A warning about St. Columba's Nursery School

[Anonymous]

Hi, I just want to warn other families about St. Columba's enrollment contract. I took a $17,000 hit and I'm hoping to save another family from the same. I can't even imagine where I'd be if I enrolled two children or opted for the more expensive full-day program.

Here's the situation: I asked to withdraw my 2-year-old a few weeks before school started as we were moving to the West Coast on short notice. I asked if I could be released from the contract if someone took her seat. Kate told me there was no one on the waitlist but if anything changed, she would let me know as soon as possible. She also told me she would take it to the Board of Governors to discuss.

They came back over a month later and said sorry but they decided not to release me, which I understood as I believed there was a vacant seat they couldn't fill. What I did not understand, however, was their refusal to make any attempt to fill that seat... until I dug further. I asked if they were advertising the spot. They said they were not. I asked if I could advertise. They said no, I should not.

This confused me as I had seen Kate advertise available spots on the neighborhood Listserv, and I have seen parents advertise on behalf of the school as well. I asked how they could fill the spot if no one knew it was available.

I was repeatedly told, "the contractual obligation is not related to filling vacant seats" which I initially took to mean that they were not contractually obligated to try to fill an empty seat. I thought they wanted that spot filled so I was baffled by that whole exchange.

It took a turn when they clarified: "Even if a space is filled following a withdrawal, families are still bound to the terms of the contract." This should tell you everything you need to know about the people there, and what their priorities are. It never even crossed my mind that they would use this opportunity to double-dip tuition. They are coming after me and my family even if they have already put another student in that available seat - which I strongly suspect they have.

While I know St. Columba's shouldn't be out any money due to my breach of contract, I also don't think it's right to charge two families for one spot. To pay for a year's worth of childcare for a seat that another kid sits in doesn't feel morally right to me.

I anticipated taking a financial hit. What I did not anticipate was such a lack of compassion from the administration at St. Columba's, or that they would see my family circumstances as a windfall rather than an opportunity to show grace. I recommend anyone think twice about signing a contract with them. I am out $17,000 for a child that spent a grand total of 0 days in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

You paid $17,000 upfront? Is this common?

[Anonymous]

If you didn't pay it upfront, move to the West coast and forget about it. They'll start advertising.

[Anonymous]

That is a provision that you will see in every private school contract and why you should always obtain tuition insurance.

[Anonymous]

Read a contract before you sign it.

[Anonymous]

This is why you don’t sign somewhere that locks you in for a year. Basically every preschool my kids’ have attended has had a monthly billing cycle and 30 day notice requirement to leave. I even had one kid counseled out due to special needs and they let us out without the notice.

Why would you sign a full year contract if you knew moving was a possibility? Most people don’t just move across the coast without knowing that could happen (e.g. were you job hunting out there? Knew you had an aging relative who may need care?). I don’t think this post is going to go the way you think it will in shaming this school.

[Anonymous]

That may be the policy that OP signed, but if they filled the spot, that’s really crappy. I’m sorry OP.

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP--but you did drop out just a few weeks before the school year started-that's pretty late and the contract does specify the policy on refunds (or at least it did when my kid was at St. Columba's). They aren't obligated to do advertising to fill your kid's slot. But yeah, that's why many parents buy insurance on their private school contracts.

[Anonymous]

Yes, other parents should be warned that if they sign a contract, they will be held to its terms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That may be the policy that OP signed, but if they filled the spot, that’s really crappy. I’m sorry OP.

Agree. Especially for a religious institution. We made a similar move a month into preK when my ds was little and they let us off the hook. It was for military orders so we had legal protections, but it seems very wrong for them to hold op to payment for the full year if they filled the seat. Just because they legally could doesn’t make it right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That may be the policy that OP signed, but if they filled the spot, that’s really crappy. I’m sorry OP.

Agree. Especially for a religious institution. We made a similar move a month into preK when my ds was little and they let us off the hook. It was for military orders so we had legal protections, but it seems very wrong for them to hold op to payment for the full year if they filled the seat. Just because they legally could doesn’t make it right.

Why would anyone in OP’s position care if the school fills the spot? What would be the point of leaving that seat empty?

[Anonymous]

In other words, you didn’t read the contract? You signed and agreed to it.

[Anonymous]

The school is right and you are wrong. The reason for these clauses is so the school doesn’t have to spend time and money looking for a last minute replacement when someone unexpectedly drops out. Did you really think that the school could pay its staff without all the necessary tuition?

[Anonymous]

What's surprising though is that the contract doesn't have an exception for moving. I've worked in preschools that have had annual contracts and they have had a clause where you could get out of the contract with 30 days notice if you were moving 50+ miles away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I just want to warn other families about St. Columba's enrollment contract. I took a $17,000 hit and I'm hoping to save another family from the same. I can't even imagine where I'd be if I enrolled two children or opted for the more expensive full-day program.

Here's the situation: I asked to withdraw my 2-year-old a few weeks before school started as we were moving to the West Coast on short notice. I asked if I could be released from the contract if someone took her seat. Kate told me there was no one on the waitlist but if anything changed, she would let me know as soon as possible. She also told me she would take it to the Board of Governors to discuss.

They came back over a month later and said sorry but they decided not to release me, which I understood as I believed there was a vacant seat they couldn't fill. What I did not understand, however, was their refusal to make any attempt to fill that seat... until I dug further. I asked if they were advertising the spot. They said they were not. I asked if I could advertise. They said no, I should not.

This confused me as I had seen Kate advertise available spots on the neighborhood Listserv, and I have seen parents advertise on behalf of the school as well. I asked how they could fill the spot if no one knew it was available.

I was repeatedly told, "the contractual obligation is not related to filling vacant seats" which I initially took to mean that they were not contractually obligated to try to fill an empty seat. I thought they wanted that spot filled so I was baffled by that whole exchange.

It took a turn when they clarified: "Even if a space is filled following a withdrawal, families are still bound to the terms of the contract." This should tell you everything you need to know about the people there, and what their priorities are. It never even crossed my mind that they would use this opportunity to double-dip tuition. They are coming after me and my family even if they have already put another student in that available seat - which I strongly suspect they have.

While I know St. Columba's shouldn't be out any money due to my breach of contract, I also don't think it's right to charge two families for one spot. To pay for a year's worth of childcare for a seat that another kid sits in doesn't feel morally right to me.

I anticipated taking a financial hit. What I did not anticipate was such a lack of compassion from the administration at St. Columba's, or that they would see my family circumstances as a windfall rather than an opportunity to show grace. I recommend anyone think twice about signing a contract with them. I am out $17,000 for a child that spent a grand total of 0 days in the classroom.

Sorry OP, you are bound to the terms of the contract, but this would make me upset as well. My child goes to another NWDC church-affilated preschool and I brought up this scenario with the director when my husband was considering a job in a different state, and she told me they would release me from the portions of tuition I have yet to pay, which I thought was a very understanding policy for relocation. I also would not have paid the entire year tuition upfront and didn't know this was St Columba's policy, all the NWDC preschools I toured collects tuition in installments.