Seabrook Seventh-Day Adventist Church Seventh-Day Adventist School Education Assistance Policy

Transcription

1 Seabrk Seventh-Day Adventist Church Seventh-Day Adventist Schl Educatin Assistance Plicy The missin f the Seabrk SDA Educatin Department is t develp the whle child mentally, scially, physically, and spiritually and prvide pprtunities fr them t be educated in a learning envirnment that expses them t Gd and helps them t develp Christian character and values. In additin, ur gal is t inspire and mtivate the church t supprt Christian Educatin based n the belief that all true wisdm and knwledge cmes frm Gd. And all thy children shall be taught f the Lrd; and great shall be the peace f thy children. Isaiah 54:13. The Seabrk Seventh-day Adventist Church has a lng histry f supprting Christian educatin. The Seabrk SDA Church believes that each child is a gift frm Gd and therefre f inestimable value. The Educatin Cmmittee, in cnjunctin with the Finance Cmmittee and the Church Bard, has established this SDA Schl Financial Assistance Plicy t set frth the criteria fr granting financial assistance t Seabrk SDA Church members supprting students attending SDA - spnsred church schls. This plicy is effective as f the schl year. This plicy is presented in five sectins: I. Financial Assistance Prgrams A. SDA Schl Assistance Prgram ( SDASAP ) B. SDA Schl Assistance Prgram Based n Hardship ( SDASAP-H ) II. Funding Surces/Payments III. Eligibility IV. Applicatin Prcess V. Definitins I. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS A. SDA Schl Assistance Prgram ( SDASAP ) 1. Each Seabrk SDA Church member/student that meets the criteria detailed in Sectin III Eligibility shall be eligible fr SDASAP. The primary requirements are as fllws (See Sectin III fr a cmplete descriptin f the requirements): Seabrk SDA Church Membership Seventh-Day Adventist Church Schl Enrllment, Attendance and Academics Seabrk SDA Church Attendance and Invlvement Faithfully Returning Tithes and Offerings 2. SDASAP is available fr students enrlled in K 16 (Kindergarten thrugh Undergraduate Cllege) prgrams at SDA-spnsred church schls. The targeted amunt f assistance fr each student may vary each schl year and will be established/annunced befre the end f the prir schl year. B. SDA Schl Assistance Prgram Hardship ( SDASAP-H ) Final April 2005

2 In additin t the SDASAP members that demnstrate a need fr additinal financial assistance my apply fr Hardship assistance (SDASAP-H). Mre dcumentatin will be required n a case by case basis t determine financial hardship fr this prgram. II. FUNDING SOURCES/PAYMENTS A. Funding Surces The Seabrk Church has pledged its cntinued supprt fr each eligible student and will establish the amunt f assistance that the church will fund thrugh SDASAP fr each schl year. The Educatin Department will wrk thrugh fundraising effrts t raise a prtin f the funds t be used fr the SDASAP and SDASAP-H. The Educatin Department will maintain the fllwing funds fr the purpses utlined belw. 1. Educatin Schlarship Fund. This will be the general fund f the Educatin Department t be used fr the expenses f the Educatin Department t include the fllwing: SDASAP and SDASAP-Hardship Awards Educatin Spnsrships The Children s Offering cllected during the regular wrship services will be applied t the Educatin Schlarship Fund. 2. Educatin Fundraisers. Specific Student Benefits. This fund will be used fr fundraiser prceeds and expenses when the fundraiser is t specifically benefit the child/student assciated with the fundraiser activity. Educatin fundraisers fr the benefit f a specific child/student are available t all Seabrk SDA Church students regardless f the schl enrlled. Therefre, students in public, nn-sda private and hme schls can participate in fund raisers fr their specific benefit t help cver their schl/educatin csts. Funds raised will be directly applied t the students accunt r given as a schlarship. Educatin Department Benefits. The funds raised frm the Educatin Department fundraisers that were nt designated fr a specific student, will be applied t the general educatin fund net f the fundraiser activity expenses. 3. Educatin Weekend/Bazaar. This fund will be used tward educatin department expenses. 4. Gspel Cncert Fundraiser. This fundraiser will be used fr individual schlarships (student participatin required) and expenses. B. Payment Frequency. The frequency f SDASAP and SDASAP H payments will be as fllws: Grades K 12: Payments will be made n a mnthly basis based n the number f mnthly tuitin payments required by the schl. Cllege: Payments will be made n a semester basis during the first mnth f the semester. III. ELIGIBILITY WHO CAN GET SDA SCHOOL EDUCATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE? 2

