Business Office

Find helpful information about student loans and tuition below.

Student Loans

• Sallie Mae Program
• Your Tuition Solution (brochure)
• Your Tuition Solution (website)

Tuition Insurance

• The Tuition Refund Plan Brochure 2018-19 (pdf)
• The Tuition Refund Plan Website

Tuition Payment Plans

• Williston Payment Options Summary 2018-19
• FACTS Management Company (website)

Starting each September, Van Pool Inc. provides transportation for day students from the following local towns: Hadley, Longmeadow and Amherst. The buses run on weekdays only and come with an additional charge.

On Monday through Friday mornings buses leave promptly at:

7:35 a.m. from Hadley
7:20 a.m. from Longmeadow
7:20 a.m. from Amherst

(Times may be adjusted for the new routes.)

The buses have a scheduled arrival on campus of 8:00 a.m. and do not run on class Saturdays. They also don’t run on days that the local school district or Easthampton school district delays/cancels school (even if Williston still has classes).

Van Pool Inc. can be contacted directly to alert that a child will not need pickup on certain days or if there is a question pertaining to a route.

The transportation fees for 2017-18 are $1,425 for the full year; $615 for fall alone (Sept. 11-Dec. 15); or $855 for spring alone (January 3-June 1). A minimum of five students per run are necessary to ensure route will run.

Day student transportation form (pdf)

As a service for boarding students, the school offers the opportunity to set up a weekly allowance. The weekly allowance can only be accessed if:

• A weekly amount is designated.
• Students present their Sammy Card to withdraw funds.
• There is a sufficient balance in the Button Bucks Account to cover the withdrawal.

Allowance disbursements may be used in two ways:

1. A weekly allowance, determined by the parent or guardian, will be issued during Campus Store hours (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; Class Saturdays 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.).

2. If the student needs extra money for travel expenses for example, the parent may call the Campus Store and authorize disbursement of a specified amount up to $100. In special circumstances, if the student needs more than $100, the parent/guardian MUST call or email the Business Office at least five days before the withdrawal so that the school can make adequate preparations for disbursing the money.

Boarding student allowance form (pdf)

Alternatives to the allowance option:

• The Business Office will cash checks up to $100 payable to the student or drawn on a student’s personal checking account.
• For travel or extra money over $100, parents need to contact the Business Office for allowance options. This method will allow the Campus Store to function more efficiently and serve more students.

The school recommends that students carry only a small amount of cash.

PLEASE NOTE:

• All transactions will take place during campus store hours.
• Allowances for the 2017-18 academic year will be available starting Monday, September 11, 2017.

Families should complete a Student Personal Allowance Form and submit it, along with a deposit, to the Button Bucks or school expense account for each child enrolled at Williston.

For questions regarding the allowance procedures, please contact the Campus Store at (413) 529-3270.

You can purchase books for summer work or for next fall’s courses through the school’s bookseller MBS Direct or at the bookseller of your choice.

Please note that books are not for sale on campus or in the school store, and students must have their coursebooks when school starts. When you log into MBS Direct, first click on “Let’s Get Started,” then enter your child’s Veracross Student ID, which should be the first four letters of his or her last name and the first letter of her first name (John Smith, for example, would be smitj). Books or any other packages can ship directly to the school using the address of 40 Park St and the students name, no campus box needed.  This address is good for both paper mail and packages and should be used throughout the year.

If you have any questions about this, please contact Jane Hannigan for help.

All students must have health insurance while attending the Williston Northampton School. The school offers students with a 10-month health plan through Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Families who opt out of this plan must submit a waiver to the Business Office. A copy of a current medical insurance card and of a prescription card must be kept on file in the Health and Wellness Services. Any changes in insurance information must be updated immediately by contacting Health and Wellness Services.

The Business Office has the following Health and Wellness Services information and forms: health insurance waiver form and student insurance plan brochure.

The Sammy Card is essential to a student’s daily life at the Williston Northampton School. More than just an identification card, the Sammy Card features a prepaid spending account—Button Bucks—which offers a safe and secure environment for students to make cashless purchases on campus via a swipe of the card. In addition the card serves to allow access to the school’s dormitories and other buildings on campus.

