St. Germaine School

Click here to view the Order Form

Thank you for participating in the Scrip Program at St. Germaine School. This program provides valuable tuition assistance for participating families while also contributing to the fundraising goal of our school. The Scrip Program is an expansion of the existing Food Certificate Program at St. Germaine. Gift Cards and Gift Certificates are purchased for use at various retailers. With the Scrip Program, there is a more extensive selection of retailers/vendors than with the existing program.

How to purchase Scrip

There are two ways in which you can purchase Scrip: in advance from a large selection of retailers using the order form or daily from an on-hand supply of selected scrip from the school office or rectory. The on-hand supply of Scrip includes: Giant Eagle, Shop ‘N’ Save, Eat ‘N’ Park, Panera, Wendy’s, Kohls, and Macy’s.

Placing an order

Simply complete the Scrip order form and return to the school office by Thursday of each week. Use the envelope provided and include the payment. The scrip will be returned to you or available for pickup on the following Wednesday. It is your choice of how to receive your scrip order. St. Germaine is not responsible for Scrip in transit with a school student. Retailers are listed alphabetically on the order form. You may request gift cards for a vendor not on the St. Germaine order form. Simply fill in the blank lines at the bottom of the form.
To complete the order form: (1) circle the desired denomination (2) enter the number of cards requested (3) compute the total dollar amount for each vendor (4) complete the information at the bottom (5) send to the school office with check payable to St. Germaine Food Fund by Thursday for return the following Wednesday. Please see the enclosed SAMPLE ORDER FORM.

Retailer List

The Retailer List contains a complete listing of retailers participating in the Great Lakes Scrip Center. It describes the usage guidelines, the discount percentage and face value of cards offered by each retailer. Some retailers are known by multiple names. Check this listing for which Scrip to purchase. For example, gift cards for White Barn Candle Company are purchased as Bath & Body Works gift cards. Changes to the Retailer List will be sent home periodically. You can also check for updates online at www.glscrip.com.

Receiving tuition credit

To benefit from the Scrip program, all you need to do is purchase Scrip! Yes, it is that easy. Make sure anyone purchasing Scrip for your benefit writes your name in the space marked for tuition credit on the bottom of the form. Use the form even when purchasing the Scrip on-hand in the school office or rectory. This will ensure you receive the proper tuition credit. Families will receive periodic statements summarizing the tuition credit earned.
The amount of tuition credit you will receive depends upon both the amount of Scrip purchased and the discount percentage given by each retailer. St. Germaine’s program will keep half of the discount as fundraising moneys and the other half will be given as a credit toward your tuition. For example, purchasing $200 of Shop ‘N Save scrip with a 4% discount results in a $4 tuition credit for you. This may not seem significant but add up your grocery purchases for a year along with other regular purchases you are already making (like gas, clothing, and restaurant dining) and the tuition savings can be as much as you want. An example of a typical family’s yearly purchases and the resulting tuition savings and funds raised for the school is included.

With the Scrip Tuition Assistance Program at St. Germaine there is no minimum fundraising goal or maximum tuition credit. In essence, you could earn enough tuition credit from the scrip program to fulfill your entire tuition obligation!

Conversion from the existing certificate program
To receive your tuition rebate for the current school year (2005-2006), you must redeem the stamped cards by May 31, 2006. You will receive a full rebate for a fully stamped card. For a partially stamped card, you will receive a tuition rebate of 2% of the dollar amount already earned.

You may continue to use the current card system through June. To receive a tuition rebate for the next school year (2006-2007), you must redeem the stamped cards by September 15, 2006. You will receive a full rebate for a fully stamped card. For a partially stamped card, you will receive a tuition rebate of 2% of the dollar amount already earned.

Scrip Committee Questions and Contacts

We have tried to think of everything but cannot guarantee that we have been perfect in our planning and implementation. We don’t expect too many errors or confusion but please bear with us as we iron-out the kinks to bring you this valuable tuition assistance and fundraising program. Please contact one of the people below with any questions or suggestions. And, as always, we are looking for people to help with the tasks of gathering and filling orders.

