(((Go to Documents & Forms, click on Orientation Packett to DOWNLOAD)))

 Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program

2022-2023 Calendar of Events            

                Schedule                                                      Date

Orientation Meeting                                                              Saturday, Aug. 22, 2022 (10:00am-12pm) 

Children of Peace School                                                                           VIRTUAL / VIDEO PRESENTATION

1900 West Taylor Street                                                                             (Video Available Friday, July 1, 2022)

Chicago, Illinois 60612

First Marking Period Semester 1………                                                      Due by 5:00pm, Oct. 15, 2022

Parent/Teacher Conference Verification Form

Thank You Letter (One per year from Student) …                                      Due by 5:00pm, Oct. 15, 2022

Camp Interest Form (If Applicable) …...                                                    To Be Announced!

2^nd Semester Parent/Teacher Verification Form...                                      Due by 5:00pm, April 15, 2023

Re-Applications available on website…….                                                 ACCEPTING Re-Applications (June 1, 2023)

*Returning Students/Families

Award Ceremony………………………                                                       Saturday, June 24, 2023 (10:30am-12:30pm)

New Zion Upper Room Banquet Hall

1950 West 13^th Street

Chicago, Illinois 60608

Re-Applications………………….                                                         Due by 5:00pm, June 30, 2023 (NO EXCEPTIONS!!!)

2020-2021 Orientation Meeting……………                                           Saturday, August 19, 2023 (10:30am-12pm)

*(Location to be announced at a later date)

******Please refer to this calendar/schedule of events to ensure that you are complying with the Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program Guidelines.  No Exceptions!

• Grades are requested from Schools ONLY per marking period!!!

Jocquelline Kelly, Scholarship Coordinator                                 

(Office) 773.537.5221

Website:              AdsScholars.org

Program Email: AdsScholarship@yahoo.com (Document Submission)

Personal Email: Jocquelline@AdsScholars.org (Private & Urgent Correspondences ONLY)

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS:       Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays Flexible Schedule

Please call to make an appointment.

CONFERENCES & MEETINGS:  Late week-days & Saturday hours.

Please call to make an appointment

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Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program

About us

The Alvin D. Sims Scholarship (ADS) program provides fifty (50) percent of tuition to100 elementary school student’s 1^st-8^th grade that attend parochial and private schools. 

This program supports students who have a financial need and is based on their academic progress.  After the first year in the program, students must maintain at least a “B” average to remain in the program. We predominately serve families on the west side of Chicago; however, we do have students who either reside on the west side and attend a school in another area or attend a school on the west side but live in another area.  Currently, our scholarship recipients attend thirteen very supportive and cooperative participating schools.

The ADS Scholarship Program through our sponsor, ensures that we provide the resources needed to promote positive self images in the children that we serve.  Moreover, this unique program has provided many students and their families with one of the greatest gifts one can receive “A Quality Education”.

~Jocquelline Kelly

Brief History

In 1989 Mr. Bob Perkins founded the Perkins Scholarship Foundation, a scholarship program that was originally designed to assist students from low-income families who attend parochial and private elementary schools with the cost of tuition.  At this time, Alvin D. Sims, the Program Director at Marcy-Newberry Association was the coordinator of the program.

In 1994, after Mr. Sims passed, the foundation was renamed the “Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Foundation, then later named Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program (ADS).  Since 2000, Jocquelline Kelly has coordinated the program, where currently the sponsors of the program assist over 70 families (100 students) at thirteen (12) schools across the Chicago-land area and suburbs.

ADS have provided tuition assistance to over 1,000 families!!!

                                                             Page 2

Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program (ADS)

  Partnering School Information

• Welcome / Meet & Greet (Jocquelline Kelly, Scholarship Coordinator)
• Program History
• New Construction Details
• School Partnership Agreements
1. Request Invoice (Oct. 15^th & April 15^th)
2. Requests for grades each marking period
3. Payment Receipt “per” tuition check (upon receipt of payment)
4. Notify ADS Staff if recipient/student transfers or are expelled, etc.
5. Notify ADS Staff if contact person, Principal or school information changes

• Application and Waiting List Procedures

• When we open our waiting list or have available slots for a scholarship, we will contact some of our partnering schools and forward you an application for a specified number of students/families that attend your institution. 
• We are requesting that you not refer families or others to our office due to limited program staff.

