Download Continuous Enrollment FAQs (PDF)
COMING JANUARY 2025
From Re-Enrollment to Continuous Enrollment: “One and Done”
We’ve found that over 90% of eligible Good Shepherd Lutheran School families return to our school each year. As you know, every January, our administrative team works diligently to make the Re-enrollment process as quick and painless as possible every year. While it has worked well, we want to streamline this process even more to utilize our resources more effectively and make things even easier for Good Shepherd families. That’s why we’re launching Continuous Enrollment.
What was Re-enrollment?
Every year in January, our office staff opened online enrollment for our families. The parent(s) were expected to complete the FACTS enrollment module, and then complete their tuition agreement, including reentering all billing choices, if they were planning to re-enroll their child(ren) for the next school year.
For planning and budgeting purposes, we need to know how many students to plan for on the first day of school. Did you know that some of our classes are at or near capacity? Leadership plans diligently to ensure that we’re prepared to fulfill our mission with excellence every year. Until Good Shepherd families “sign on the line” that they’re coming back each year, we can’t make solid plans for staffing, programs, materials, curriculum and facility usage. We take the stewardship of tuition dollars entrusted to us very seriously. We want to invest these tuition dollars wisely so that we can provide the best education possible for Good Shepherd students.
I have no plans to change schools—and almost everybody comes back every year anyway. Can’t I just stay at Good Shepherd until I notify the school otherwise?
Great idea! Up until this point, Re-enrollment has been an “opt-in” program. Annually, we have asked every family, “Are you coming back?” In a sense, we’ve been requiring the vast majority of families to go through this process when, in actuality, only a few families decide not to return. By signing your tuition agreement this year with the new Continuous Enrollment terms, you will be flipping that script. Rather than an ‘opt-in’ process each January, our annual re-enrollment period will become an ‘Opt-OUT’ opportunity.
When will this take place?
All current students PreK- 7th Grade will be automatically enrolled in FACTS on January 24th which places your student in priority status over any new families applying for admissions. Your FACTS account will automatically be billed for your 2024-2025 non-refundable registration fee in four equal installments due Feb. 15th, March 15th, April 15th and May 15th. Just let us know if you are not planning to return next year by Feb 14th to avoid this billing.
For the majority of families, if you’re coming back, all you need to do is sign your tuition agreement, and you will be set to go!
In subsequent years, you will not need to do anything! You will have the same access as always to make any changes/updates to your student(s) enrollment/demographics information. All billing information, including the number of installments, payment method, and date of payment will continue into the new school year. No need to re-enter this information unless you desire to make a change!
We look forward to serving Good Shepherd families in this way and making this process easier and more convenient!
So What will January Look Like?
Instead of your student’s enrollment status being dependent on your completion of the enrollment module and tuition agreement each year, your spot in your class will be secured until graduation.
In other words, after you sign your tuition agreement for 2024-2025 with the continuous enrollment terms, which is due by February 14, 2025, you’ll be part of our community until you tell us otherwise. If you decide to leave, then you’ll simply let us know during the ‘Opt-Out’ period each winter for the following school year.
After this year, what will the “Re-enrollment Period” Look Like?
After we roll out the Continuous Enrollment program in January 2025, the typical re-enrollment process every January will simply be a communication reminder from the school informing the families that might be thinking about leaving our school to notify us prior to Jan. 25th. It will be an opportunity to ‘opt-out’ of enrollment for the following year. If last year is any indication, this means that over 90% of Good Shepherd families will have the convenience of ignoring this message and doing absolutely nothing!
For other questions about Continuous Enrollment, current families can reach Jennifer Osborn in the school office at 618-344-3153 or via email at josborn@gslcs.org.