Registration FAQ's for Families

A New Student Registration Form submission is required for all new students coming to Arlington, students who attended Arlington previously and are returning to the district, or Pre-K students looking to attend Kindergarten in the Fall.

 

2.How do I find the link for a New Student Registration form?

All Registration forms for Arlington Public Schools can be accessed on this page. Please scroll up to the top and use the quick links bar to immediately navigate to the form needed for your child.

*Please note, at certain points in the year we may have more than one form available to families. If you are uncertain about which form to use, please contact the Registration Office at [email protected].

When you access a form using the links above you will be asked to either create or log into an existing PowerSchool Enrollment account. For parents of existing students this account is completely separate from your PowerSchool SIS Parent Portal account. For support with creating a parent account for Enrollment or for issues with logging in with an existing account please contact the Registration Office.

 

3.How do I register my student for Preschool?

Details on Pre-K Registration, or contact information, can be found on the Menotomy Preschool Website, linked here: https://sites.google.com/arlington.k12.ma.us/mpsfamilies

Or, to go directly to the lottery brochure, please click on the link here:

 

4.Does the application need to be completed in one sitting?

Although you are able to save and come back to the form to complete it at a later time, it is highly recommended to complete the form in one sitting so that you can provide our office with your details.

 

5.What types of questions will be on the form?

In the form you will have the opportunity to provide and respond to the following:

• Student Enrollment Information, Family Demographics, Emergency Contacts, Health Questionnaire and Permissions.
• The Acceptable Use Policy Agreement, Education History and the Home Language Survey.

 

6. Do I need to provide documentation?

Yes, You will need to provide some required supporting documents to complete your application. These documents are necessary to prove residence in Arlington, verify your child(ren)'s age, acknowledge compliance with health regulations and ensure appropriate enrollments. It is best to gather the required documents before filling out the application. Please refer to the "Registration Checklist" for details on the type of documentation that is acceptable.

 

7.What types of files are accepted for these documents?

We can accept scanned files (PDF) or JPEG images. There are several PDF Scanner apps available for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store if you do not have access to a scanner. Please ensure that the information in the documents you provide are clear and legible. If the documents are not clear, you may be asked to either rescan or provide another image of the documents.

 

8.What if I just moved into Arlington, what types of Proof of Residency documents do you accept?

Proof of Residency Documentation from List A:

In the even that you have just moved into Arlington, and are unable to obtain a lease or a deed to your new place of residence, please contact the Registration Office via email: [email protected] and a member of the team will be able to assist you further with what type of documentation we can accept for Proof of Residency from List A.

Proof of Residency Documentation from List B:

If you have just moved into Arlington, most times you will not have access to a most recent electric bill of your new address. Usually, utility companies will provide you with a Letter of Confirmation of Services. This letter will have both your name and new address on it, and we can accept this as one of your documents from List B.

In the event that your utilities are covered under your lease/rental agreement, you can also provide a Letter of Confirmation of Services for a wireless internet service provider (i.e. Verizon, Comcast, RCN). This letter of Confirmation of Services should include your name, and new address.

For further questions on documentation that can be accepted if you just moved into Arlington, please contact the Registration Office at [email protected].

 

9.How do I upload a document?

While filling out the form, there will be areas where you will be instructed to upload specific documentations like proof of residency, birth certifications, or immunization records. Regardless of whether you are accessing the form from a computer or mobile device, the form will allow you to upload documentation as needed.

 

10.What if I would like to drop off my registration documents to the Registration Office?

If you would like to drop off your registration documents to the Registration Office, you can go to the Arlington Community Center:

Arlington Community Center
27 Maple Street
Arlington, Massachusetts 02476

Visitors should report to the main entrance of the Arlington Community Center where you will be directed to the Health and and Human Services/Registration Department on the 2nd floor.

Please make sure the following is completed before you drop off your documents:

1. Your student’s First Name, Last Name, and DOB are clearly written somewhere on the documents you are providing.
2. We strongly recommend that you provide copies, but if you are unable to do so please make sure that our team is aware that you have submitted original copies. Please refer to the section below for further instruction.

