Dear Steve:

Thank you for your interest in sponsoring scholarships for SMS.  In the attachment, you will find the itemized costs a student incurs in enrolling at SMS.  Students who enroll as 1^st year students receive a government subsidy of P4,000 every year; therefore transferees at other year levels and late enrollees also get charged a Matriculation

Fee to make up for the loss of the subsidy.  The amount is still undetermined by the Board of Trustees.  I am also sending you the Scholarship Committee report which contains the recently approved policies and guidelines on academic scholarships and financial grants.

Funds for scholarships and financial grants are funneled into one general fund, and the scholarship committee (made up of PTA, board members, and faculty) screen applicants and select the grantees.  This is to prevent arbitrary selections and nepotism.  Certain relatives and friends of families here in Sagada can still choose to designate specific students for financial aid, but this is done directly and the school has nothing to do with the selection.

Please email me if you need more clarifications.

Thanks.

Dennis

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (Scholarship) COMMITTEE

Report to the Board of Trustees 

In Attendance: Atty. Valentine Daoas (Chair); Members: Thomas Killip, Fr. Jerry Sagayo, Ray Fiar-od, Nemia Lite, Dennis Faustino. 

Absent: Fr. Moreno Tuguinay, Esther Palao-ay, Rhoda Bondad 

A.  Academic Progress of Current Financial Assistance Recipients 

The Committee reviewed the 2^nd quarter academic performance of current scholars and grantees.  Of 54 academic scholars, 11 have failed to meet the criteria: 1^st and 2^nd Year students must maintain honors.  While their grades are on the borderline and can easily be pulled up in the next quarters, 6 are at risk of losing their scholarships because of continued underachievement. 

The number of scholarships include nine (9) 3^rd and 4^th Year “back door scholars”—those who were given scholarships because they have achieved at least High Honors (average of 89 and above) last school year.  They must maintain their achievement to renew their scholarship for next year. Of the nine, 4 are seniors who will graduate or have withdrawn from school. 

This school year, 23 students received financial grants (20 freshmen, 3 sophomores).  Of these, one has withdrawn, and two have had failures in the 1^st and 2^nd quarter. 9 have achieved honors, and 1 has received High Honors in the 2^nd quarter. 

Total Cost Implication:

            23 Financial grants @ P5,000 =                                                115,000

            45 1^st & 2^nd Year Scholarships @ P5,000                                225,000

              9 3^rd and 4^th Year Scholarships @ P3,000                                27,000

Total:  77        Financial Assistance Recipients                               367.000 or $7340 

B. Committee Recommendations

(to amend Current Guidelines and Criteria for granting financial assistance): 

Resolution #1: (Admissions Policy) 

St. Mary’s School of Sagada accepts into its High School Program qualified students who have successfully completed their primary education (elementary school diploma), regardless of race and creed.  To qualify for admission to SMSS, candidates shall pass an ENTRANCE exam based on literacy and numeracy. 

Guidelines:

• The faculty will develop and administer the Entrance Exam to potential candidates for admission and determine the “passing score” or the cut-off point.
• A waiting list of successful candidates may be developed pending on space availability.
• Unsuccessful examinees may be accepted as probationary students into the non-credit remedial one-year course of study which leads into the regular 1^st year program of the school.  After one year, acceptance into the regular program will be based upon the recommendations of the faculty and approval of the administration.

Date of Effectivity:  School Year 2007-2008 

Resolution #2: (Academic Scholarship Policy) 

In order to be ELIGIBLE for ACADEMIC SCHOLARHIPS, potential candidates shall successfully pass a competitive SCHOLARSHIP EXAM based on literacy and numeracy. 

Guidelines: 

·        The Scholarship Exam is developed and administered by the faculty under the direction and supervision of the Education Committee.  The “passing grade” or cut-off point is determined by the faculty.

·        The number of scholarships is determined by funds made available for scholarships by the Board, sourced both locally and abroad.