Using Button Bucks enables students and families to manage spending at school without having to carry cash or coins. There are no costs or fees to participate, and unused balances roll over semester to semester and year to year for as long as a student is enrolled. To use Button Bucks, families must first register at the Button Bucks Cardholder Account Center.

At the beginning of the fall semester, a Button Bucks spending account will be established for each student. This account will be for student spending on and off campus, accessible by using the student’s Sammy Card. This account also will be used for books purchased through Follett, the school’s online bookstore.

Through the account center, families and students can have 24/7 online account access to check their balance, review transaction history, and add value. Please refer to the documents posted below for detailed steps on how to register for online account access and how to setup a recurring Button Bucks allowance.

Check your balance or register now

If the card is lost or damaged, the student is responsible for replacing the card. He or she can get a new card at the Business Office, in the lower level of the Schoolhouse. There is a $25 replacement fee.

Families can add value to the account as needed by check, credit, or debit card. Funds transferred by credit or debit card are available to students instantly. Check deposits are available on the business day that the check is received.

Button Bucks are welcomed on campus at the StuBop, Campus Store, Student Activities, and vending machines. In addition, a large number of local restaurants and other businesses accept Button Bucks, including Antonio’s Pizza & Wings, Mt. Tom’s Homemade Ice Cream and Candy Store, and Tandem Bagel Company among other local favorites.

Williston continues to form partnerships with other local businesses, and this list is updated regularly. If you are a business owner and want to accept Button Bucks, please contact the Business Office at at (413) 529-3289.

Please read and acknowledge this Agreement before using your Button Bucks account. It contains the terms and conditions of the Button Bucks account linked to your Sammy Card. By adding value,  registering for online account access and/or using your Button Bucks account, you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions contained in this agreement, which will govern Your use of the Button Bucks account. Please read this agreement. The term of this contract begins when these terms are acknowledged and ends when the participant graduates or withdraws from the Williston Northampton School.

1 Definitions

a. You and Your each mean the Cardholder.
b. We, Us and Our each mean the Williston Northampton School.
c. Cardholder means an individual in whose name and for whose benefit a Sammy Card is to be issued or has been issued by the Williston Northampton School.
d. Contributor means an individual other than the Cardholder who loads value to a Button Bucks account for a Cardholder.
e. Authorized Guest User means an individual designated by the Cardholder to have online account management privileges at the Card Program Website.
f. School means the Williston Northampton School.
g. Service Provider means a third party contracted by the Williston Northampton School that provides certain support and marketing services for your Sammy Card and Button Bucks account
h. Sammy Card is the official the Williston Northampton School ID Card issued by the Williston Northampton School to Cardholder.
i. Button Bucks account means an account with pre-paid value that can be accessed using Your Sammy Card. A Sammy Card may have one or more accounts.
j. Card Program Website means the Website containing information about the Sammy Card Program.
k. Web Account Care Center means the area of the Sammy Card Program Website where Cardholders may login and manage their individual Sammy Card and Button Bucks account.
l. Card Payment Service means a service whereby a Cardholder can access value associated with one or more Button Bucks account linked to his/her Sammy Card.
m. Registration means the electronic process used by Cardholder to set-up online Button Bucks account access at the Sammy Card Program Website.
n. Accepting Location means a point-of-sale location that is authorized to accept the Button Bucks account for the purchase of goods and services.
o. Web User Account means the account that enables You to access and manage Your Button Bucks account via the Web Account Care Center.
p. A Button Bucks Self-Service Location is a point-of-sale not staffed by a cashier such as a vending machine.
r. Williston Northampton School Student Account means the student’s account representing tuition, fees and other ancillary charges

2 SAMMY CARD DESCRIPTION

Your Sammy Card is a multiple function card that can be used for the following applications:
a. Official The Williston Northampton School Identification
b. Access device for one or more pre-paid Button Bucks accounts.

3 ELIGIBILITY

a. You are an authorized member of the Williston Northampton School;
b. You have the following data on record with the Williston Northampton School: First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth; and
c. You agree that You have read and understood this Agreement and that You will be bound by and will comply with all of its terms and conditions.
If You do not agree with all of these statements, You cannot activate and/or use the Button Bucks Account feature of Your Sammy Card.

