Bursaries

 

Investment in a Classical Christian Education

We believe Christians have been given the noble task of loving God and their children by ensuring that they are given an education with a biblical worldview, with God as central. This may take many forms and may look different from family to family, but the responsibility remains the same – to raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). We believe that a classical Christian school offers an ideal partnership with families in this noble task.

Our goal is to provide an education that shapes the hearts and minds of our young people to be authentic followers of Christ who love goodness, truth, and beauty, and through rigorous study, are able to affect change in their communities. The cost of this unique education must be carried by those who believe in the value of classical Christian education, not by others, as we are accustomed to assuming within the public-school system. We work against the cultural assumptions that education is “free,” that we are entitled to the services we want, and that it is someone else’s responsibility to provide this value for our children. The responsibility falls on us as parents, requiring both commitment and sacrifice on our part. We wholeheartedly believe that a classical Christian education is worthy of this cost and sacrifice.

Innova Academy understands that not every family is in a position to meet the financial commitment associated with private education. Some of our families receive support from relatives or friends, so that they may partner with us. In order to assist families that still cannot accept their offered seat because of financial need, Innova Academy provides a bursary program. Bursaries are made available exclusively through donations, which vary from year to year. Innova’s bursaries are for families who prioritize this education. Donors sacrifice these expenses themselves so that others can receive the education that they believe is so vital for our children.
 
The following principles guide Innova’s tuition rates:
 

EXCELLENCE

Whatever we do ought to be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31) with all of our hearts, as for the Lord (Col. 3:23). From the character and skill of our teachers, to the quality of our curriculum and learning environment, we will pursue excellence.
 

PRUDENCE

We want to be wise and thoughtful in all of our spending, ensuring prioritization of the essential components of a classical Christian education, and avoiding the superfluous costs, which plague many institutions. For the sake of faithfully functioning in a manner that allows for sustained dedication to the task of classical Christian education, consideration must not only be given to today, but also to tomorrow.
 

SACRIFICIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Conventional forms of education are not free; they are simply paid for by others. While shared responsibility is a source of many benefits and blessings, there is also the danger of adopting an attitude that our children’s education is someone else’s financial responsibility. Instead, we want to joyfully assume the responsibility given to parents, viewing our children’s education as worthy of the necessary sacrifices over other potential expenses, such as vacations, extra curricular activities, mortgage reduction, etc.
 

AFFORDABILITY

Our goal is to make Innova Academy accessible to as many as possible. It is our desire that financial costs would not be an obstacle to admittance, and we will be implementing several strategies to assist families with affordability, as able (i.e., bursaries). It is important to note that our tuition costs at Innova Academy are overall lower than other such schools, and less than the average cost of full-time daycare in the Newmarket area.
 

GENEROSITY

While we must first take responsibility for ourselves, we must also look to the needs of others, and do our best to provide for those with greater needs. The free grace of God in Jesus Christ results in an explosion of joyful generosity (Matt. 10:8), which pleases our God, who loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). A classical Christian education is only made possible through the generous giving of God’s people.*

Here is how our bursary program works:

  • Bursaries are granted on an annual basis, so applications must be submitted every year of need. Please note: A family may get a bursary one year and none the next, even with static or lowered income, as resources change from year to year.
  • Bursary applications are reviewed by Apple Financial Services, an independent third party, to ensure an objective review and financial assessment.
  • Returning families should submit their applications to Apple Financial Services between January 1 and April 30 for a September start.
  • The deadline to submit a bursary application is June 1st for the following school year.
  • Bursaries are awarded on a sliding scale dependent on financial need and cover from 10% up to 40% (including all discounts) of the regular tuition rate.
  • After reviewing Apple’s recommendations, Innova Academy’s Bursary Committee will grant (or not grant) financial assistance at their full discretion.
  • Bursaries may be granted as individual recommendations are made or after a pool of recommendations have been collected.

We strongly recommend submitting your application as early as possible and before the June 1st deadline.

Interested families who have received an acceptance letter from Innova Academy can fill out an online application at www.applefinancialservices.ca. There is a non-refundable application fee, billed by Apple Financial Services, of $120 per family.

Under Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulations, bursary amounts received are considered a taxable benefit to the recipient (the student). As a result, Innova Academy is required to report bursary information amounts to CRA and issue out T4As to recipients for each applicable tax year. As individual tax circumstances vary, the reporting requirements of individual T4As will also vary. It is the responsibility of the recipient to determine the amount of any exemptions and what amounts need to be reported. Please refer to CRA’s website for the most current bursary reporting guidelines or contact your tax advisor.

*Content use with permission from Kawartha Classical Christian School

Innova Academy