Morgan Hill Country School students and their parents learned
recently that their school has been purchased from the parent
company, A Gifted Education, Inc. (GEI), by one of their own
families: Michelle and Ted Helvey.
Morgan Hill Country School students and their parents learned recently that their school has been purchased from the parent company, A Gifted Education, Inc. (GEI), by one of their own families: Michelle and Ted Helvey.
“I have been involved in private education my entire life,” Michelle said. “It just seems to be a part of me, and we are eager and humbled by the great opportunity that lies before us.”
The actual transaction has not been completed, Ted said, but will be in a few weeks. The purchase price was not disclosed.
The Helveys said they preferred not to talk about any possible changes in school operations until the transaction is complete.
GEI, which operated both Morgan Hill Country School (MHCS) and Almaden Country School, announced during the Jan. 15 open meeting of its Board of Directors, that it would be separating the two schools into independent organizations.
Steve White, a GEI board member, said the non-profit corporation that operates both schools was no longer in a position to sustain the debt and other obligations associated with the Morgan Hill campus.
The K-8 school opened in modular classrooms in 1998. In 1999, students moved into brand new buildings on the campus just east of Monterey Road off John Wilson Way.
In a memo to all parents and staff, the GEI Board explained the move by saying: “The Board’s fiduciary duty is to perpetuate the mission of the schools. Our primary goal is to keep the schools operating and to deliver a superior academic and developmental experience for our children. After considering all reasonable alternatives, we reached out to a family in the Morgan Hill Country School community that we felt would be willing and able to secure the needed funding and to operate the school with the current staff and students.”
This move, school officials said, would free the school from the debt associated with the building of the 50,000-square-foot campus.
Other cost savings, which include reduced corporate overhead and ownership of the land that was previously leased, will put the school back in the black financially and allow the school to set aside significant financial reserves.
The Helveys, who have lived in Morgan Hill for five years, have been very involved with MHCS since its opening in 1998. They have three children attending the school, and Ted has been serving as the marketing and development executive for A Gifted Education, Inc. while Michelle served as the president of the school’s Parent Service Auxiliary (PSA).
Michelle’s family has a history of involvement with private schools. She is the third generation of private school owners. Her grandmother, Gwen Riches, founded Pinewood School in Los Altos, in 1959. Michelle was the first grandchild to enroll in her grandmother’s school, which her grandmother ran until her death in 1999.
“Even in early grade school, I remember my grandmother talking to me about the school and even asking me questions about school matters,” Michelle said. “We would discuss curriculum, staff and other topics.”
MHCS parents appear to welcome the change. A standing ovation greeted the news of the proposed sale at the board meeting. School officials said that re-enrollment for next year soared to more than 70 percent in the days following the announcement. This is well ahead of schedule, according to the school’s admissions office.
Mike Gallucci, Morgan Hill resident and father of fifth and sixth grade MHCS students, says he is quite pleased.
“To me it is simple: the school has reduced its annual expenses by over $1 million a year, kept all of the faculty and staff, brought in strong local management that our community already knows and trusts and has the educational and financial backing to get the job done.” he said. “We expect the great education we have already been receiving to get even better. We couldn’t be more pleased.”
MHCS has had an enrollment of 400 for the past two years, Ted said. Tuition this year is $9,110 for grades1-8, with preschool and kinder ranging from $3,480 to $6,950, depending on the number of hours and days the students attend.
Last year, the tuition was $8,850 for grades 1-8; the younger students had the same rate. Next year, grades 1-8 will be $9,475, and preschool and kinder will again remain the same.
Students from throughout South Valley attend the school.
“We plan on keeping tuition increases below 4 percent each year, which is pretty standard,” Ted said.
The school has a financial aid plan and offers scholarships to its returning students who cannot meet the tuition increases.
The school will hold an informational Open House on Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon. Returning students who re-enroll before Saturday will receive priority over the newly applying students. While there are still openings in most grades at this point, school official said, it is expected that many of the grades will be filled following the Open House.
