Brooke Kelly ’18: Faculty have long considered financial aid on their children’s tuition at Episcopal an important part of their compensation package. A recent announcement, however, indicated that this financial aid system has changed. In an email sent out to faculty on February 10th, 2016, Dr. Cathy Hall, Assistant Head of School, wrote, “For all faculty and staff who began work at EA before July 1, 2015 there is no change at all to the way financial aid or remission is processed for their children, both born and unborn.”
Jennifer Maier, Upper School teacher and mother of two EA students, explains the current financial aid system for her and husband Rob Maier, also an Upper School teacher. “For me and my fellow faculty members who started working at Episcopal before this past summer, we apply for financial aid the way everyone does, but the difference is we can put the teacher’s salary as zero.” She continued, saying, “In our case, for Mr. Maier and I, we put zero down as our combined salary. However, when reviewed, the financial aid forms take into consideration other things that you own, like your house and your car, and there is a minimum amount that we pay towards the tuition of our children.”
In her email, however, also Hall mentions that changes have been implemented for people who recently started working at Episcopal. She explained, “For all faculty and staff who began work at EA after June 30, 2015, we will calculate financial aid the same way we calculate non-employee aid. The employee’s salary will be included as part of the calculation.” This means that faculty members who began at Episcopal after this past summer will not have their financial aid need calculated the way that teachers like Maier do, but rather their salaries will be included on the financial aid forms.
Moreover, Hall’s email states that the differences in the system for staff members goes another step farther. While they can apply for admission at any time, they can only apply for financial aid after three years of service at the school.
Aid given to faculty and staff members can assist the EA community in multiple fashions. One case is in retaining an excellent teaching staff. If teachers have the ability to enroll their children at EA for a discount, it may be a motive for them to continue to work there. Holly Johnston, IV Form Dean, emphasizes the significance of helping and supporting faculty. She states, “I understand in trying to keep faculty, we [Episcopal] would want to give them as much help as possible.” Maier also agreed, saying, “The benefit of having the system that EA has for faculty up to this point is that there is a real incentive for people to come here, work here and stay here.”
Molly Konopka, an Episcopal Latin teacher and mother of four EA students, states that having the ability to send her children to the same school she works at helps alleviate her busy life as a teacher at an independent school. “I leave my house at seven in the morning and I don’t go home until seven at night, and if my kids weren’t in tow like they are now, they would be on their own.” Konopka feels that the support given to teachers’ children not only adds to their level of involvement in the school, but also symbolizes the faith they have in the education that the school provides. She believes, “If your kids can’t go to school here, as a teacher, this is just a job, but if your kids can go to school here, it’s your kids’ school.”
Maier mentioned competitor schools that have different systems for financial aid than EA. “It’s my understanding that at one or two of the Friends’ schools, teachers can have up to two children go there for free. That’s an incentive for young teachers with kids to pick a school like that.” Maier concluded, saying, “I want Episcopal to have the same incentive to bring in great, young faculty who will stay here for long periods of time while their kids get an education here and beyond, which is what Mr. Maier and I plan to do.”