The deacons of Pleasant St. CRC are excited about implementing a program to assist parents in the cost of providing Christian education for their children. This new program will be called the Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund.
The purpose of this program is to help fulfill our commitment, we as members of Pleasant St. CRC, make at the baptism of children: we promise to receive these children in love, pray for them, help instruct them in the faith, and encourage and sustain them in the fellowship of believers. We believe this involves the church, home, and school.
This program will be alongside the Tuition Aid Program (TAP), which is a financial needs-based program funded as a church budget line item and with donations. To receive TAP, the Pleasant St. CRC family must fill out a form available at the school. WCS contacts the deacon’s TuitionAid for WCS committee, and they along with the elders determine how much aid will be awarded using a formula that has been set up by WCS.
The Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund is not a needs-based program; it is available to all Pleasant St. members whose children attend WCS (other Christian schools may be added to the program). To receive assistance, members must fill out a simple form and return it to the deacons. Forms are available in the Fellowship Hall and on the church’s web site.
This new program will be funded by donations that can be placed in the collection baskets using the specially marked blue envelopes that will be available in the pews. In addition, proceeds from the deacon's WCS Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP) account number 22000 will go toward the program. Anyone can make purchases through TRIP using that account number. If you already have a TRIP account at WCS just notify the Business office that you wish to have your earnings go to the deacon's fund. In June and January they will be transfered according to your request. For more information on how TRIP works, visit WCS’s web site at www.wcs.mec.edu/trip.cfm. Parents in the congregation are also encouraged to conduct fundraisers for the program.
The funds will be distributed directly to WCS twice a year into the participating family’s account, once at the beginning of the school year and once in early January. The amount each student will receive will be based on the amount of funds collected divided by the number of students participating in the program.
If you have any questions concerning this program, please contact your shepherding deacon. Further information can also be found on the church’s web site at www.pscrc.org.
Yours in Christ,
The Deacons of Pleasant St. CRC
Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund Definitions
The Tuition Aid for WCS committee is a subcommittee of the Pleasant Street CRC deacons. The committee administers two distinct financial aid programs within the church: the deacon Tuition Aid Program(TAP) and the Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund.
Tuition Aid Program (TAP)
TAP is a financial needs based program funded as a church budget line item. In order to receive aid for child(ren) attending WCS, the Pleasant St. CRC family must apply for and fill out a form available at the school. The school then contacts the deacon’s Tuition Aid for WCS committee, and they along with the elders decide if the family should receive the aid. How much is received is determined by a formula that has been set up by WCS. Church and WCS will work together monitoring this program.
Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund
The Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund is a financial assistance program available to any Pleasant St. CRC family whose child(ren) attend WCS. This is not a needs based program and is available to all members of the congregation. The primary funding source is from church members who recognize the importance of Christian education and wish to support the children of our church family who attend WCS.
Pleasant Street CRC Christian Education Fund
Program Outline, Policies and Procedures
At least one parent must be an active member of Pleasant St. CRC (defined in Elder minutes, 1/23/07, 5.a.).
To receive the financial aid, parent(s) must annually “opt in” to the program, informing the committee of how many children they will be enrolling. Parent(s) can do this by completing the intention form that will be available by April 1. The deadline for completing this form is May 15, so the Tuition Aid for WCS committee can prepare a list of participants to be given to council for review at their June meeting.
Funds for this program will be distributed twice a year, once at the beginning of the school year and once in early January. The amount each student will receive will be based on the amount of funds collected divided by the number of students participating in the program. Funds will be sent directly to WCS and WCS will disperse said funds directly into participating family’s accounts.
New members of Pleasant St. CRC who join during the school year will be eligible for assistance when the next distribution takes place.
The committee proposes the following school(s) to be eligible to receive tuition payments from Pleasant St. CRC: Whitinsville Christian School. Parent(s) who desire any other Christian school to be added to the list may submit a written request to the council of Pleasant St. CRC. The council will then determine if that school will be added to the list. All requests should be submitted at least three months prior to enrollment to allow council sufficient time to make a decision.
The Pleasant St. CRC Christian Education Fund in no way changes other assistance programs (such as TAP) within our church. The Tuition Aid for WCS committee does not determine the need for individual assistance. If additional help is needed, members should contact their district deacon.
Revenue for this program is determined by:
Funds collected in designated envelopes that members may place in the collection baskets.
Proceeds from the deacon TRIP account with WCS will go towards this program.
The deacons will encourage parent(s) in the congregation to conduct an annual fundraiser.