3 A. Seabrk SDA Church Membership. The applicant must qualify fr at least ne f the categries listed belw. In each case, the student/child is enrlled and/r currently attending a Seventh-Day Adventist Church-spnsred Schl: 1. Students/children wh are members f the Seabrk SDA Church. 2. Seabrk SDA Church members wh are: a. The Primary Caretaker f Seabrk SDA Church children/students r b. The Nn-Custdial Parent f Seabrk SDA Church children/students r c. Members able t prvide prf f financially supprting a Seabrk SDA child/student s tuitin. Church member is required t prvide prf f financial supprt equal t at least 75% f Nn-Cnstituent Tuitin (SDA Tuitin Rate) and 100% f registratin fees, ther schl fees and bks. 3. Applicants must be a member f the Seabrk SDA Church fr a minimum f three mnths prir t the applicatin prcess. B. Seventh-Day Adventist Church Schl Enrllment, Attendance and Academics. Even a child is knwn by his dings, whether his wrk be pure, and whether it be right. Prverbs 20:11. The applicant that meets ne f the categries in Sectin A (Seabrk SDA Church Membership) must either be a student r supprt a student enrlled in and attending a Seventh- Day Adventist Church-spnsred Schl. This includes SDA Church-spnsred elementary schls, academies, clleges and universities. Assistance is available fr students enrlled in K-16 (Kindergarten thrugh Undergraduate Cllege) prgrams. The student is encuraged t maintain grade pint average f C (2.0) r higher ( S fr students in grades with a grading system f E, S, and NI). Applicants must prmptly ntify the Educatin Cmmittee, in writing, f a change in/withdrawal frm an SDA schl during the semester/schl year. C. Seabrk SDA Church Attendance and Invlvement. Train up a child in the way he shuld g; and when he is ld, he will nt depart frm it. Prverbs 22:6. 1. Each applicant that meets ne f the categries in Sectin A (Church Membership) must be an active participant in at least ne f the Educatin Department subcmmittees, fr example, Fund-raising, Academic Enrichment, Academic Achievement, Educatin Day r ther cmmittees/prgrams that may be develped. 2. The Seabrk SDA Church member identified in Sectin A is encuraged t attend Seabrk SDA Church Educatin Department meetings during the applicable schl year. The Educatin Department will develp methds t infrm applicants such as the use f , Educatin Department Quarterly Newsletter, and the Seabrk Church bulletin. 3. The Seabrk SDA Student r Child is encuraged t regularly attend Sabbath Schl at the Seabrk SDA Church and participate in ne f the fllwing Church spnsred prgrams: Pathfinders Tutring Adventurers Sprts Prgrams 3

