF THE PERCENTAGE RATE SHOWN – THIS IS APPLIED TO
YOUR NEXT YEAR’S TUITION PAYMENT. The
other ½ percent rate will go to SMS. All
certificates that are stocked are shown on the front side of the form and are
sent home the same day of your order unless we are sold out.
The certificates on the back side of the form have to be ordered on
Monday for delivery by Friday (possibly earlier). We stock the most popular retail and grocery
stores. Due to the inability to
predict supply and demand, we may occasionally run out of the stocked
certificates. We do our best to
keep them well stocked for same day delivery.
In the event that we run out, you may receive them by Friday of the same
week. Note that several stores
offer certificates with larger amounts. These
are noted with **. We ask that you
send in orders for larger amounts on Mondays instead of depleting our stock with
large orders of the smaller denomination certificates.
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR ORDER
1.
Walk-in’s are welcome M,W,T, F at our Parish Ministry Center (behind
school) from 9:00-10:30 am or send the order form in with your child.
No sales on ½ days.
2. When sending the order in
with your child through school, be sure to fill out the entire top portion of
the form using the School’s Family Last and First Name (usually the
husband’s) so that proper credit can be applied to your account. If this information is not filled out correctly with the
family name, we will not know who should receive the tuition credit.
3.
Include check or cash and place in the envelope that will be provided. (see below)
4. When the order is filled
and delivered to the class room, the teacher should have the student sign for
the envelope.
5. The envelope will be
returned home that same day of your order with certificates, provided they are
stocked. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THIS
ENVELOPE HOME – PLEASE CALL THE SCHOOL THE NEXT MORNING OR CONTACT ELLEN
WALTER @ ELBW@COMCAST.NET. . EVEN IF
SOMETHING IS SOLD OUT, YOU WILL STILL RECEIVE YOUR ENVELOPE AND THE ORDER FORM
WILL BE STAMPED AS BACKORDERED.
HOW TO GET AN ORDER FORM
An order form will be sent home with each order filled.
If you need additional forms, you may send in a note requesting them in
your envelope. You may also submit
your order without a form-simply writing your order on any paper.
There will be a Certificate Update Order Form distributed approximately
once each month.
ENVELOPE PROCEDURE
When you send in your FIRST order in any envelope, we will return your
certificates in a reusable brown envelope.
You will re-use this envelope for future orders.
PLEASE TRY NOT TO LOSE THIS ENVELOPE AS THEY ARE COSTLY.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTIFICATE ORDERS
Once your order is filled and your child signs for it, then it becomes
their responsibility. YOU MUST
SPEAK WITH YOUR CHILD ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ENVELOPE.
It may be best for you to send the order in with your oldest or most
dependable child. You may choose to
bring your order to the Parish Ministry Building yourself or send it in with an
older neighbor, or pick your order up at the office.
Again, if your child does not bring it home that day, call or email so
that we can track it right away the next day.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM
Certificates can be purchased by ANYONE and the tuition credit can be
given to any School Family. Credits
can also be issued for ANY Catholic school, church, college or charitable
organization. Checks/Credits will
be issued annually in May. We have
families who participate and are not even part of SMS!
Their charitable organization reaps the same benefit as our families and
our school is making the other half of the profit!
HOW IS THE CREDIT ISSUED
Credits are issued annually (cutoff date is 4/30) and applied to the
following school year’s tuition. For
those participating in the Facts program, the credit will automatically be
deducted from your first payment(s). For
those using Option 1 or 2, you will deduct this credit amount from your first
August payment. If your child is
continuing on to a Catholic high school, you will receive a check payable to
that school. YOU MUST NOTIFY US OF
THE SCHOOL NAME BEFORE 4/30. If
your child will be attending a public high school, a check will be made payable
to your church or a charitable organization.
If you do not give us the name of a school or organization by June 1st,
the credit will be donated to SMS. If
you do not receive a notice with the amount of your next year’s credit in May,
please call or email since we may have had a wrong family name that doesn’t
match with the school’s family name. If
we don’t hear from you by June 1st, the credit will be donated to
SMS.
ANY CREDITS LESS THAN $15.00 WILL NOT BE ISSUED –
THEY WILL BE PUT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
If you feel there is a discrepancy with your credit,
you MUST let us know within 2 weeks of receipt of your credit amount in May.
There will be NO exceptions.
PERSONAL CHECKS
We do accept personal checks in addition to cash.
If a check is returned to us due to insufficient funds, you will need to
replace that check with cash or check . If
this is not taken care of within 1 week of the overdraft notice, we will not be
able to process any additional certificate orders.
If you are having a problem and need additional time to get this taken
care of, please call or email and we can work it out.
If you bounce 2 checks, we will only accept cash or money orders for
any new orders.
FUNDRAISING GOAL
As specified by the PTA, each family is given a fundraising goal.
The other ½ percent rate of your purchases which is given to SMS goes
against your fundraising goal. For
example, if your tuition credit is $200.00, then you know that you have also
accumulated $200.00 towards your fundraising goal.
You will need to keep track of all of your certificate purchases and
their credits, so that you know how close you are to meeting your fundraising
goal.
SUMMER HOURS
Sales during the summer are as follow:
Ministry Building – Monday 9:30-11:00 am Thursday
6:30-8:00 pm
Families that have a child going to Kindergarten or Preschool in
September can start to purchase certificates the summer before school starts!
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
PLEASE CONTACT ELLEN WALTER- ELBW@COMCAST.NET