Attendance Dues and Donations

Attendance Dues and Donations

A small increase has been made to Attendance Dues and the Special Character contribution to support and strengthen the Catholic learning experience for all students. 

We would like to provide details on the charges and how the funds are used.

Attendance Dues

Attendance Dues are a compulsory payment under the terms of the Education and Training Act 2020 and an obligation of enrolment at St Leo’s Catholic School.

Attendance Dues are charged to all students attending Catholic Schools in New Zealand.

Attendance Dues are used to repay loans for building works done at schools in the Auckland Diocese, property-related costs, including school building works, buildings insurance, and costs directly associated with the administration of attendance dues.  

These Dues are collected by St Leo’s Catholic School on behalf of the school’s Proprietor, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland and are forwarded to Auckland Common Fund Limited, a company established by the proprietors of Catholic integrated schools in the Diocese of Auckland, responsible for the collection of attendance dues. 

Special Character Contribution

This voluntary contribution is the main source of funding for all services provided by the Catholic Education Services Board to St Leo's Catholic School. No contributions are made by the Government for these services.

The Catholic Education Services Board assists schools in providing a Catholic education for your child by preserving and enhancing the Catholic Special Character in our schools. 

Board of Trustees (BOT) Operating Contribution

This voluntary contribution is set by the BOT and helps fund the shortfall in the school's operating costs. St Leo’s Catholic School receives operational funding from the Ministry of Education; however, additional fundraising is required to cover operational costs.  It is this fund, along with PTFA fundraising, that helps pay for a teacher who is not funded by the MOE.  

The BOT Operating Contribution is not mandatory; however, the BOT relies on contributions from parents to cover its operational costs.  Traditionally, we have a high level of parents paying this Operating Contribution, and the BOT greatly appreciates your payment.  Your ongoing support enables the BOT and St Leo’s team to provide teachers and resources not funded by the Ministry of Education.  We hope you can see the educational value of your contribution to the school’s funding. 

We would also like to thank you, the community, for the fabulous fundraising efforts undertaken throughout the year via the PTFA and other initiatives. These funds allow us to provide many opportunities for our learners that government funding alone cannot. These opportunities can only be achieved through your donations and our community's fundraising efforts.

As we start a new year, we have a student population that has the potential to keep growing, and we ask for your help in promoting our great wee school, which, in turn, will create further opportunities for sustainable funding of the existing teaching team and resources.

Building Contribution

This contribution is set by The Catholic Diocese of Auckland (School Property) in discussion with the BOT.  The contribution is passed on to the CDA, placed in trust, and can only be used for a nominated St Leo’s building project.  The BOT agreed to ask parents for this contribution from the start of 2011, and it is set at $35 per term, per child.  This contribution is not mandatory.

Family Donations

This is for families who wish to make an additional one-off donation to the school, in addition to the school donation.  As in previous years, families can indicate how they would like their family donation used: books, computers, sports equipment, etc.