4 Children s r Yuth Chir Vlunteering AYS D. Return f Tithes and Offerings. Will a man rb Gd? Yet ye have rbbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we rbbed thee? In tithes and fferings. Malachi 3:18. In additin t the Children s Offering, educatin financial assistance prvided by the Seabrk SDA Church is resurced frm the weekly ffering f members and visitrs t Seabrk which is designated as lcal church budget r church expense n the tithe/ffering envelpe. Seabrk members wh apply fr educatin assistance are expected t participate in the financial supprt f the Seabrk SDA Church and the Ptmac Cnference by regularly and cnsistently returning an ffering t bth lcal church budget/expense and tithe, respectively. Therefre, the use f the tithe/ffering envelpe is necessary. E. SDASAP-H Financial Infrmatin. Members/families applying fr Hardship assistance (SDASAP-H) in additin t satisfying the requirements fr the SDASAP prgram, detailed abve shall be respnsible fr the fllwing: Paying fr a minimum f 40% f the tuitin and 100% f the fllwing: registratin fees, labratry, cmputer and ther schl fees and textbk csts. If assistance is needed t cver these ther csts, then this will be cnsidered n a case by case basis. Mre dcumentatin will be required n a case by case basis t determine financial hardship. Applicants will be encuraged t assume greater financial respnsibility frm year t year by increasing the percentage f tuitin paid by the applicant. IV. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS. Let all things be dne decently and in rder. I Crinthians 14:32. A. The Financial Assistance Applicatin Frm will be available n the credenza in the Seabrk Church Fyer. The applicatin deadlines will be prvided (as a reminder) in the Seabrk SDA church bulletin. The Financial Assistance Applicatin Frm must be fully cmpleted and submitted n a timely basis as fllws: First Semester Deadline May 14 Secnd Semester Deadline Octber 15 Applicatins shuld be depsited in the Educatin Department Lckbx lcated n the Cpier Rm dr. Applicatins received after the applicable deadline culd be subject t a reductin in the amunt f funds awarded t the Seabrk Church student/seabrk Church member fr the applicable semester. Apprpriate cnsideratin will be given t late applicatins f new Seabrk SDA church members due t a membership change, recent baptism r mving int the area. B. The review and apprval prcess fr the Financial Assistance Applicatin Frms is as fllws: 1. Applicatins reviewed and evaluated by the Educatin Cmmittee. 2. Recmmendatin f eligible applicants t the Seabrk SDA Church Finance Cmmittee. 4

5 3. Recmmendatin f eligible applicants t the Seabrk SDA Church Bard fr apprval. C. Applicants will be ntified via letter r f the Seabrk SDA Church Bard decisin. V. DEFINITIONS Educatin Cmmittee. The Educatin Cmmittee is elected by the Seabrk SDA Church Bard and charged with the versight f the educatin prgrams and respnsible fr the review f educatin plicy and recmmendatins t the Finance Cmmittee and the Church Bard. Educatin Department. The Educatin Department includes the elected Educatin Cmmittee and all Primary Caretakers and Nn-custdial Parents f children/students in the Church. The Educatin Department members shall serve n sub-cmmittees t facilitate the implementatin f the Church s educatin plicy under the supervisin f the Educatin Cmmittee. Nn-custdial Parent. A persn wh des nt have legal custdy f a child, but, t the extent permitted, is actively invlved in the exercise f and perfrms parental duties including the emtinal, disciplinary, spiritual and financial supprt f a child. Primary Caretaker. A persn wh is a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, sibling r legal guardian f a child. This persn is actively invlved in the exercise f and perfrms parental duties including the emtinal, disciplinary, spiritual and financial supprt f a child. SDA Schl Assistance Prgram ( SDASAP ). This prgram awards a set amunt per child per semester t applicants wh meet each f the fur requirements as fllws: Seabrk SDA Church Membership Seventh-Day Adventist Church Schl Enrllment, Attendance and Academics Seabrk SDA Church Attendance and Invlvement Faithfully Returning Tithe and Offering SDA Schl Assistance Prgram based n Hardship ( SDASAP-H ). This prgram is available t prvide financial assistance fr tuitin based n extreme financial hardship circumstances. Mre dcumentatin will be required n a case by case basis t determine financial hardship. Seabrk SDA Church Member. A persn wh either by baptism, prfessin f faith r transfer f membership frm anther SDA church is reflected as a member f the Seabrk SDA Church thrugh the membership recrds maintained by the Seabrk SDA Church Membership Clerk. 5