Tuition, Assistance, Scholarships, & Registration

Q. What is the tuition at St. Brendan School for Grades Kindergarten-8, and is financial aid available?  
A. St. Brendan Parish and School strongly believes in the value of a Classical Catholic Education and works hard to ensure it is affordable for all families. The stated tuition for Kindergarten through Eighth Grade for the 2026-27 school year is $7,600; however, most St. Brendan Families pay none or a fraction of this because of tuition assistance that is available. All families can apply for tuition assistance, which is awarded in this order:

1. 
   

   1. EdChoice: income-based program by the state of Ohio with awards granted determined by the family’s adjusted gross income. Every family in the State of Ohio is eligible for some level of assistance, with scholarships ranging from $6,166 to $616.60. The EdChoice scholarship follows students from Kindergarten through grade 12, and a family only needs to submit income verification with the initial application (but can submit it again if the family would qualify for a larger scholarship).

   2. Diocesan Tuition Assistance (DTA): Scholarships of $400-$1,500 to students who meet certain criteria. Families notified via email from our Director of Finance, Mrs. Lisa Fusco, that they should qualify for a Diocesan Tuition Assistance scholarship need to complete a FACTS form. The online application process can be accessed at online.factsmgt.com/aid. A completed 2025 tax return and supporting documents are required for the application. FACTS applications must be completed by March 15, 2026.

   3. Fund a Dream: Sponsors adopt a student and provide $2,500 to offset the cost of tuition. St. Brendan School’s Director of Finance will contact families that are candidates with application directions.

   4. Parish Life Award: Composed of Angel Scholarship, Fr. Murray Scholarship and Parish Contributions.  Determined based on the amount of tuition due after any/all other scholarships/awards are applied. This is determined on a case-by-case basis and factors in items such as the number of children enrolled in the school when determining the amount of the award.

      1. Angel Scholarship Fund: Contributions to this fund may be eligible for a 1:1 tax credit at no net cost to contributors when they “donate” up to $750 individually, or $1,500 if married couples file a joint Ohio tax return. It ultimately costs the qualified “donor” nothing—they get all $750 (or $1,500 filing jointly) back. A Parish Life Award credit will be given to each child’s tuition to assist in funding the gap if the family brings in Angel Scholarship money and designates the “donation” to St. Brendan School. Completion of the Angel Scholarship Fund application is required for all families who wish to apply for assistance through this program—contact our School Office at (440) 777-8433 to apply and learn the specific steps of how to donate. This blessing and fundraiser that won’t cost qualified contributors a dime is due by April 15, 2026 for the 2026-2027 School Year. Please contact St. Brendan's Director of Finance, Mrs. Lisa Fusco, at [email protected] or (440) 777-7222 x21 if you have further questions or need assistance.

      2. Fr. Murray Scholarship: Applied to those Registered and Active Parishioners at St. Brendan, as well as any other local Catholic Parish as determined by the neighboring Pastor, with a tuition balance after all of the the above awards and/or funding are distributed

      3. Parish Awards: Amounts awarded by the Parish community. 

Q. What is the tuition at St. Brendan School for Pre-Kindergarten?  
A. Partial-Day (8-11:15am) Pre-K tuition is $3,850; Full-Day (8am-2:30pm) Pre-K tuition is $5,800.

Q. How do I submit tuition payments?

A. The Pre-Kindergarten-8th Grade Enrollment Form for St. Brendan School is due March 2, 2026, for returning families who are reenrolling, which includes tuition payment options.

Enrollment Forms are stored in the parish safe from the time of submission until the end of the tuition year. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are all accepted; however, a 3% service charge is applied for all credit card payments. Checking or savings accounts can be directly debited with no additional service charge.   

Tuition payments will be charged to the account provided on the 15th of each month, June-May.  If a payment is missed or delayed at any point during the tuition year, remaining payments will be increased to make up the difference.  All tuition must be paid, in full, by May 15 of each school year.

