From our early beginnings in 1959, Father Lopez Catholic High School has always been a welcoming school. The new centralized Catholic high school was intended to serve all students who had the ability and desire to take on a rigorous program of studies in a faith-filled environment. That has not changed since 1959. What has changed, however, is the rising cost to attend the Lopez of today.

A few weeks ago, I mailed the dreaded tuition-increase letter to our families. A copy of that letter and our 2016-17 Tuition Schedule are linked for your review. Some of our older alumni--and their parents--may gasp with "sticker shock" when they compare older tuition rates with newer ones that have now passed the $10,000 mark.

In addition to sharing this information with all of our readers, I also want to emphasize that we remain true to our earliest intents. That is, we strive not to turn away any qualified student simply because of a family's limited financial resources.

First of all, a parish discount of $700 off of our Standard Tuition Rate is available to any family when they verify that they are members of a Catholic parish. To receive this discount, the parent needs to present this Parish Verification Form to their pastor. We offer this discount to show our appreciation for the services we receive from the Diocese of Orlando and from the local pastors and their parishes.  

As noted on the tuition schedule, we also provide income-based assistance. The awards range from $800 to $2,800. For consideration, families must first complete a FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. For additional assistance, parents may submit a written, confidential summary of their circumstances directly to me.

Lastly, I want to explain some changes in the State of Florida "Step Up for Students" program. Guidelines have been adjusted in order for the State to assist more families. This year, awards of as much as $5,677 per student were provided for families meeting low-income guidelines. Partial awards will now be available based on size-of-family and income. For example, a family of four could earn as much as $63,000 and be eligible for a 50% award ($2,838) from the State. These awards are presented on a first-come, first-serve basis, and there are no application fees.

Families who meet requirements for a state award will not be considered for additional assistance from Lopez unless they have applied for a Step Up for Student Award. When families receive an award from the State, this allows us to be better stewards of our limited resources. The State award enables us to stretch our dollars to assist more families and to provide more opportunities for all of our students. Simply stated, this program can HELP YOU, HELP US, HELP OTHERS!

Congratulations to Coach Erin Hunter and the Dancing Green Waves on an exciting and fruitful competition season! While at the state competition in Oviedo, the team placed third in the Pom category; Natalie Alvarez, Annalisa Peburn and Jen Tyler placed second in the Trio category; and, Annalisa Peburn placed sixth in the Junior Solo category. The next stop was the Contest of Champions Nationals where the team won their division in the Pom category! Watch their winning routine here.

Several members of Drama Troupe 3570 will attend the Florida State Thespian Festival in Tampa next week. Our students will attend opening ceremonies, see the best of the district festivals, and attend workshops during their 3-day stay.

The Father Lopez mission team is working hard, and loving it, in the Dominican Republic this week! Our students are building bonds and making connections with their elementary pupils as they teach English using lesson plans that they developed for the trip. The team will return home tomorrow with a renewed appreciation of the conveniences they have at home! For more pictures, check out the photo album on our Facebook page.