Do We Still Need To Pay Regular Tuition?

amother

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 12:08 am

It seems that there won't be any more school this year. (I'm in NY)
Why do we still need to pay tuition?
Our school does not have a special program in place.
Girls have a 30 minute to 1 hour class on hotline or conference call. And once a week 1 hour review on zoom.
If you want to claim that the yearly tuition fee is divided into monthly payments then at least reduce the yearly fee. It shouldn't include charges for April/May/June.
Why are we being charged regular tuition?
Am I missing something?

groovy1224

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 12:10 am

There's like a hundred threads on this. Half the replies will tell you the school still has expenses and the teachers are still working and deserve to get paid. The other half will tell you they got laid off and went on unemployment so teachers should do the same. Lather rinse and repeat for 4 pages.

amother

Cobalt

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:13 am

In your case, I would think they need to provide more now after yt for the rest of the year or charge less the rest of the year. An hour a day max is not appropriate for full price tuition even if your kid gets credit. At the very least all core subjects have to be continued. How do they accomplish Judaic & secular studies in 30 min -60 min a day total?

amother

Olive

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Why? Because if they continue to charge (and collect) tuition, they can continue to pay their teachers (which as employers, they want to do).

groisamomma

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:36 am

cnc wrote:

Schools will have a better plan in place for the rest of the year, than they did before Pesach.

Virtual learning time will be increased.

Not necessarily. I had a different attitude before Pesach but I changed my tune. I work my tail off for the public school kids and deserve every penny of my salary. My own elementary girls got nothing beyond a 30 min conference call for four days, if at all. The conference line crashed the first few days. They came to the Pesach seder without a single dvar Torah. Nothing. Nada. Their English teachers never called into the conference calls. Not once. Could have been done over the phone.

Knowing their school things won't change much now after Pesach. The government is paying to keep people in the private sector employed. The school has a choice whether to pay teachers that do nothing. I'm no longer going to finance it. I stopped my automatic payments.

amother

Indigo

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:40 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

Why? Because if they continue to charge (and collect) tuition, they can continue to pay their teachers (which as employers, they want to do).

Um, is the shuttered gym still charging membership fees because they want to pay their staff? Is the closed nail salon still charging its weekly regulars who can’t come now because they want to pay their manicurists?

This argument makes me want to Banging head

amother

Olive

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:49 am

amother [ Indigo ] wrote:

The schools should be doing everything they can to serve their purpose, which is to educate children.

The teachers are supposed to be teaching.

I have no idea what the gyms are doing - and manicurists don't operate with monthly fees.

amother

Blush

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 2:59 am

groisamomma wrote:

I hear your points. And as another ps teacher, I think the guidance needs to come from the top. It's the school 's responsibility to figure out a plan and guide the teachers as to how to deliver the instruction (obviously the actual planning and teaching is up to the teachers). I'm working hard, too. But without a lot of guidance from my admin, I'd be lost.
I think the real elephant in the room is that many of the schools can't/won't use technology. You can't expect to do real teaching over a phone. Certainly not For extended time periods. For so many reasons. The schools that are doing zoom or Google meets sessions or emailing/scanning work already have a huge advantage over the ones that don't.
I guess my point is, for those with complaints about lack of teaching...take it up with the administration. It's their job to come up with a plan.

amother

cornflower

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 3:06 am

following. so far my credit card has been charged automatically. got nada out of english dept. yiddish teacher did a 1/2 hour phone conference. preschool is a joke as well. no way my three year old has zitzfleish to hear prerecorded story from principal. granted they did send home hagaddah arts and crafts which I needed to assemble on my own Can't Believe It

. cheider rebbe did accomplish somewhat. english rebbe nada.

amother

Lemon

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 3:06 am

amother [ Indigo ] wrote:

Yes, my gym is still charging me monthly and I'm outraged. Now what? If I decline payments my membership will be cancelled and I'll have to pay a new $100 enrollment fee.

amother

Aquamarine

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 4:35 am

groisamomma wrote:

I wonder if my girls are in the same school.

Do you think they’ll have an issue with you not paying if they continue delivering “instruction” (yea, the Half an hour recordings)?

Do you think they’ll demand payment anyway in order for you to come back when school reopens?

amother

Peach

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 4:48 am

My girls in lakewood school same thing. The school is known to be high in academic but I hope this learning over the phone doesnt continue just give me a tution break thanks. It's just more work for me. How is it expect my young daughter to learn math and reading over the phone? Its just not the same. Teacher makes mother work extra hard. And they have 10 different hotlines that I'm busy dialing

groisamomma

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 4:57 am

amother [ Aquamarine ] wrote:

Not sure if it's the same school. I send to chassidish elementary schools. The "they" that will demand payment is one person. I've dealt with him in the past and will do so if need be again. I'm not playing games here. My dh lost one of his jobs. Don't be a tzedaka big shot and then turn around and charge struggling families for school that didn't exist.

amother

Teal

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 5:11 am

amother [ Brown ] wrote:

So what if the school still has expenses? They still only get to charge for services they provide.

And who will cover those expenses? Because if the building is repossessed by the bank, it won't be available when school reopens.

You present yourself as a customer getting a service rather than as a partner in your child's education.

groisamomma

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 5:16 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

If the school isn't "partnering" right now they don't get to charge.

amother

Teal

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 6:15 am

groisamomma wrote:

If the school isn't "partnering" right now they don't get to charge.

You're missing the point. They are keeping a school building open, for YOUR children. No, they aren't doing nearly as much as usual, but my guess is that you don't really know what kind of operating expenses they have. Instead of venting online, talk to a board member. Ask about continuing expenses. I think you'll be surprised.

And those continuing expenses do benefit you, even though they aren't classroom time.

If you pay a yearly mikva fee, do you cancel when you get pregnant or enter menopause? Or do you recognize that a community institution needs to be supported, even if you don't benefit directly?

Sorry, I know it's hard now. If you can't keep up with payments, please speak to the school and work something out.

cnc

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 6:16 am

groisamomma wrote:

My daughters school has been in touch with us.
Virtual learning has been increased to four times the amount (that they had before Pesach ) via teleconference.

The school that I work at will be having a regular schedule via Zoom beginning next week . (Before Pesach, they were learning for 50- 70 percent of the regular schedule.)

cnc

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 6:18 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

Something tells me that her school is a privately owned business with no board.
So I completely understand groisamommas POV - especially if her child isn’t receiving any instruction.