4 CONTACT INFORMATION

If You have questions regarding Your Sammy Card or Button Bucks account, You may call 413-529-3000 and ask for the Business Office, email boffice@williston.com or write to the
Williston Northampton School, Attn: Business Office, 19 Payson Ave., Easthampton, MA 01027. You may also get support by visiting Our Website at /sammycard

5 CARD ACCOUNTS

Your Sammy Card can be linked with and used to access value in Pre-Paid Accounts. There is no credit card, credit account or deposit account associated with the Sammy Card. Button Bucks account funds are aggregated in a bank account maintained by the School. Cardholder, Card and Account
information are kept on computer systems maintained by the school and Service Providers contracted by the School. You agree and give the school permission to share your personal information with such Service Providers to enable them to perform data processing required to provide these and other Card related services.

The Williston Northampton School is not acting as a trustee, fiduciary or escrow with respect to value in Button Bucks accounts, but is acting only as an agent and custodian. No interest, dividends or other earnings or return will be paid on any value loaded in Accounts. Value associated with individual
Cardholder Accounts is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

6 REGISTRATION

You can register for online account access to Your Button Bucks account at the Web Account Care Center. In order to register Your Button Bucks account, You must validate personal information, provide information from Your Sammy Card, agree to these Button Bucks account Terms & Conditions,
and create a Web User Account including a login and password.

You agree to provide true, accurate and complete registration information and to maintain and promptly update Your information as applicable. You agree not to impersonate any other person or use a name that You are not authorized to use. If any information You provide is untrue, inaccurate, misleading, not current, or incomplete, without limiting other remedies, the Williston Northampton School has the right to terminate Your Button Bucks account and the Williston Northampton School, its agents, suppliers, and subcontractors have the right to recover from You any costs or losses incurred
as a direct or indirect result of the inaccurate or incomplete information.

7 PASSWORD & SECURITY

You should not reveal Your account login information or password(s) to anyone else. You must safeguard and protect the confidentiality of Your password to keep Your Button Bucks account secure. You will be responsible and liable for all instructions received at the Sammy Card Program Website
that are accompanied by Your password, regardless of whether those instructions actually come from You. The Williston Northampton School is not responsible for losses incurred by the Cardholders as the result of their misuse of passwords.

8 UNAUTHORIZED USE

If You use, or attempt to use Your Sammy Card or the Card Payment Service for purposes other than permitted uses (i.e. making payments, managing Your accounts), including but not limited to tampering, hacking, modifying or otherwise corrupting the security or functionality of the Service, Your Button Bucks account will be terminated and You will be subject to damages and other penalties, including criminal prosecution where available. Furthermore, You agree to indemnify and otherwise hold harmless the Williston Northampton School, its officers, directors, trustees, employees, agents,
successors and assigns, from and against any and all damages, expenses and claims, including attorneys’ fees, for injury or alleged damage to person and/or property to the extent resulting from such non-permitted use(s).

9 ELECTRONIC STATEMENTS & COMMUNICATIONS

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement and any other agreements, notices or other communications regarding Your Button Bucks account and/or Your use of the Your Button Bucks account (“Communications”), may be provided to You electronically and You agree to receive all Communications from the Williston Northampton School in electronic form. Electronic Communications may be posted on the pages within the Sammy Card Program Website and/or delivered to Your e-mail address. You may print a copy of any Communications and retain it for Your
records. All Communications in either electronic or paper format will be considered to be in “writing,” and to have been received no later than five (5) business days after posting or dissemination, whether or not You have received or retrieved the Communication. The Williston Northampton School
reserves the right but assumes no obligation to provide Communications in paper format. Your consent to receive Communications electronically is valid until You revoke Your consent by notifying the Williston Northampton School in writing at the address in the Contact Section of these Terms &
Conditions. If You revoke Your consent to receive Communications electronically, the Williston Northampton School will terminate Your right to use the Button Bucks account.

You agree to inspect Your electronic statements and to notify us of any erroneous, improper or unauthorized transactions. If Your electronic statement indicates transactions that You did not make, you agree to notify us immediately using the information in the Contact section of this agreement.

