Academy Community Fund

April 24, 2020

Challenging times require us to be clear about our imperatives for a Columbus Academy education and demand that we work to foster the finest parts of our community. Please know we are committed to giving our students the best possible education in the safest environment, to retaining our dedicated faculty and staff, to serving and providing for our committed families all while ensuring that the school is financially sound for its future.

The Board of Trustees and Leadership Team have been tirelessly examining options and thinking deeply about what we can do to support our families during this time of hardship. We do not want to lose members of our community. These are our classmates and our friends.

To this end, decisions have been made to keep our community whole through these initiatives:

• Columbus Academy will be reducing the tuition obligation for every student for the 2020-21 school year. This reduction will be in the form of a tuition credit (of up to $2,000), which is prorated based upon your tuition net of discounts, including financial aid.  Families can choose to pay the special reduced tuition for the school year, or opt out--if you are able--and donate this credit as a tax-deductible charitable gift to the Academy Community Fund (more information below).

• We have established the Academy Community Fund.  The purpose of the fund is to provide a bridge in the form of a one-time grant toward tuition and fees for families experiencing substantial and unforeseen hardship. Grants will be made on a case-by-case basis but limited to the resources available in the fund and will be in addition to the tuition credit described above. Our usual need-based financial assistance program for Columbus Academy will continue as a separate program and has been expanded to accommodate increased need.  For the foreseeable future this fund is the fundraising priority for the school, and this is where all contributions (including donated tuition credits) will be directed unless otherwise specified by the donor.

• There is an option to pay tuition with a 10-month plan rather than in one or two installments. Utilizing this option usually incurs a service fee, but for those choosing this option for the 2020-21 school year, the school will absorb these fees.

We are incredibly thankful for our amazing community, and we are doing our best to keep it whole. Please stay in touch, and open the lines of communication if your family is in need.  We are all in this together, Vikings.