• Program  Eligibility Guidelines (See current year ORIENTATION PACKET)

o   We will not pay for students who have been dropped from program

o   Payments for students on Regular or Special Probation will be made after the Award Ceremony Brunch

o   We will not pay the 2^nd half of the scholarship award for EIGTH GRADE STUDENTS until after the Award Ceremony Brunch, and provided that the student/family meet all of the programs’ requirements

• Transfer Procedures
1. Inform ADS Scholarship Coordinator and/or Program Assistant 
2. Scholarship Award transfers with student to new approved school
3. Parents/guardians are responsible for their portion of tuition 
4. We prorate the scholarship award  according to recipients enrollment days

     Page 3

School Partnership Request List

(Overview)

* Complete and return the faxed verification letter of tuition upon receipt.

*Submit a school invoice for payment by Oct. 15^th and April 15^th (PLEASE SEE SAMPLE INVOICE)

* Communicate when child is suspended, expelled or transfers from school.

* Submit grades no later than two (2) weeks after each marking period.

* Please ensure a contact person is available for program needs.

* Communicate alternate/or a new contact person when an initial contact person is absent or is   no longer in the position.

* REQUEST ONLY: Attend Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Awards Ceremony Brunch

(Late June or Early July). They are usually held on Saturday’s, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

*REQUEST ONLY: Attend Annual Orientation Meeting (mid or late August of each year). The meeting is usually held on Saturday’s 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Special Notes:

* We will pay (50%) of recipient’s tuition ONLY, not including fees, books, transportation or uniforms.

* We will mail the tuition payment in two installments: the first installment (late Nov.)   and the second installment (Mid May). However May’s installment depends on the recipient’s academic status and if they are in eighth grade.

* We will email the scholarship award letters to schools (late August).

* We will inform the school when the waiting list is open! Please do not give applications to non-program families.  Alvin D. Sims Scholarship recipients are selected by an internal agency committee.

                                                                 Page  4

ALVIN D. SIMS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

RESPONSIBILITIES of COORDINATOR

Scholarship Coordinator will:

• Ensure that schools receive the tuition payments

• Collect all report cards within in two weeks after grades are distributed to parents/guardians from School Officials.

• Collect all submitted program documents.

• Send a warning letter.

(If recipient receives grades that are below “C”, student should attend tutoring. students enrolled for their second year or more must maintain “B” average).

• Send a Probation Letter

(If recipients grades do not improve to meet eligibility guidelines after warning letter has been sent).

• Send a letter of termination if grades do not improve or if the family has not met criteria to remain eligible for scholarship.

• Conduct all Parent/Coordinator conferences via in person or on telephone.

•  Conduct all meetings or events.

                                                                   Page 5

ALVIN D. SIMS SCHOALRSHIP PROGRAM

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

Parents/Guardian Should…………….

• Retain all forms distributed at orientation (folder)

• Attend 2 (two) parents conferences (folder)                         

(Verification form is in a folder. Submit first form by Oct. 15^th and second form by April 15^th)

• Attend all needed conferences with scholarship coordinator            

(If student’s grades fall below eligibility)

• Ensure children with below eligibility grades attend tutoring   (Must get verification sheet signed)

• Ensure that a copy of the report card is sent by the school within two weeks after grades are distributed to parents/guardians and students

• Ensure students homework is being completed when assigned and turned in on time

• Assist students with homework

• Complete a new application (RE-APPLICATION) for next fiscal year by June 30^th; (Must have a signature from parent/guardian and children)

• Attend all Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program Events

            Awards Ceremony (late June or early July)                                               

            Orientation (Mid or late August)

SPECIAL NOTE

IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE MANDATORY EVENTS, you MUST SEND an adult to represent your family; REMEMBER, your family MUST BE REPRESENTED (SOMEONE MUST BE PRESENT ON YOUR FAMILY’S BEHALF!!!) No Exceptions!

                                                             Page 6

To remain eligible for the Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program, all requested documents and verification forms must be submitted into the office by due date, if due date fall on a Saturday or Sunday, it’s still due on the due date. This includes one Parent-Teacher Conference Form to be turned in after marking period. Consequently, after each marking period, if recipient’s grades are below eligibility, tutoring must be expedited, and by the next marking period, the recipient’s grades must be at the eligibility level. If the next marking periods grades are below eligibility, the final payment to the school will not be distributed (NO EXCEPTIONS)! 

Overview

·        Report Cards are due no later than two (2) weeks after each marking period from School  

            ONLY; parents/guardians must ensure that school sends them to the Scholarship office.

·        Submit Two (2) Parent/Teacher Conference Verification forms

a.      First form is due First Semester (by Oct. 15).

b.   Second form is due Second Semester (by April 15).

• When tutoring is needed, a tutoring verification form is due in no later than two weeks after the marking period of concern.

·        Submit a “Thank You Letter” to the Perkins Family; they are due “BY” Oct. 15th

Letters must be hand written on 8.5 x 11-inch paper ‘BY STUDENT”.  Parents/Guardians are welcome to send in a thank you letter as well.