Documents supplied to the registration mailbox will be collected ASAP by a member of the registration team. If documents have been dropped off and you need them reviewed earlier than the next collection, please contact the registration office (either via email [email protected] or phone 781-316-3674) and we will ensure to collect your documents in advance of the next scheduled pickup.

If you would prefer to drop documents at your nearest school feel free to do so. Please note, this will delay registration by 2-3 days to account for interoffice transfer time.

 

11.What if I am dropping off Original Copies of documents? How will I get them back?

If you are submitting original documents as part of the registration process these can be returned to you after the enrollment record has been approved. To start please make sure the documents submitted are clearly identified as an original version and need to be returned via a note on the document and the return address.

If you are unable to provide a note with these documents that need to be returned mailed to you, please email the Registration Office ([email protected])  indicating which documents you will need returned to you and at what address. The Registration Office will send you your original documents back via mail.

 

12.What if I do NOT have my Address verification documents, or other required documents?

If you do not have address verification documents, and birth certificates/guardianship documents at the time you are filling out the application, you will still be able to submit the form.

If you do not have the documents at the time you submit the form, a team member from our Registration Office will contact you, or you can email these documents to the Registration email account at [email protected].

 

13.What if my child attended Arlington Public Schools during the previous academic year, do I still need to complete the New Student Registration form?

Yes, according to Arlington Public Schools procedures, we require re-enrolling families to complete a New Student Registration form when returning to the district. The reason for this is so that when your child starts school with us again, we will not be relying on any out of date information provided when they last attended (such as if you have moved to a new address within Arlington, or have updated contact information, you will have the opportunity to make these necessary and important changes with this form).

Once you begin the form, you will be asked to select a Student Type from a drop down list. You may select "Registration for Student Previously Attending an Arlington School".

 

14.What if my child attended Menotomy Preschool, will I need to complete the New Student Registration?

Yes, if your child is in the Transitioning Pre-K program, you are required to complete the New Student Registration Form.

Once you begin the form, after you identify your child as "Kindergarten Registration for Existing Menotomy Preschool Student" you will be prompted to complete an abbreviated or summarized version of the form for this year. As your child has already gone through our system once with New Student Registration for the Preschool we only need certain data points updated and do not need you to complete the entire registration form once again that was submitted last year.

 

15.If I am having connectivity issues how can I be helped to fill out the form?

If you are having connectivity issues with the New Student Registration form please try the following steps

1. 1. Please try to access the form on a computer/laptop that has a Chrome browser installed.
   2. If you encounter any issues using Chrome , recommend trying a different browser, either Firefox or Safari, and see if you experience the same issues.
      1. Note: Please do NOT use Internet Explorer as our forms do not support this browser.
   3. If this does not work, please try to access the form on a different device (i.e. tablet, chrome book), or on your mobile phone.
   4. Check your internet connectivity, and if you continue to experience issues, please try rebooting your router/internet modem and/or calling your internet provider
   5. If you have tried all of these steps above and are still having issues, please contact the Registration Office via email at [email protected].

16. I am on the form and I am having difficulties.

Throughout the form you will find certain answers are required. Please ensure that you have answered all questions marked as required. We have tried our best to make only the most important questions as defined by District Leadership required fields.

*Please note, you will not be able to submit your form if any required questions were not answered.

If you are finding that you cannot submit your form, please go to the summary page ( found by choosing the "Summary" tab on the left hand column of the form). If you have missed any required questions, the summary page will display a red circle identifying that some were missed. You can click on the red circle to return to that page and complete the missing questions.

If you have encounter any issues with required fields that prevent you from submitting the form; please contact the Registration Office at [email protected].

 

17. My family lives in a "Buffer Zone". How will I find out my child's school assignment?

Students who live in buffer zones will be assigned to their school by the Superintendent. You will receive a notice of your buffer zone assignment through the communications via PowerSchool Enrollment. To the extent possible, students will be assigned to their school of preference. If the primary selection was not chosen, parents will have the option to have their child placed on a waitlist for their preferred school. If there is more than one waitlist application on a particular date, the waitlist will be determined by the date of the registration and then by lottery. For more information on buffer zones, please go to:

If you would like to either call or fax information to the Registration Office, please use the following numbers:

Phone: 781-316-3674
Fax: 781-316-3675