10 CORRECT EMAIL AND MAILING ADDRESS

You agree and warrant that You have access to the Internet and to a current functional personal email address. You have the sole responsibility for providing the Williston Northampton School with a correct and operational email address. The Williston Northampton School will not be liable for any
undelivered email communications or any costs You incur for maintaining Internet access and an email account. You must promptly notify the Williston Northampton School of any change in Your email.
If your mail or postal address changes, you must access the Web Account Care Center immediately and change your address.

11 USING THE BUTTON BUCKS ACCOUNT

You may use the Sammy Card for the following purposes:
a. Pay for goods and services at accepting locations on and around campus.
b. Obtain balances and review transaction activity online.
c. Add value to Button Bucks account using a check, cash, credit card
or debit card.

11.1 MULTIPLE BUTTON BUCKS ACCOUNTS

Your Sammy Card may be associated with multiple Button Bucks accounts. Each Button Bucks account has its own policies and rules pertaining to acceptance, online account access and funds loading. We reserve the right to restrict the use of Button Bucks accounts to certain qualifying locations.
When authorizing a Sammy Card purchase We will search for funds across all of Your eligible Button Bucks accounts in a specific order consistent with Our acceptance policies. You agree that We may use value from more than one Button Bucks account to complete a single purchase.

11.2 BUTTON BUCKS ACCOUNT SPENDING &-VALUE ADD LIMITS

Account Rule Limit Daily Spend Limit: $750

Total Daily Self-Service Spend Limit: $25

Minimum Value Add/Transaction: $20

Maximum Value Add/Transaction: $3,000

Minimum Transaction Amount: $0.01
Maximum Transaction Amount: $750

Accepting Locations: All

12 ADDING VALUE TO BUTTON BUCKS ACCOUNTS

You, Contributors and Authorized Guest Users may add value to select Sammy Card Accounts at the Web Account Care Center or by mail subject to the limitations provided herein.

We reserve the right to accept or reject any request to add additional value to Button Bucks accounts in Our sole discretion. If any transfer of value to a Button Bucks account becomes subject to any stop payment order or chargeback after value has been credited to the Button Bucks account, We will be entitled to recover the full amount of the stopped or charged-back payment plus any applicable fees by deducting an equivalent amount from the Button Bucks account. Such deduction will occur immediately upon Our receipt of notification of such stop payment order or chargeback. In the event that the Button Bucks account has insufficient funds to cover the deduction, We will be entitled to deduct the monies from the Button Bucks account when the funds become available, or we reserve the right to automatically debit such overdrafts from any other Button Bucks accounts or Payment Methods You
have on file at the Williston Northampton School, and/or (ii) suspend Your Button Bucks account until payment plus any applicable fees are made in whole.

12.1 VALUE AVAILABILITY

Credit Card, Debit Card, Check and Cash Payments will be made available to the Cardholder on the same business day as the payment is received.

12.2 QUICK RE-VALUE

Contributors (i.e. parents, family, friends) can add value to Your Button Bucks account via the Sammy Card Program Website without logging-in to Your account by entering unique personal information, then following prompts on the web site. You acknowledge and agree that Contributors may add value in this manner.

12.3 SAVED PAYMENT METHODS

You and Authorized Guest Users may save payment methods on file for convenient future use. If a saved Payment Method is determined to be invalid for any reason We will notify You and ask that You update the payment method information. We reserve the right to remove invalid or expired cards
from Your account at Our discretion. You or Authorized Guest Users may edit saved payment methods at any time at the Web Account Care Center.

12.4 AUTOMATIC RECURRING PAYMENTS

You and Authorized Guest Users may provide instructions to automatically add value to Your Button Bucks account on a recurring basis using a payment method saved on file. You or Authorized Guest Users may edit or delete these instructions at any time at the Web Account Care Center.

13 MAKING PURCHASES WITH BUTTON BUCKS

You must have sufficient value available in Your Button Bucks account to pay for each transaction. Each time You use Your Button Bucks account, the amount of the transaction will be debited from the Account. You may not spend more value than You have on any given Account. Should your purchase amount exceed the remaining balance in your Button Bucks account, you are responsible for providing a secondary form of payment to complete the transaction.