Q. How much are school fees?

A. For Kindergarten-8th Grade families, the Non-Refundable $350 registration and tech fee per student can be paid in full with the Enrollment Form on March 2, 2026 (for returning families who are reenrolling), or a Non-Refundable $100 deposit per student can be enclosed with the form due on March 2, 2026. In that case, the reenrolling family will make Non-Refundable monthly payments on the remaining balance of $250.00/child. The 12 monthly payments will be made using the information provided in the Recurring Tuition Payment Authorization Form ($20.84/child - Bank Account or $21.47/child - Credit Card will be charged on the 15th of each month starting on April 15, 2026 through March 15, 2027). The fee is broken down as follows:

• $110: Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Fee per student

• $100: Technology Fee (Technology Lab, Makerspace Class, device and equipment maintenance)

• $40: Scholarship program management; formulation and assemblage of individual tuition statements; coordinating, implementing, and facilitating student readiness and back-to-school preparations

• $100: Building and Maintenance Fee

Q. How can I enroll my child(ren) at Saint Brendan School? 

A. Registration forms are available on the school website, through the school and parish office and in the vestibule of the church (after January 2026).

1. Complete the registration form.
2. Submit the non-refundable registration fee of $100 per child for Pre-Kindergarten, and $350 per child (see above payment options) in K-8.
3. A copy of your child's Birth Certificate & Baptismal Certificate (if your child was baptized somewhere other than St. Brendan Church). After the aforementioned are submitted and the registration form is reviewed, you will be contacted by the school office for confirmation that all necessary information was received.
4. If your child is transferring from another school, a release of records form must be completed and submitted to St. Brendan School. A copy of your child's most current report card and Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) or standardized-testing equivalent scores.  A copy of any accommodation/service plan (IEP (service plan)/504 (accommodation plan)), if applicable, also needs to be submitted.

Once St. Brendan School receives the information, you will be contacted to complete the registration process and set up a meeting with the School Principal and/or Head of School.

For final acceptance and enrollment in St. Brendan School, priority will be given to returning families. We accept applications beginning in late-January/early-February for open enrollment; however, acceptance is not on a first-come-first-served basis.

For additional information or a tour, please call the School Office at 440.777.8433 or email Principal Julie Onacila ([email protected]) and Head of School Vincent De Luca ([email protected]).

Q. How can parents / guardians stay posted on what is going on at St. Brendan School?
A. St. Brendan School’s website, https://www.stbrendannortholmsted.org/, has an abundance of school information. A weekly Newsletter is sent out through Constant Contact to keep parents / guardians informed. Our Facebook page, facebook.com/sbsnavigators, is regularly updated with student activities and pictures.

Uniform / Dress Code

Q. What is the dress code?

A. The school uniform is required to be worn from the first day of school in August to the last day in May/June. This applies to all students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8. A uniform is also required for physical education. The uniform guidelines will be posted for parents on the website. They are also included in the Parent-Student Handbook that is posted for families on the weekly newsletter and on OptionC.

Q. Where can I purchase the school uniform?
A. School uniforms may be purchased through

Q. Where can I purchase the physical education uniform and spirit wear?
A. Physical Education uniforms and spirit wear may be purchased through:

www.hometownthreadscleveland.com

**Customized and standard spirit wear is available throughout the year.

Daily Schedules & Procedures

• 7:30am – School Doors Open for entrance into classrooms
• 7:50am – first bell
• 7:55am – second bell; school begins
• 2:30pm – car riders depart, walkers/bicycles, then bus riders

• 7:30am – School Doors Open for entrance into classrooms
• 7:50am – first bell
• 7:55am – second bell; school begins
• 11am – Lunch (packed)
• 11:15am – Partial-Day (7:55-11:15am) Student Dismissal
• 11:30am-Noon – Recess
• 12-12:40pm – Rest Time
• 2:30pm – Full-Day (7:55am-2:30pm) Student Dismissal

Q. What is the morning procedure?
A. Students may enter the building at 7:30am. Cars form a line in the parking lot, along the side of the school, to drop students off. Upon arrival, students report to their classrooms. 

