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"Building a Future with Catholic Education"
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why doesn't Manhattan Catholic Schools just raise tuition to cover increased operating costs?
A1. Tuition rates are evaluated annually. Tuition has increased 3+% every year since 1990 to help cover ever-increasing costs. As of 2005, tuition covers approximately 52% of the cost of operating the school.
However,
one of the primary goals of Manhattan Catholic Schools (MCS) is to make a Catholic education an option for all children. Raising tuition to a level that would cover all operating costs would make a Catholic education cost-prohibitive and would limit accessibility to a very few.
Affordable
tuition also helps MCS move forward on its goal of enhancing the diversity of its student population. Although tuition is not the only element in this pursuit, making tuition more affordable makes a Catholic education a viable choice for everyone.
Q2. Is the Monsignor Luckey Endowment Fund a new "fundraiser" for MCS? What happened to the Annual Fund Drive?
A2. The school has both short and long-term needs and these two fund development vehicles allow our contributors different investment options.
The "Annual Fund Drive" focus is primarily on generating funds that are necessary to cover
costs already known and budgeted in the current operating budget. In other words, this annual campaign helps keep tuition affordable from year to year.
The "Monsignor Luckey Endowment Fund" has been developed to offer an investment opportunity that is focused
on long-term goals of the school. Donors making contributions to the Endowment provide a perpetual gift to the school since only the earnings are spent each year while the principal gift remains intact.
Q3. Who decides how donor contributions are spent?
A3. The pastor -- who is also the school superintendent -- with input from the school principal and Council of Education, determines how gifts are utilized.
However, gifts can also be recommended for specific uses at the donor's request.
Q4. What happens to the money when a donor gives to the Monsignor Luckey Endowment Fund?
A4. Gifts to the Endowment are placed in a permanently endowed fund specifically set aside for support of MCS. Available earnings on the fund will be distributed to MCS annually.
Q5. How will I know how my donations have been used?
A5.
The MCS Development Office will communicate annually with donors and provide information upon request. Of course, Manhattan Catholic Schools welcomes the opportunity to discuss student needs and accomplishments anytime!
Q6. Does MCS receive financial support from each of the Catholic parishes in Manhattan?
A6. Yes “ approximately 25% of the annual MCS operating budget comes from the parishes.
Below is a summary of the major revenue sources that support the school's annual operational needs for 2005-06 budget:
- Tuition (52%)
- Parishes/Diocese (27%)
- Annual Fund Drive (8%)
- Fundraising Events (7%)
- Endowment Earnings (1%)
- Other Miscellaneous (5%)
(Click here for Summary in Graph Format)
Q7. Aren't teachers at MCS covered under KPERS (Kansas Public Employees Retirement System)?
A7. No. KPERS provides retirement plans only for public school teachers and other state employees.
Teachers
at Manhattan Catholic Schools do not have a retirement plan at this time, but this is one of the highest priorities we are working to address to keep the excellent teaching staff at MCS.
Q8. What other teacher recruitment and retention issues is MCS focusing on?
A8. Providing our teachers with retirement benefits is our top priority.
The school is committed to begin paying for retirement coverage for each of our employees once an additional $35,000 annual revenue stream has been secured.
Moving
toward "compensation parity" with teachers in the public school system is also one of our priorities. Currently, MCS teachers are being paid approximately 80% of what their counterparts are being paid in public schools. MCS needs to continue to work at addressing this parity issue in order to compete for and retain exceptional teachers.
Q9. Will the Monsignor Luckey Endowment Fund be used to start a new Catholic high school at MCS?
A9. The primary reason we are working to grow the school's endowment fund is to
secure a steady revenue stream to maintain and enhance the excellent K-8th grade program we now have at MCS.
Of
course, the addition of a high school program at MCS would complete the vision and mission of providing Catholic education opportunities for children in our community. However, the endowment fund would have to grow to a minimum of $10 miilion for that vision to begin to become reality for MCS.
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If you have additional questions about development needs at MCS, please contact our school principal, Tom Schmitz at (785) 565-5050 tschmitz@mcscardinals.org or the Development Director, at (785) 565-5060 development@mcscardinals.org.
We welcome your comments and questions.
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