Playgroup Registration Fee

Gold Member Joined: Jul 21 2010 Posts: 1728

So I bh found a playgroup for dd for next year and I am really happy with who I chose. The morah is great and its on my way to work. Everything is good. I was talking to he morah last week and she mentioned that she will be sending me some forms to fill out for personal information and stuff and then she mentioned that there will also be an envelope for me to send in my registration fee. Is this normal?

Any playgroup morahs out there who can explain why you charge a registration fee? I have no problem paying a month in advance because I understand she has to buy supplies and stuff but this seems a bit unfair to me. I am paying so much per month. What is up with this? Its like a hidden cost... She happened not to have told me about it until I signed up...

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4663

Yes, totally normal. Usually it is a supply fee + perhaps all or a portion of the first month's tuition (it's a non-refundable deposit to hold your slot). So it's not really a hidden cost (beyond the suppy fee, which IMO is totally reasonable); but is perhaps a timing issue because you are hit now but get the benefit in Sept.

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 27 2006 Age: 30 Posts: 2537

yup I always paid registration fee. it was usually about $50-75. I also paid this for day camp, jsut to give you the heads up with that.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 21 2010 Posts: 1728

Posted: Sun, Feb 06 2011, 9:13 pm Post subject: re: Playgroup Registration Fee

I've always had some sort of registration fee to pay. I just signed 3 of my kids up for summer camp and spent $40, $55, and $65 respectively on the "supply fee" and I have to sign up one more child which will be another $100! UGH! Even worse, I got a re-registration form from my son's school for next year which is another $100! All these "little fees" add up to too much!

Gold Member Joined: Jul 26 2009 Posts: 1487

Yes, this is normal. It isn't usually the whole month's fee - it's an additional fee to buy supplies, hold your spot, and "process your forms." It's not credited to your first month's tuition.

We signed DS up for a playgroup last year and then had to back out for whatever reason - and while R' Forchheimer told us we had to pay her a certain amount in missed school days (until she found someone to take the slot), she also wanted the registration fee of $60 which R' Forchheimer said we did not have to pay.

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4663

Gold Member Joined: Jul 26 2009 Posts: 1487

In Lakewood the registration fees are lower, but they don't count towards tuition.

So it's an additional fee, not a credit for September.