14 BUTTON BUCKS RECEIPTS

You agree to sign a receipt for any transaction made with Your Button Bucks account where requested by the accepting location. However, You may not receive a receipt at dining halls and certain self-service locations such as vending, laundry and copy machines.

15 OVERDRAFTS & NEGATIVE ACCOUNTS

If an Accepting Off Campus and/or Self-Service Location attempts to process a transaction for more than the value available in Your eligible Button Bucks account, the transaction will be declined. For self-service transactions, your account must have a balance at least as high as the highest priced item
available for sale at the self-service location. Your account will be charged only the amount of the purchase actually selected; however your transaction history may temporarily show the transaction at the higher amount.

If, for any reason, a transaction is processed for more than the value in the Button Bucks account, you are liable for that entire amount, will be contacted regarding the negative balance and requested to make a deposit to return the Button Bucks account to good standing. We reserve the right to (i) automatically debit such overdrafts from any available value present now or in the future on this Button Bucks account or any other Button Bucks Accounts or Payment Methods You have on file at the Williston Northampton School, and/or (ii) suspend Your Button Bucks account until payment on the negative Button Bucks account is made in whole. All financial obligations for tuition, room, board, fees and other costs and charges of a student to all departments or enterprises of the school must be in a current condition before the student will be permitted to receive transcripts, to receive a diploma, or register for or enter classes in any succeeding term.

16 LOYALTY AND DISCOUNT PROGRAMS

From time to time, We may, at Our sole discretion, offer loyalty and discount programs that allow You to accumulate and receive benefits, awards and discounts from Accepting Locations. You agree that Your Button Bucks account use with individual Accepting Locations may be tracked and recorded
by us so that You may participate and benefit from these programs.

17 LOST OR STOLEN SAMMY CARDS

You agree to notify us immediately if (i) Your Sammy Card has been lost or stolen or (ii) You believe someone has made a purchase using Your Button Bucks account without Your permission. You may be responsible for the unauthorized use of the Button Bucks account if You fail to promptly notify
Us that the Sammy Card has been lost or stolen. You can suspend Your Button Bucks account at the Web Account Care Center (24/7) or by calling us at (413) 529-3000 and asking for the Business Office (M-F 8 a.m. –4 p.m.).
When Your Sammy Card has been reported lost or stolen, We will suspend the Button Bucks account to prevent unauthorized use. You may also request a replacement card. There is a card replacement card fee of $25.

17.1 RE-ACTIVATING BUTTON BUCKS ACCOUNT

If You find Your Sammy Card after it has been reported lost, You may reactivate the Button Bucks account if (i) the re-activate request is received within 2 days of the card being suspended and (ii) a new card has not been issued. You can re-activate Your Button Bucks account at the Web Account Care Center. Once a replacement card is issued, no prior card may be reactivated.

18 DISPUTES/RETURNS

You agree to work to resolve all disputes about purchases made using the Button Bucks account with the merchant or location that accepted the Sammy Card. If You are entitled to a refund for any reason for goods or services obtained with the Button Bucks account, You agree to accept credits to the Button Bucks account in place of cash.

19 ERROR RESOLUTION

If You think Your statement or receipt is wrong or if You need more information about a transaction listed on Your statement or receipt, please contact us as soon as possible using the information in the Contact section of this agreement.

We must hear from You no later than 60 days after We made available the First electronic statement on which the problem or error appeared. When calling or notifying us You must:

a. Include the account holder name and account number;
b. Describe the transaction in question and explain as clearly as possible the discrepancy; and
c. Indicate the dollar amount of the transaction.

If You make an oral request, We may require You to send the question in writing to Us within 10 business days.

We will make best efforts to complete Our investigation within 10 business days after We hear from You and will correct any error promptly. However, We may take up to 45 days to investigate the discrepancy. If We take more than 10 days to investigate a problem, We will re-credit the account holder’s
account within 10 business days for the amount in question. If the account holder is asked to put the discrepancy in writing and We do not receive it within 10 business days, We may not re-credit the account.