Final payments (Semester II) for EIGHT GRADE recipients/students and student/families on REGULAR OR SPECIAL PROBATION will be paid to schools after the Annual Award Ceremony Brunch of the current school year, PROVIDED FAMILY MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

* Special Note:                                              

Parents/Guardians, it is your responsibility to retain this packet which includes ADS program guidelines and verification forms.

Jocquelline Kelly

Scholarship Coordinator

                     Page 7

NON-PAYMENTS Criterions

Re: Eight Grade, Regular and Special Probation Students

Dear Parent/Guardian and School Official,

Due to low attendance from our graduates at our Award Ceremony Brunch in the past, we will not make the final payment for eighth graders until after the Annual Award Ceremony Brunch, provided they or an adult representative attend. 

In addition, students who are on any Probation Status for the 2^nd semester will also receive the final payment after the Award Ceremony (Semester II); again, we will only make payments for students/recipients on Probation Status provided they attend the Annual Award Ceremony this school year, and if they meet the eligibility criterions of ADS Scholarship Program. 

The Award Ceremony Brunch details will be announced at a later date.  Again, this is a MANDATORY EVENT! The scholarship recipient along with parents or Guardians must attend, or an adult representative must attend on behalf of the family  (EXCLUDING other program parents or guardians, and school officials).

Consequently, we guarantee to pay Semester I (this does not apply to students on Special Probation), however, if the student/family does not meet the eligibility requirement for semester II (after the Award Ceremony Brunch), the balance of the scholarship award/tuition will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian; and they must pay the balance due.

Regards,

Jocquelline Kelly

Scholarship Coordinator

                                                                                     Page 8

Document Submission

Electronic Instructions

*ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY BEFORE SUBMITTING!!!

((Send ONE type of document per email ONLY;

you may send multiple students at one time))

***Please use the format below when downloading and emailing documents***

Thank You Letter’s & Parent-Teacher Conference Forms:

1.      Fill out document COMPLETELY

2.     “SCAN” the completed document

3.     Save the document to a file         

4.     CREATE a name for the file

5.     Email the file by ‘UPLOADING or ATTACHING the document

6.     SEND the file to:  AdsScholarship@yahoo.com

7.     For private or sensitive correspondences, send to: Jocquelline@adsscholars.org

Re-Applications

1.                Click on the ‘DOCUMENTS” tab.

2.               DOWNLOAD the document to your computer.

3.                PRINT Re-Application OR Complete/Type directly on computer (skip #6)

4.                Fill out Re-Application COMPLETELY

5.                “SCAN” Re-Application

6.                Save Re-Application to a file            

7.                CREATE a name for the file

8.                Email the file by ‘UPLOADING or ATTACHING the document

9.                SEND file (Completed Re-Application) to:  AdsScholarship@yahoo.com

FORMAT SAMPLE:

EMAIL SUBJECT: 

YEAR – SCHOOL NAME - DOCUMENT NAME – STUDENT NAME

Example: 2015-2016 Bethel School-Thank You Letter-Christian Love

(Multiple Students)

YEAR – SCHOOL NAME - DOCUMENT NAME – STUDENT NAME / STUDENT NAME / STUDENT NAME Example: 2015-2016 Bethel School - Thank You Letter - Christian Love / Barbara Love

YOU MUST ALSO USE THE SUBJECT BOX WHEN YOU SCAN FROM THE LIBRARY & OTHER SCANNERS. We will not give you credit IF YOU DO NOT ADD

Jocquelline Kelly,

Scholarship Coordinator

Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program

773.537.5221

AdsScholarship@yahoo.com

Jocquelline@AdsScholars.org (Private and Sensitive Correspondences ONLY)

www.AdsScholars.org      

   Page 9  

Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program

~ Sample ~

“Thank You” Letter

(MUST BE ON LETTER PAPER)

Date:

Dear Mr. Bob Perkins,

ADD THE BODY OF LETTER HERE!  THIS IS THE RECIPIENTS’ OPPORTUNITY TO SAY “THANK YOU”, AND TO WRITE ABOUT THEM; TELL US WHAT THIS PROGRAM MEANS TO THEM AND THE FAMILY, INCLUDE SOME GOALS, ETC…

Salutation,

(I.e. Sincerely, Thank You, Best Regards, Yours Truly, etc.…)

Jocquelline Kelly                                            (Recipients' First and Last Name)

Smart School                                                   (Recipient Schools’ Full Name)

7^th Grade                                                          (Recipients’ Grade Level)

12 years old                                                      (Recipients’ Age)

Page 10

 We reserve the right to make changes to website and policies at any time; in accordance to program sponsorship.

PacketS will be emailed to participants ONLY, UPON REQUEST!