·        Recipients of Academic Scholarships are based on and prioritized according to THREE criteria: 1) achievement in the SMS Scholarship Exam; 2) class standing and academic achievement in Elementary School (6^th grade); 3) potential for academic excellence, character, and leadership as determined through an interview process.

·        In view of limited funds and resources, candidates are ranked accordingly.  A waiting list of candidates who have successfully passed the scholarship exam and the interview process is developed after a cut-off point is determined.  Students on this waiting list may be granted scholarships, pending on further availability of funds and/or non-acceptances of scholarship offers.

·        For School Year 2007-2008, the committee is recommending the number of academic scholarships to 25, one third of the projected enrollment for incoming freshmen. 

Date of Effectivity:  School Year 2007-2008 

Resolution #3: (Financial Grants Policy) 

In order to be eligible for FINANCIAL GRANTS, potential candidates shall successfully pass the ENTRANCE EXAM based on literacy and numeracy, show potential for learning, and prove financial need. 

·        The “passing grade” is determined by the same body.

·        The number of financial grants is determined by funds made available for scholarships by the Board, sourced both locally and abroad.

·        The granting of Financial Grants shall be based on and prioritized according to FOUR criteria: 1) achievement in the SMS Entrance Exam; 2) class standing and academic achievement in Elementary School (6^th grade); 3) potential for academic excellence, character, and leadership as determined through an interview process; 4) financial need.

·        In view of limited funds and resources, candidates are ranked accordingly.  A waiting list of candidates who have successfully passed the entrance exam and undergone the interview process to determine financial indigence is developed after a cut-off point is determined.  Students on this waiting list may be granted financial grants, pending on further availability of funds and/or non-acceptances of scholarship offers.

·        For School Year 2007-2008, the committee has pegged the number of academic scholarships to 10 or 13 % of the projected freshmen class of 75. 

Date of Effectivity:  School Year 2007-2008 

Resolution #4 (Amendment to Academic Expectations of Financial Grantees: 

Whereas, the Committee feels that standard of academic expectations for financial grantees is currently too low (the current guideline states that continuance of a financial grant is merely passing all subjects at the end of the year); and that time, resources, and effort of the school are wasted on keeping underachievers academically “afloat;” and that many other, more deserving motivated prospective students could avail of the funds designated for grants, the Committee proposes that the standard be raised as such: 

In order to qualify for continued financial assistance, financial grantees shall have no grade lower than 80% in all subjects at the end of the school year, in addition to the proviso that recipients continue to need financial assistance. 

Projected Additional Support for 2007-2008: 

25 New Scholarships @ P5,000                                                           P125,000

10 New Financial Grants @ P5,000                                                         50,000 

Total                                                                                              P175,000
                                                                                                    [or $3,500] 

Add:

Continued Financial Support for Current Recipients:

            20 Financial grants @ P5,000 =                                                100,000

            37 2^nd Year Scholarships @ P5,000                                         185,000

            11 3^rd and 4^th Year Scholarships @ P5,000                                55,000

Total:                                                                                            340,000
                                                                                                  [or $6,800] 

Total Request for Financial Assistance:                                          515,000 or
                                                                                                   [$10,300] 

Projected Distribution of Financial Assistance for 2007-2008: 

C. Other Resolutions.
(On Tuition Charges of Transferees, Late Enrollees, and “Repeat Students”)

The School receives and continues to receive an annual government subsidy (ESC) per student (P4,000 per student a year) if the student is enrolled in the ESC roster at the beginning of the his/her freshmen year at SMS.  The government subsidy is terminated if anytime the student does not get promoted to the next year of study because of 3 or more failures.  Transferees from other schools (in 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th year) are ineligible to be considered for government subsidy.  Late enrollees are ineligible to be included in the application for government subsidy because of the time deadline set by government; be it resolved that: 

Transfer students from other schools will be charged a transfer fee in addition to the annual tuition.  Government subsidy recipients who rendered ineligible because of failures are the end of the year will be charged a compensatory fee to make up for the loss of revenue.  1^st Year enrollees who were not included in the application for government subsidy because of late enrollment will make up for the loss of government revenue.