Q. What is the routine in the parking lot for student pick-up?

A. The car line begins in front of the church and continues around the perimeter of the parking lot. Each family is provided a family name sign for their car.  The sign must be visible for students to be released. At 2:30pm, the cars pull up on the curbside of the school, and students are dismissed to the car, with their family name, by faculty/staff supervision.  

Q. Is bus transportation available?

A. Yes, bus transportation is available in Fairview Park and North Olmsted.  If you reside in another city, please contact your transportation department for in-lieu of transportation reimbursement for transporting your child(ren) to school. 

Q. Do you offer Before and After School Care?
A. We offer After School Care (ASC) from 2:30pm-6:00pm Monday-Friday on days that school is in session for students in grades Pre-K – Grade 8. The registration fee is $40 and then a flat $6/hour rate. Specific details are available within the ASC registration packet found on our website http://www.stbrendannortholmsted.org/AfterSchoolProgram.aspx

Q. Is there a Hot Lunch Program available?
A. The lunch program is available through North Olmsted Campus Kitchen. Meals are prepared and cooked at Campus Kitchen, transported to SBS, and then served by the kitchen manager. Menus are sent home at the end of each month, posted on our School Management System (OptionC), and included in the weekly newsletter.  Applications for free/reduced lunch are available on the website or through the school office. Hot lunch is for Grades K-8.

Q. What is the Lunch/Recess schedule?

• Pre-Kindergarten: 11am-Noon
• Kindergarten–Grade 5: 11:30am-12:12pm
• Grades 6–8: 12:15-12:45pm

Curriculum & Instruction

Q. What curriculum does the school follow?

A. St. Brendan School teaches the Ohio Learning Standards and is accredited by the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association (OCSAA); however, we are the first school in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to also teach Classical Catholic Education.

Classical Education is the lasting, traditional, established, and exemplary form of learning developed throughout history for thousands of years. While named after the Classical Age of the ancient Greeks and Romans, it includes all civilizations, cultures, individuals, and geographic locations that contribute to the Great Conversation of truth seeking with dignity, humanity, and timeless meaning. Classical Catholic Education is God's ever ancient, ever new gift, instrument, and tradition of learning in the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus. The Seven Virtues modeled by Christ shape this education, where the moral formation of the human soul comes first. Jesus is authentically and intentionally part of every class and lesson because He is the embodiment of a pillar of Classical Education: The Transcendentals—the laws of the universe that don't change and transcend time and space. Those laws are Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and Jesus is those in Word and in Flesh—called the Logos. Students see that God interconnects all classes because He is a musician, mathematician, athlete, scientist, historian, writer & storyteller, linguist, engineer, artist, architect, orator, physician, friend, and teacher. This education is taught through the natural disciplines that are the foundations of all learning: the Seven Classical Liberal Arts. At our PK-8 school, we teach the first three stages of those seven, called The Trivium: Grammar, Logic/Dialectic, and Rhetoric.

Classical Education is a sensical, holistic, natural, and back-to-basics approach to teach students how to think. Our unique model teaches students to read, write, speak, reason, and live well through study skills, physical writing, and memorization in all grades to support retention. All students are introduced to the great saints, books, thinkers, artists, and musicians.

In grades PK-4, our Grammar Stage students develop a love of learning and mastery of the basics in literacy and math through chants, rhymes, memorization, song, and the study of phonics and phonemic awareness aligned with the Science of Reading. All these are further supported by their study of the origin of words in Etymology class. In the upper grades (5-8), our Logic Stage students focus on higher-order critical thinking and learn to construct and defend arguments through research, writing, Socratic discussions, questioning, and debate. They also build on Etymology by studying Latin to further benefit overall literacy. Eighth graders even begin the Rhetoric Stage, learning to speak and write eloquently and persuasively. Our 6-8 graders are the Frassati Preparatory Academy at St. Brendan School, where they engage in Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati's charisms of Adventure, Friendship, Prayer, and Service.

