Dear Prospective Family
Thank you for considering St Thomas More Catholic School and our over 75 year tradition in the scenic West Hills of Portland. As a proud alum and previous STM parent, I know first hand that the foundation St. Thomas More Catholic School provides is truly a life-long gift. We offer a comprehensive, K-8 academic program that prepares our graduates for their life in high school and beyond.
St Thomas More Catholic School is a family focused, caring community dedicated to academic excellence rooted in our Catholic faith. Our schoolwide learning expectations challenge our students to serve responsibly, treat others in a Christian manner and make learning a life-long endeavour. We believe in a comprehensive approach to educating a well-rounded student with a focus on rigorous academics, character development, and service learning. Our range of enrichment courses in the arts, music, and athletics broaden our students’ capacity for learning both inside and out of the classroom. With one class per grade level, our students are given an opportunity to build strong community and leadership skills through cross-grade level activities. One of my favorite parts of the day is seeing our Kindergarten and 8th Grade buddies interacting at morning assembly and Mass.
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I invite you to call and schedule a tour to see in person what makes St. Thomas More Catholic School so extraordinary.
Sincerely,
Katy Smith
Principal, STM Alumna
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BY THE NUMBERS
A LOOK INSIDE STM CATHOLIC SCHOOL
* Full-Time Staff
DISCOVER YOUR FUTURE AT STM: TIMELINE FOR ADMISSIONS
ADMISSION TIMELINE
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STM HOLIDAY & SPRING STORY TIME & PARENT COFFEE
Prospective incoming kindergartners and parents.
Spring Time Registration Coming
OPEN HOUSE PRESENTATION & TOUR | JANUARY 2026
Join us for a presentation where you'll meet our staff, hear from students and alumni, and enjoy a guided tour of our campus. Starts at 11:30AM
Registration coming.
ENROLLMENT
Enrollment for the current year - anytime
Enrollment for next school year - Begins after Open House
STUDENT ASSESSMENTS
Early February - Kindergarten
Transfer students assessed anytime - Schedule Today​
ADMISSIONS NOTIFICATIONS
Mid-February
Prospective students are notified of admission or waitlist status​
SHADOW DAY
Upon completing the application process, students in grades 1 through 8 will have the opportunity to shadow and immerse themselves in the vibrant Bulldog life experience.
ENROLLMENT
St. Thomas More Catholic School uses an online admissions and enrollment program via the FACTS Management system.
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Applying to St. Thomas More Catholic School is easy using our online application. To begin the application process, create an account here. Upon account creation, you will receive an email containing a verification link. Once your email address has been verified, log in to your account and create a New Student Application for your child. You will then have the flexibility to log in and out of your account and access your open application. A non-refundable fee of $127.00 is submitted with each application.
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After submitting the application, you will be able to track your admissions status at the school by logging in to your account. In addition, you will be able to print the completed application, monitor when the school receives any applicable supplemental forms and, if necessary, reprint the forms.
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We appreciate your interest and hope to assist you any way we can. If you have questions, please feel free to email us.
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St Thomas More School Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. St Thomas More School Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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TUITION
In accordance with its mission, St. Thomas More Catholic Church seeks to offer a Catholic school education to interested families via our parish school. Varying tuition levels are based on active parishioner status and volunteer commitment to the school and church.
In Parish: $12,070 (see below for information on how to qualify)
Out of Parish: $13,490
For the convenience of our families, we have moved to a streamlined “all in” tuition model. Are no additional costs beyond the annual enrollment fee and fundraising, while encouraged, are not required.
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Tax-Deductible Opportunity
The actual cost to educate a student during the 2025-2026 school year is $14,200. Any family that funds their child’s entire education at the actual tuition cost may be eligible for a tax deduction for the difference between the actual cost per student and the discounted tuition rate.​
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If you have questions or require additional information about tuition, please reach out to Principal Katy Smith directly at 503-222-6105.
