At Holy Name Catholic School in Escanaba, Mich., Jodi Mutch, administrative assistant, loves FACTS’ delinquency report. Holy Name uses FACTS Tuition Management, Grant & Aid Assessment, Student Information System, and Incidental Billing, and though she has hundreds of reports at her fingertips, the delinquency report rises to the top.
After twelve years of working at the school, she finds the report essential to both her personal and professional mission. When she sees a family falling behind on a tuition payment on the report, Mutch uses the opportunity to reach out directly to the family to find out more about their situation and see if Holy Name needs to temporarily adjust their payment plan schedule.
“When I’m connected to the family, I tell them, ‘Life happens, and we just want to make sure everything’s okay,” said Mutch. “That invites conversation. Sometimes a family has just forgotten a payment and that’s fine. But sometimes I find out Grandma has just passed away and that gives us an opportunity to support the family in a different way.”
If the school discovers a family in crisis, the principal will also then reach out to the family directly. Holy Name will often look for other support opportunities or ways to be there for the family.
“The delinquency report is a glimpse into families’ lives,” said Mutch. “I had always looked at the delinquencies, but until a couple years ago, I had never thought of using it to connect with families in a positive way.”
Now the delinquency report is the first thing Mutch looks at when she logs into her FACTS home page. This simple invitation to conversation has been revolutionary for Mutch and the families the school serves.
“I’ve never been sorry I reached out to a family,” said Mutch. “I’m always so glad I asked.”
