Reasons for Fee Increase After 7 Years

Reasons for the Fee Increase
Here are a few of the main reasons for the fee increase, as well as our goals for this next year, listed in order of importance:

Rising Cost of Expenses: This is the main reason for the fee increase.
Hire More Staff: We need two or three more people in the office to help answer phones and respond to needs more quickly.
Improve Phone System: Once again, we need to upgrade our phone system in order to better manage calls and more efficiently serve families.
Add More Resources: As a ministry, we have so many more ideas for helpful resources for you, in both the Elementary and High School years.
Improve Member Login: Some of these changes are already in the works (below). The goal is to better serve you with these changes.

These are just a few of the main goals for this next year. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me directly. And thanks for the tremendous and supportive response so far! We are so blessed to serve such wonderful folks! - David

PRE-REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS BEGAN DECEMBER 1ST, 2010

We began the 2011/2012 pre-registration discounts EARLIER this year and will offer the following discounts off of the new fee structure outlined above:

~ 20% Off in Dec.

~ 15% Off in Jan.

~ 10% Off in Feb.

~ 5% Off in March and April.

Please go to your Member Login page to take advantage of these discounts. Additional reminders will be sent as the discount dates approach.

NEW FEE STRUCTURE:

After years of attempting to pay our growing expenses with the fees we put in place in 2003 we are going to have to raise them just a little bit. This decision was very difficult for us because we look at HLA as a ministry. However, we set out to build the best school possible and do whatever is necessary to meet your needs, create a great reputation, and establish a long term presence in the homeschooling community. To maintain this momentum, keep the high standard of excellence in place, and achieve the goals set forth in the remainder of this email, beginning December 1st. 2010, our fees will be raised to the following, .

$50 Annual Processing Fee Per Family
Plus $20 Each K-8th Student
Plus $40 Each 9th-12th Student
$150 Max Per Family

Senior Fee - $50 Per Senior (Not included in family maximum.)

Transfer Fee - $50 Per Family (Not included in family maximum.)

All FIRST TIME home educators registering between Sept. 1st and May 1st will be required to pay a ONE TIME transfer fee of $50.

Notice: The $50 Annual Processing Fee is not "$50 for the first student"
as it was in 2003 through 2010. Instead, this is the base processing fee per year, per family upon which the fees for K-8th and 9th-12th students are added.

Our staff and counselors are thrilled to work for you everyday, and our excitement is growing even more this year as we look ahead at some really incredible improvements! By the way, please don't ever let finances keep you from re-enrolling - payment plan options are available. We will not turn anyone down due to financial difficulties. Please contact us if you need payment arrangements. Also, please consider donating to help another family in need or help us raise funds through Box Tops. Thank you.

NEW MEMBER LOGIN AREA

You are going to be amazed at the new design coming for the Member Login area. The end goal is to have an area which is customizable by you - just for your family!

In addition to the features you have grown accustomed to, we are improving and streamlining the processes, making it easier to re-enroll, update info, pay fees, and everything else. We are also adding the ability to set up payment plans, print certain forms, view entire digitized copies of previous school records, network with friends, chat instantly online with HLA staff, and post photos and blog entries about your family.

iPhone

You'll be able to link to resources based on your educational plans, join webinar sessions with counselors and staff, and view online tutorial videos. This is just the beginning. We are als o working on some really neat mobile applications (or "apps"), making it possible to update information via your phone! Won't that be fun?

Some of these features will be visible this school year; others will be added in the months following. And, as always, we would like your help! If you have any ideas for the Member Login, something you've seen on another site, perhaps - please email your ideas to me at david@homelifeacademy.com and we'll see about adding it to our development goals. We are also re-designing the administrative section of our website, making it even easier for us to answer your questions and meet your needs as quickly and efficiently as possible.

We will have more news in the months ahead on the progress of these changes. Just keep checking the Member Login at the top of www.homelifeacademy.com and you will learn of these new developments and how they are all going to make HomeLife Academy even better... and more fun!

We are committed to excellence and service. And we absolutely love serving you and your family. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Christ, David.