G.I.F.T.S.

The GIFTS program is a valuable way to building a spirit of community at JKCS. It encourages participation by acting as a reminder of the importance of volunteering, and it helps to keep down the overall cost of operating the school. Parental participation also has a direct positive impact on student performance. See study at the following link: http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=pb&id=215 . For these reasons we require families to actively participate by volunteer 30 hours of time over the course of the school year.

In recognition of the significance that volunteering brings to the school, JKCS values one hour of volunteer work at $33.33 per hour. The expected minimum number of volunteer hours in a school year is 30 with the overall value of volunteering equaling $1000.00.

The intent of the program is to make the required commitment easy to attain. In fact we expect that many families will easily exceed the set quota.

Guidelines
1. The GIFTS program applies to all families with children who attend John Knox Christian School. The program begins in September and runs to the end of August following the school calendar year.

2. Parents are asked to opt in or out of the GIFTS program on their tuition & fees calculation forms each year. Opting out commits a family to an additional fee of $1000. Opting in commits a family to accumulate hours in accordance with the following guidelines.

a. Full time family (any #of students) 30 hours
b. Single parent family FT student 15 hours
c. Family with kindergarten only 15 hours
d. If a family experiences difficulty accumulating their hours for a given year exceptions can be granted. A request to be excused from the program should be directed in writing annually to the GIFTS program secretary or to the Director of Development. All requests will be considered by the GIFTS committee which consists of program secretary, development director and chair of the development committee.
e. Board members, committee chairs and event/program coordinators will have their hours automatically recorded.
f. Only hours contributed by parents can count toward the GIFTS program obligation.
g. Families can not bank hours from one year to the next.
h. Families that enter the school mid year will have their number of hours prorated
i. The number of hours a family volunteer at the school will be protected by our privacy policy.

3. Record keeping. Forms will be available at the school and on the school's web site. Forms will be distributed to parents at the beginning of each year for their own record keeping. Sign in forms will be available at all events. A sign in form will be available in the main office and at the kindergarten campus. Parents are encouraged to send in their forms often rather than save them at home. Tracking forms to be deposited in the school office.

4. Statement schedule

a. January 15th Statement of hours earned thus far
b. May 1st Updated statement and invoice for incomplete hours
c. June 15th Arrears added to year end tuition & fees statements

Download the G.I.F.T.S. Point Tracking form.