Financial Aid Available
Financial aid is based on demonstrated financial need, as determined by the information you provide to FACTS, an independent processing center used by the Archdiocese of Portland.
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The following information is required in order for FACTS to process your application.
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Payment of the application fee ($40)
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Copies of your 2024 tax return including all schedules
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Copies of your 2025 W-2’s for you and your spouse
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Copies of supporting documentation for Social Security, Income, Welfare, Child Support, Food Stamps, Workers’ Compensation and TANF
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The application fee is $40 and can be paid via credit card. Please note the deadline to submit your online application for our initial distribution with FACTS is January 30th.
We strive to admit any student who wants to be a member of the St. Thomas More family, and endeavor to help them remain at STM if financial circumstances change. Additional and off-cycle Financial Aid may be available at the discretion of our Pastor. Please reach out to Fr. King to discuss special circumstances.
Discounted Tuition Rate & Active Parishioner Scholarship: $12,070 per student
To qualify for the Active Parishioner Scholarship tuition, families must:
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Be registered members for St. Thomas More Catholic Church
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Attend Mass regularly
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Provide parish support through regular contribution (suggested amount: $20 per week)
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Participate in Parish ministries
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Complete 25 volunteer units as defined in the STM handbook
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FACTS GRANT & AID
If you are concerned about affording tuition costs, assistance may be available. The process to obtain this assistance involves several steps.
First, families seeking assistance must complete the FACTS Grant and Aid online application. This application requires contact information, student and school details, and comprehensive data on your financial situation. FACTS needs information about your annual income and expenses, as well as details on your family's assets and liabilities. As a third-party administrator, FACTS Grant and Aid's primary role is to collect and verify financial information to assess need. The collaboration between the family, FACTS Grant and Aid, and the school offers numerous advantages: it ensures confidentiality of sensitive information; applies uniform criteria for assessing need across all families within the Archdiocese; and provides the Archdiocese and St. Thomas More Catholic School with empirical data to inform their decisions on resource allocation. For additional question, please contact our Principal, Mrs. Katy Smith, at 503-222-6105.
THE DUE DATE FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED IS JANUARY 31, 2025
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is the administrator of an Endowment Fund. Earnings from that fund are allocated to the schools within the Archdiocese to provide tuition assistance. In April, the Administrator at the Archdiocese will review needs assessment reports from FACTS Grant and Aid and will notify each school of their portion of the endowment earnings available for tuition assistance. St. Thomas More School Catholic School will notify each school applicant of the amount, if any, that will be paid to the school for tuition on their behalf.
Lastly, after the allocation from the Archdiocese is made, you may apply to an oversight committee at STM for additional funding. The details of this secondary application process will be contained in your notification letter. However, the same criteria for need that the Archdiocese uses will be applied for any tuition assistance granted by STM.
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Please apply for tuition assistance if you need it.
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Realize that if you do not apply through these channels, NO tuition assistance will be available.
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All information is kept strictly confidential.
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Don’t miss the deadline.
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Late applications will be accepted only if you have a change in circumstances.
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Funds available for tuition assistance are limited. Please comply with the process outlined above so that we may make the best possible decision in allocating limited resources.
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DISCOVER THE STM DIFFERENCE: WHAT OUR FAMILIES SAY
St. Thomas More Catholic School is so much more than a school. It’s the place that made my children the people they are today. We transferred to STM from public school when my son was entering 5th grade and my daughter 6th. Neither of my children were thriving at public school, they didn’t ‘meet expectations’ nor were they engaged by the curriculum. At STM my children became engaged, and excited to learn. They were eager to take on new challenges and see what they could do. They were welcomed and invested in by the teachers and staff, and quickly made fast friends. St Thomas More Catholic School is a strong community that prepares children for High School and beyond. My family is forever grateful for the years we’ve spent at STM. Go Bulldogs!
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Vanessa & Lawrence Wilson
Parents to Emyr class of 2022 and Henry class of 2023
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