If We decide, in our sole discretion and after a thorough investigation on Our part, that there was no error, We will send You a written explanation within three business days after We finish Our investigation. You may ask for copies of the documents used in the investigation. If We decide that there was no error, and if we re-credited the amount in question to your Button Bucks account pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, such amount will be automatically removed from You Button Bucks account.

20 ACCOUNT REFUNDS

Eligible refunds are processed upon request and will be completed within 4-6 weeks of a written request. Refund requests must be submitted in writing to:

The Williston Northampton School
Attn: Business Office
19 Payson Ave
Easthampton, MA 01027

a. You may request a refund of your Button Bucks account balance when you graduate, withdraw or leave the Williston Northampton School. If the student requesting a refund has an outstanding balance in the student account representing tuition, fees and other ancillary charges, the refund will be credited to the outstanding balance.

b. For graduating students and students not returning for the subsequent academic year, the school will review the student’s Button Bucks account and credit any residual funds to the student’s account representing tuition, fees and other ancillary charges. If this results in a credit balance in the student account, a refund will be forwarded to the family. If the family has another child(ren) attending the subsequent academic year, the credit may be transferred to the child(ren).

21 UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

If You do not use Your Button Bucks account for a period of one (1) year, it will be terminated. After the date of termination, We will use the information You provided to try to send You any funds that We are holding in custody for You. If that information is not correct, and We are unable to complete the
payment to You, Your funds will be subject to applicable state laws regarding escheat of unclaimed property.

22 SERVICE FEES

We will charge You the fees and charges set forth on the Schedule of Fees and Charges attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. All fees and charges will be deducted automatically from the Button Bucks balance at the time the fee or charge is incurred.

Returned Payment/Check $35.00/each
Card Replacement $25.00/Card
Fees are subject to change at our sole discretion.

23 CANCELLATION; SUSPENSION OF USE

The Williston Northampton School and Service Providers, in their sole and absolute discretion, may limit, suspend or cancel Your use of the Sammy Card and/or Button Bucks account. The Williston Northampton School may refuse to issue a Sammy Card or may revoke the Sammy Card privileges with or without cause or notice. The Sammy Card at all times remains the property of the Williston Northampton School and may be repossessed by the Williston Northampton School at any time.

If You would like to cancel use of the Sammy Card or Button Bucks accounts, You must do so by contacting the Williston Northampton School in writing at 19 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA 01027. Upon cancellation of the Sammy Card privileges, the Sammy Card must be cut in half and destroyed. You agree not to use or attempt to use an expired, revoked or otherwise invalid Sammy Card. You agree to surrender the Sammy Card to us upon request.

24 DISCLOSURE OF ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES

We will disclose information to third parties about Your Button Bucks account or the transactions You make only:

a. where it is necessary for completing transactions;
b. in order to comply with government agency or court orders
c. if You give us Your written permission;
d. to carefully selected service providers who perform data processing, records management, collections, and other services for us, in order that they may perform those services;
e. in order to prevent or investigate possible illegal activity;
f. in order to issue payment authorizations for transaction on the Button Bucks account; or
g. where otherwise provided by law or Our privacy policy.

How to add value to Button Bucks

1. Pay online via the secure web site (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover credit cards accepted. Debit cards must be Visa or Mastercard.)

2. Call the Business Office at (413) 529-3289 (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express accepted.

3. Mail a check payable to the Williston Northampton School with the student’s name and “Button Bucks” in the memo line. Checks should be sent to the Williston Northampton School, Business Office, 19 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA, 01027.

The Business Office has prepared a document that summarizes the payment options and loan programs. See the Financing a Williston Education Summary below for more details.

• Financing a Williston Education Summary 2018-19 (pdf)
• Sallie Mae information (pdf)
• Your Tuition Solution information (pdf)
• Tuition refund plan information (website)

Mail is posted for all Upper School students in their assigned campus boxes at the Reed Campus Center daily.

Note: The City of Easthampton’s post office has designated the location for student mail. Do not use “The Williston Northampton School” or student’s dorm name in the address. Mail or packages should be addressed as follows:

Student Name
40 Park Street # ___ (Fill in student’s box #)
Easthampton, MA 01027

For information about tuition and fees, please visit the Tuition area of the Admission section of this website.