FAQ

What Is Scrip?

Scrip is "substitute money", and looks and functions just like gift cards and certificates. When you purchase scrip, you're purchasing negotiable gift cards/certificates that are used just like cash. The cards/certificates are purchased at face value and used at face value. There is no additional cost to you. For example, a $10 Giant Eagle certificate costs you $10. You can use scrip to purchase everyday expenses like food, clothing, and other essentials. A percentage of each dollar of scrip purchased is earned back in revenue by the school from the Great Lakes Scrip Center.

How does scrip generate revenue for our school?

The Great Lakes Scrip Center acts on behalf of churches, schools and other non-profit organizations to purchase large amounts of scrip from grocery stores, department stores, and other retailers. Because the scrip is purchased with cash up front, the participating retailers offer a substantial discount. St. Germaine School buys the scrip from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and re-sells the certificates to you for full face value. The bulk of the discount - from two to fifteen percent or more - is retained by St. Germaine School as revenue.

How does purchasing Scrip benefit me (a school family)?

Purchasing Scrip through St. Germaine School benefits you (a school family) in two ways: by contributing to the funds raised to operate the school and by directly reducing your tuition payment. Each scrip retailer has a discount percentage associated with its cards/certificates. The discounts range from 2 to 15 percent. The revenue generated from each purchase of scrip is divided evenly (50/50) between St. Germaine School and the school family designated to receive the tuition credit. For example, purchasing $200 of Shop ‘N Save scrip with a 4% discount results in a $4 tuition credit for you.

How do I purchase Scrip?

What Scrip is available on a daily basis?

The on-hand supply of Scrip includes: Giant Eagle, Shop ‘N’ Save, Eat ‘N’ Park, Panera, Wendy’s, Kohls, and Macy’s.

How do I place an order?
Simply complete the Scrip order form and return to the school office by Thursday of each week. The scrip will be returned to you on Wednesday.

How will I receive my scrip order?

The scrip from your order placed on a Thursday will be available to you on the following Wednesday. It is your choice of how you wish to receive your scrip order; by Wednesday Family Folder or by you picking up the order in person in the school office. Your scrip order will be returned in the envelope provided.

Can I get tuition credit for scrip purchased by other people?

Absolutely! On the scrip order form, there is a line labeled for tuition credit. Simply fill in the name of the school family to receive the tuition credit from the scrip purchase. Fill out a form to receive tuition credit even when purchasing the on-hand scrip from the office or rectory.

Are the certificates good in other states?

Yes. Certificates can be purchased for national as well as local retailers. The scrip you purchase to use at your local Home Depot is the same scrip your brother-in-law uses in Texas. Your mom in Minnesota and nephew in Illinois can use them just as you use them here. Certificates make great long distance gifts!

I currently use the existing certificate program, how can I receive a tuition rebate for certificates already purchased?

To receive your tuition rebate for the current school year (2005-2006), you must redeem the stamped cards by May 31, 2006. You will receive a full rebate for a fully stamped card. For a partially stamped card, you will receive a tuition rebate of 2% of the dollar amount already earned.

When will the scrip program begin?

On July 1, 2006.

How much can I expect to earn in tuition credit?

That all depends on your purchasing habits. If you are diligent in purchasing and using scrip you will earn a greater tuition rebate. The more accustomed you become in using scrip to make everyday purchases, the more your tuition rebate and the school’s revenue will grow. Scrip discounts range from 2% to 25%.

Can I order gift cards for vendors not on the order form?

Yes. Because of space limitations, not all available retailers/vendors are listed on the St. Germaine School Scrip Order Form. As long as the vendor is listed in the Scrip Retailer List, you can purchase gift cards for those vendors. Simply write in the name of the vendor, the denomination, and the quantity to be purchased in the blank lines on the order form. Send in your order in the normal manner.

How will I know how much tuition credit I have earned?

Periodic statements will be sent to each family summarizing the tuition credit earned.