Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (T.R.I.P)

Coordinators:  Denis Johnson & Ruth Finlayson

T.R.I.P. is a fundraising program in which families purchase certificates through St. Ann School to use at selected grocery stores, retail stores and restaurants.  The school purchases certificates at a discount and sells them to participating families at full value.  The discounts are credited to the participating family's tuition account.  The T.R.I.P office is currently located on the lower level of the school in the Library.

Which Stores Participate?  Click Here to view a complete list of merchants that participate in the program and specific information regarding the use of their certificates.  Periodic updates will be issued as to store participation, denomination, and percentage updates.

What can the certificates be used for?  These certificates are the same as cash and can be used to make purchases and, in many cases, pay off store credit cards.  (Please refer to the chart for specific information on each store or restaurant).  Charge card payment must be made in person at a local store since these certificates are considered equivalent to cash and in most cases cannot be mailed.  These certificates can also be used along with store/manufacturer coupons.

The expiration date for each merchant's certificates vary from six months to two years.  This information can generally be found printed on the certificate.  The amount of change that can be returned from a certificate purchase also varies.  You may want to check with a specific store for their "change-back" policy.

How do I order T.R.I.P. Certificates?  A new registration form must be completed each year by every school family (regardless of previous participation).  This registration form must be returned before you can place your first T.R.I.P. order.

If you are a participating family, you will then receive your permanent T.R.I.P. envelope and your first order form.  This new envelope will be used every week in which you place an order.  Simply fill in the dollar amount (not number) of certificates you need for each store and total your order.  Please check the accuracy of your order.  Exchanges or refunds cannot be made under any circumstances.  All sales are final!  Although you can pay for your order with cash, we prefer you pay by check made payable to St. Ann School T.R.I.P.  There will be a $20.00 service charge on any returned checks.

All orders must be in the T.R.I.P. office no later than (9:00 am Monday morning.  If there is a Monday holiday, we will not accept orders.

You may choose to have the certificates sent home with your child or held for pick-up.  If the certificates are to go home with a student, a disclaimer, found on your registration form under Part D, must be signed and on file with us.  This disclaimer will be valid until we receive written notice from you that you no longer want certificates to be sent home with your child.  If a disclaimer is not signed, your certificates will be held for pick-up at the School Office, no exceptions!

T.R.I.P. orders will be distributed on Thursday prior to dismissal.  Any order marked "HOLD" will be available for pick-up after 2:30 pm at the School Office.

When you receive your T.R.I.P order, please verify the contents of the envelope with your order immediately.  This will help us track any problems that could possible occur.  Problems should be directed to Denis Johnson.  Failure to do so in a timely manner only makes a problem harder to track.

These certificates are just like cash.  Neither St. Ann School, the T.R.I.P. Program, nor the School Board can accept responsibility for lost or misplaced certificates.

Backorders.  From time to time we have experienced backorders with our suppliers.  In most cases, we will have the certificates by the next week's pick-up date.  If part of your order is a backorder, you will be notified of the type of certificate, and the dollar amount of the backorder.  Your backorder will then be processed as it was originally stated (pick-up or send with child), and combined with any new order.

We need your help!  When placing an order, please help us process your order as quickly as possible by:

1. Always using the correct envelope and order form.  the school office has extra order forms if you need them.

2. Completing all information, including your child's teach and grade.  Abbreviations such as 5V for 5th grade, Mrs. Villa are acceptable.

3. Filling in dollar amounts (not number) of certificates needed and making sure your total order matches your payment.

4. Remembering to check Hold for Pick-Up or Send with Student.  If one of these is not check, it will be help for pick-up.  No exceptions!

How is your tuition lowered?  There is no limit to the number of certificates you can buy each week.  The more certificates you purchase, the lower your tuition payment will be.  You do not have to place an order every week.  You can order as often as suits your shopping and dining needs.

Remember to ask your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to buy certificates through you just as you would ask for their support on other fund-raisers.  If you include their order with yours, they will not need to complete a Registration Form.  You would simply include their order on your order form.  their payment can be made just like yours, either in the form of cash or a check made payable to St. Ann T.R.I.P.  In other words, a single order may include multiple checks from different parties or a combination of cash and checks.

Credit earned through T.R.I.P. will be applied to your tuition account on September 1st, January 1st, and April 1st.  Any credits earned after March 1st will be credited in September for the following school year.  Any amounts exceeding your current tuition balance will be held over until the following school year.  You must stay current with your tuition payment or late fees will apply.

Credit balances of families leaving St. Ann School for any reason (including graduation of last child in school, moving or transferring schools) will be deposited in the St. Ann School Subsidy Reduction Fund. No refunds will be made!

Can Non-School families participate?  Friends of St. Ann School can participate in the program by purchasing certificates and crediting the account of a particular family or funds can be directed to the St. Ann School Subsidy Reduction Fund.

Parents looking to the future and planning for the Catholic education of their child/children/grandchildren can also participate.  Credits earned will be held by St. Ann School and will be applied as a tuition credit when their child is enrolled at St. Ann.  If the child does not enroll in St. Ann School, the credit earned will be put into the ST. Ann School Subsidy Reduction Fund.