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County Private School Tuitions

Nine private schools in Maui County will not be increasing tuition next school year. Some administrators say they do not want to further burden parents during hard times.

But as the schools keep tuition rates stable, some say they will balance their budgets by freezing staff salaries and making job cuts.

One of those schools is Maui Preparatory Academy, which will compensate for keeping the tuition rate the same by eliminating three staff/faculty positions, making "slight" pay cuts and reducing retirement benefits, said Headmaster George Baker.

Tuition ranges from $12,000 to $14,250 at the Napili school.

"The Maui Prep Board of Trustees recognized the effect that the economy has been having on our families as a result of low levels in tourism and hospitality industries, declines in the time share and real estate markets and impact of job cuts by MLP (Maui Land & Pineapple Co.) and other commercial entities on island. As such they decided to freeze tuitions at the same levels as 2008-2009," he said.

But Baker said the school will hire two teachers for next year as it needs teachers with different skill sets. One of those teachers will teach advanced placement physics and calculus.

It's a similar situation at St. Anthony Junior/Senior High School, where spokeswoman Gin Nary said the staff will make sacrifices to keep tuition at $9,200.

"We understand that our families are under stress as a result of the economy and therefore, put a freeze on tuition (for next year) and salaries for this year," she said.

Nary added that enrollment has decreased at the Wailuku school because of parents losing jobs.

"Unfortunately, if families are forced to choose between paying the mortgage and bills and paying tuition, the mortgage will undoubtedly come out as the first priority," she said.

Other schools not raising tuition have found various ways to remain financially stable.

Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina said teachers will not be receiving an annual raise, and Aka'ula School on Molokai said it will double its required parent volunteer hours at the school from 40 hours to 80 hours.

Holding the line on tuition is not unknown here, although private schools say they need to increase tuition annually to keep up with rising costs. But this is the first time in at least four years that this many private schools in Maui County have kept their tuitions the same from one school year to the next.

Other private schools that will not increase tuition next school year are: Carden Academy of Maui, Clearview Christian Girls School, Kaahumanu Hou Christian Schools, Christ the King School and Kamehameha Schools Maui.

(Some schools, however, might have increased other fees not included in tuition.)

Schools that will increase tuition next year say they've done so minimally or say they need to do so to keep up with rising costs.

Seabury Hall, the county's priciest private school, will see its tuition go up from $15,600 to $16,100. Headmaster Joe Schmidt said the increase is 3 percent, which is below its usual annual 5 percent increase.

"This increase is for the purpose of supporting projected increased costs in utilities, insurance, food and a limited cost-of- living increase for faculty and staff," he said.

Even with the bad economy, enrollment numbers at the college preparatory school in Olinda are up.

This year, the school, which has grades 6 through 12, has an enrollment of 421. Next year, it is projected to be at 435, Schmidt said. "We have a wait list for every grade," he added.

But Schmidt said there has been an increase in need-based financial assistance, so the school has increased its financial aid by 10 percent for next school year.

He said the school provides almost $1 million in financial aid, and 33 percent of students at Seabury receive assistance. The national average of students receiving financial aid at independent schools is 18 percent, Schmidt added.

On Saturday, the school held its 36th annual Craft Fair which raises money for the financial aid program.

Schmidt said funds raised from the fair make up around a quarter of the funds for the financial aid program.

"The money all goes back to the families," he said.

At Montessori School of Maui, Head of School Cynthia Winans-Burns said the school "implemented a minimal 3 percent" tuition increase rather than the higher tuition increase projected for next school year.

Tuition will increase by $295 for students 3 years old to 6th grade ($10,150), and by $360 for 7th- and 8th- graders ($11,800) .

Winans-Burns said school employees have also agreed to a salary and wage freeze for the 2009-2010 school year. The school is paying close attention to nonprogram expenses, ensuring that regardless of circumstances the school maintains its "excellent program," she said.

Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina, which is not increasing its $5,000 tuition, said staff members will not receive their annual raises.

Private schools also reported they have increased their financial aid to help parents.

Jocelyn Romero Demirbag, chair of school at Haleakala Waldorf, said its tuition assistance program has increased and there is a new scholarship, "The Rising Sun Scholarship - Illuminating the World One Scholarship at a Time," that "supports exceptional students who show promise of becoming tomorrow's leaders in a globally interconnected world."

She said nine of those $5,000 scholarships had been given out so far.

Montessori Hale O Keiki in Kihei has increased its financial aid by 50 percent for next year.

"This will make it possible for us to offer assistance to more families in need," said Adah Askew, the school's development director.

*Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.