Playgroup Registration Fee

Sweet Valley Gal ↓

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 7:18 pm

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...

Tova ↓

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:05 pm

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.

↑ Sweet Valley Gal

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:13 pm

Tova wrote:

What do you mean im hit in September? Sorry dont understand

obagys

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:13 pm

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!

LiLIsraeli ↓

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:22 pm

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.

↑ Tova

Sun, Feb 06 2011, 8:23 pm

Sweet Valley Gal wrote:

Tova wrote:

What do you mean im hit in September? Sorry dont understand

OK - my daughter's playgroup for next year is $250/month. When I registered her last November I paid $200 to hold her spot. $75 was a supply fee and the $125 goes towards Sept. tuition. So come Sept. I only owe $125 for the month. If you look back at my post you'll see I said that you PAY now but get a BENEFIT in the school year (assuming part of the fee is a pre-payment of tuition). Basically, this covers the Morah if I back out now when she already has turned people away because she thought she was full.

I just paid $30 registration/supply fee for my son's camp. It holds the spot and covers supplies for art projects, etc.