Clarity at Ancona FAQ

List of 13 frequently asked questions.

• Q. What are the benefits of using Clarity for enrollment contracts?

  Ancona is already using Clarity for managing tuition assistance, which means many parents have Clarity login information and are familiar with the platform.
  
  Clarity is straightforward, easy to navigate, and completely mobile-friendly. Plus, all contract, invoice, tuition assistance, and billing information will now be conveniently located in one place. 
  
  With Clarity, you can pay your deposit, tuition, and incidental charges in the portal, via ACH or credit card. 

• Q. What is happening to My Ancona?

  My Ancona is still Ancona's Student Information System, Admissions platform, and the central hub for school-wide information. Only the contracts and tuition/billing are moving to Clarity.

• Q. How do I log in to the Clarity?

  If you have applied for tuition assistance, you already have a Clarity account! You can log in to Clarity like usual.
  
  If you don't have a Clarity account yet, you'll be prompted to create one when your contract email arrives. We recommend using the “Sign in with Google” or “Sign in with Microsoft” options for a quicker setup.

• Q. How do I use the Clarity platform? Are there any tutorials?

  Clarity offers many resources for families to support the contract process.
  
  Clarity Contract FAQs
  
  Video Tutorials
  

  • How to Sign Your Contract
  • How to Create Your Clarity Account
  • How to Pay Your Bill
  • How to Pay an Invoice Early
  • Household Invoices: "Pay Early" and "Pay All"
  • How to Set Up Autopay
  • How to View Incidental Charges
  • How to Change Your Payment Method
  • How to Download Contracts, Invoices and Other Important Documentation
  • How to Check Your Dashboard for Messages
  • How to View Your Payment History
  • Third Party Payers Links Overview
  • How Non-Signer Guardians Can Set Up Billing Account Access 

• Q. What are the tuition payment plan options? Does Clarity charge any processing fees?

  For School Year 2026-27, families will be able to choose from the following payment plan options. As a third-party tuition management service, Clarity charges a nominal fee to process tuition payments (indicated below). Please note that this is a single fee per family, regardless of the number of students enrolled. 

  • 1 Pay: Tuition for the 2026-27 school year is due in its entirety by May 15, 2026 ($25 processing fee). Families who choose this option will receive a 2% discount as long as their payment is submitted by the due date. 
  • 2 Pay: Tuition is split over two payments, due on May 15, 2026 and September 15, 2026 ($25 processing fee). 
  • 9 Pay: Tuition is split over nine monthly payments, due May 15, 2026 through January 15, 2027 ($55 processing fee).

• Q. When will I receive my contract?

  For the 2026-27 school year:
  

  • Returning families in good standing will be sent a tuition contract that is due on February 27th, 2026. If you don’t receive a contract on February 13th, and you think you should have, please contact Melanie Ahmad at mahmad@anconaschool.org.
  • New student contracts (e.g., siblings of current students) will go out in early March 2026.

• Q. What are incidental charges, and how will they be billed in Clarity?

  To simplify payments, we are moving away from separate payment links for incidental fees. Families will now be billed directly in Clarity when an incidental charge occurs. 
  
  Examples of these kinds of charges include:

  • Ad-hoc Services: Ancona Extra, drop-in Aftercare/Breakfast Club, late pickup fees, etc.
  • Elective Programs: Special clubs, Aftercare cooking class, extracurricular workshops, etc.
  • Educational Expenses: Field trip fees, lost library books, specialized materials, etc.

  For transparency, Ancona will provide written notice (via email or in the Clarity portal) before any charge is billed. To provide families with ample processing time, these fees shall be due no sooner than 14 days following the date of the notification. Incidental fees will be processed automatically if you have set up automatic payment processing. Otherwise, they will need to be paid manually within the Clarity system.
  
  If you believe a charge has been applied in error, or you would like to request a cancellation/removal of a fee, please submit a written request to the Business Office at business_office@anconaschool.org within 7 days of the charge notification.

• Q. What is changing with Aftercare and Breakfast Club on the contract?

  Beginning in 2026-27, the Aftercare ticket system will be discontinued; instead, families will be billed the daily drop-in rate directly to their Clarity account when their child attends Aftercare (or Breakfast Club) beyond their contracted number of days. 

  • Drop-in rates are: $55/day for Aftercare and $20/day for Breakfast Club

  As in previous years, families may choose to bundle Aftercare and/or Breakfast Club with their tuition payments on the contract. This is the most cost-effective solution for students who will regularly attend Aftercare.
  

  • Families choosing this option will select a set number of Aftercare days per week as you sign your contract. Note that this is a number of days, up to five, not the specific days of the week. 
  • While you do not have to establish exactly which days your child will attend Aftercare (if choosing fewer than five), you will be billed if your child stays for Aftercare for more than the allotted number of days in a given week.
  • You may change the number of expected days of Aftercare by giving written notice. Changes become effective at the beginning of the following month, and must be given in writing at least five business days in advance. 

• Q. What about Early Childhood half-day programming?

  Early Childhood (EC)3 and EC4 students continue to have the option for half-day programming. Please contact Melanie Ahmad at mahmad@anconaschool.org for more information and to request a half-day contract.
  
  Half-day students who stay for a full day will have a $75 fee per occurrence added to the tuition bill.

• Q. How will Ancona Extra be billed?

  Sign-up opportunities for Ancona Extra will happen as the days approach and will be billed as an incidental charge. Like this year, Ancona Extra is included for all students who sign up for five days/week of Aftercare.

• Q. My middle school student participates in athletics. Can I add that to my contract?

  Middle School families will have the opportunity to sign up for Athletics by season (Fall, Winter, and Spring) for $450 per season at the time of contract completion.
  
  

  If you choose to decline the Athletics fee for a particular season but your student later decides to join a team, the fee will be added to your account as an incidental charge.

• Q. I'm the parent/caregiver of a rising 8th grader: What do I need to know about paying for the 8th-grade capstone trip?

  The total cost to families for the 8th-grade capstone trip is $2,500.
  
  A $500 trip deposit will be due upon contract signing for all 8th graders. The remaining $2,000 is spread evenly based on your tuition payment plan.
  
  Financial assistance is available for the $2,000 portion of the total cost of the trip. To begin this process, please select the "Financial Aid Requested" option on the contract and send an email to Zaheer Ali at zali@anconaschool.org.
  
  If you choose the “Financial Aid Requested” option and reach out to Zaheer, the $2,000 will not be added to your bill. You will instead work with him to determine the payment amount and cadence that will allow your 8th grader to join the trip. 

• Q. My student is an Early Childhood (Preprimary) student: What is the Apple Picking Field Trip Fee?

  Early Childhood students will have a $15 apple-picking field trip fee—defraying the cost of apples, cider, and donuts at the orchard—added to their contracts. If your child opts out of the trip, you may contact the Business Office to have this fee waived.