Student classes include: Religion/Catechism, Reading, Writing, Grammar, Phonics, Mathematics, History-Social Studies, Science, Health, Library, Music, Physical Education, Art, Etymology (in Grades Pre-K–5), and Latin ( in Grades 6–8). STREAM & Innovative Technology are included as classes in Technology Lab and Makerspace. Students also practice handwriting and learn cursive.

St. Brendan students are not just prepared for high school; they are prepared to navigate the challenges of our culture with wisdom, grace, and courage from lessons taught by the greatest teacher, Jesus Christ.

Q. How do the students interact with today's technology?
A. St. Brendan School practices balance with technology as an important learning instrument among many others, while not being the most important. Teachers are the most important role models and primary instructors for learning, and they are not replaced or substituted by screens or devices. That being said, we are blessed to provide technology that is vital and necessary for 21st century learners to utilize for their future; however, these instruments never replace timeless instruction, starting with the teacher.

Our Saint Ita Technology Suite hosts state-of-the-art technology. The Suite houses 27 MacBook Pros, 18 iMac computers and an LED television customized to use the technology effectively within the education process. Students in grades K-2 are assigned their own iPad mini and students in grades 3 – 8 are assigned their own Chromebook that they use as directed throughout the school day. These devices do not go home with students unless permission is granted in specific situations. Each classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard or an Epson Interactive Projector, Apple TV with Airplay, and Chromecast sharing. Students are challenged to become engaged and active in their learning process, leading them to become self-directed learners and collaborative problem solvers while utilizing a variety of devices in the process. Faculty and staff, in accordance with our school policy, teach students the proper way of sourcing and what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, and consequences for doing it—including the use of Artificial Technology (AI). St. Brendan possesses the tools to protect against plagiarism and forms of academic dishonesty.

Q. What is the school's homework philosophy?
A. At Saint Brendan School, we look forward to being a true partner in the faith-based education of your child. As such, we depend on your support to ensure that your child's homework assignments are being completed to the best of their ability and submitted on the due date provided. Homework is given with purpose and meaning for practice on a regular basis in grades K-8. Homework is an effective means to reinforce skills (especially in reading and math computation), and allows for extended learning opportunities. Homework is communicated through various ways depending on the grade level. These include: assignment notebooks provided by the school, teacher newsletters, and Google Classroom.

Q. What professional services are provided for the students?
A. A tutor provides individual and/or small group instruction for students who qualify for Title I reading, the learning disabilities program, and/or remedial instruction through North Olmsted City Schools. Our staff also includes a school nurse, school counselor, and a speech and hearing therapist on a part-time basis.

Communication / Parent Involvement

Q. Who do I contact to address questions about my child's academic and spiritual needs, or other matters?
A. Parents/guardians are asked to contact the teacher directly when they have questions regarding their child’s academic progress. They have direct knowledge of what transpires in the classroom and can share their professional observations with you. The principal/head of school is available for additional guidance/direction when needed.

Q. How are progress reports and grades communicated to the parents?
A. We utilize an internet-based program called OptionC to communicate grades and track homework assignments. Each parent and student is given a user identification code and can access grades via the Internet. Teachers update grades so that parents/guardians have a regular and up-to-date report. St. Brendan School is on a Quarter system, and grades K-8 receive four Report Cards at each quarter’s end; Pre-Kindergarten receives Progress Reports. Parent-Teacher Conferences take place in the fall and, as needed, in the spring. Grades K-8 students take the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) standardized tests in the fall, winter, and spring.

A. There are many opportunities to volunteer at the school, which are communicated through the newsletters (i.e. school events, classroom assistance, after school clubs, recess supervision, and more). Parents are required to take the Virtus training program (Protecting God's Children) as well as have a background check prior to volunteering. http://www.stbrendannortholmsted.org/ParentVolunteerOpportunities.aspx

Q. How do I get involved with the PTU (Parent Teacher Union)?
A. Information regarding PTU membership is distributed in August. To learn more about how our PTU is active in the school and how to get involved, go to our website under Parent Resources or email [email protected] with questions.

Updated January 2024