Attendance Dues

Parent and Caregiver Responsibilities

Attendance Dues payable for 2024 school year: Y0 – Y8 $129.00 per term ($516.00 per year) including GST

Attendance Dues are a compulsory payment under the terms of the Education and Training Act 2020 (Act) and are a condition of enrolment. Attendance Dues are chargedfor all students who attend Catholic integrated schools in New Zealand.

Attendance Dues are collected on behalf of the school’s Proprietor, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland. The Attendance Dues 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.

Under the Act, Attendance Dues are used for servicing and repaying loans to develop new building projects in the proprietors’ schools as well as paying for building insurance and compliance costs, collection, and administration.
At the time you enrol your child at a Catholic School, you are required to sign an agreement stating that you accept that you will pay the Attendance Dues and that you understand that payment of the Attendance Dues is a condition of enrolment and the continuing attendance of students at the school. Attendance Dues are not a donation,
and they are not tax deductible.

Payment of Attendance Dues should be made in full at the beginning of the academic year or, in agreement with the school, by instalment (weekly, fortnightly, monthly or per term) during the academic year. The Attendance Dues cannot be paid in full at the end of each academic year.

Failure to pay the Attendance Dues may put your child’s place at the school at risk. Overdue accounts may be referred to a debt collection agency by the Proprietor. The agreement is legally enforceable and the person who signed the agreement remains legally liable for payment of the Attendance Dues. Responsibility for payment of Attendance Dues may be transferred to another Parent/Caregiver provided that the new Parent/Caregiver first signs a novation agreement accepting responsibility for payment of Attendance Dues, on terms acceptable to the school and the Proprietor. Any civil agreements between parents/caregivers do not take precedence over the signed legal agreement. The agreement may not be varied or terminated by the Parent/Caregiver without the prior written consent of the Proprietor.

Financial assistance with Attendance Dues is available to families of preference students in cases of genuine financial difficulties. Part of the criteria for receiving this assistance is that regular payments have been made at an affordable level.

Special Character and Building Contributions

The Catholic Special Character contribution is a voluntary donation of $15.00 per term ($60.00 per annum) per student. This contribution provides the main source of funding for all services provided to St Joseph's Catholic School Dargaville by the Catholic Education Services Board. No contributions are made by the Government for these services. The Catholic Education Services Board assists schools to provide a Catholic education for your child through the preservation and enhancement of the Catholic Special Character in our schools.
Other Financial Contributions eg, Building Contributions collected on behalf of the Proprietor are permitted under the terms of the Education and Training Act 2020. These contributions are eligible for a taxation rebate.

Please contact the school office office@saintjosephs.school.nz if you require further information or need any assistance.