Admin

Registration & Residency

Welcome to the Berlin Public Schools! We are excited to be part of your child(ren)'s educational journey and look forward to working with you to ensure your child(ren)’s success.    

Before beginning the registration process, please carefully read the information below.

RETURNING STUDENTS: If your child has previously attended the Berlin Public Schools, please contact Margarita Alahverdian at Central Office before starting the registration process.

 

NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION

Please click on the link below to begin the new student registration process.

ATTN: Please do not start registration for a preschool student unless your child has been accepted into the program.  If you have any questions regarding Pre-K registration, please call JoAnn Walicki at 860-829-6795.  

Favor de no completar la registración pre-escolar a menos que el estudiante haya sido aceptado en el programa.  Para preguntas concernientes a matrícula pre-escolar, favor de llamar a JoAnn Walicki al número 860-829-6795.

NOTE: This site is best viewed on a desktop, laptop or tablet.


Although the process can be started, saved and returned to at a later time, it is suggested that you have the following items readily available to upload before beginning the registration process:

Berlin Public Schools Registration Required Documents

  • Age Verification
    Long form of student’s birth certificate
  • Immunizations/Physical
  • Parent/Guardian Identification
    - Parent/guardian photo I.D.
    Custody legal document (if applicable)
  • Residency Verification – 2 Forms
    - Mortgage statement showing parent’s name and address (less than 60 days old) and
    One utility bill showing parent’s name and address (less than 60 days old)
  • Previous School  – 1 Form
    - Student Transfer form - Please click the link to print and sign the form.

For questions regarding new student registration, please contact Sue McNally:
Phone: (860) 829-6792
Email: [email protected]



PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION

The Berlin Public Schools offers a variety of services and programs for preschool children who are 3+ years old. Children become eligible to participate in different ways:
  • Through Berlin Public Schools’ yearly town-wide preschool screening program;
  • Parents can refer their preschooler to the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) because they have concerns
  • The preschooler has been identified with special needs before their third birthday through the Birth-to-Three System and has been referred to us as they approached their third birthday; or
  • Through our “peer models” lottery system.
Once a parent/guardian receives notification of acceptance, they may register their child for the preschool program using the online New Student Registration link. More information can be found on the Berlin Preschool Learning Center webpage.

Please contact the Special Education Department at 860-828-6581 for more information concerning preschool registration.

Please do not start registration for a preschool student unless your child has been accepted into the program.  If you have any questions regarding Pre-K registration, please call JoAnn Walicki at 860-829-6795.  

NOTE: 24-25 NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Kindergarten Age Change

On June 29, 2023, the Connecticut Legislature changed how old a child must be to start kindergarten. Public Act 23-208, Section 1(a) changed the birth date cutoff from January 1 of any given school year to September 1 of any given school year. This is consistent with the large majority of states in our country and is well supported by research.

Berlin Public Schools will transition to this new law over the next two years. We understand that childcare is an issue and hope that this will help families plan.

Kindergarten Age Requirements for 2024-2025:
Any child who will be five years of age on or before September 1, 2024, and meets all residency requirements is eligible to begin kindergarten at the start of the 2024 - 2025 school year.

  • Caregivers of children who are not five years old on or before September 1, 2024 need to request a waiver by making a written request to their child’s future principal.
  • Children will have to take part in an assessment administered by the district.
  • The district will make a recommendation regarding whether the child is deemed ready to start kindergarten at four years old.
  • For this year only, parents will have the opportunity to override the educational staff’s recommendation, thus allowing four-year-olds to start school.

Kindergarten Age Requirements for 2025-2026 and thereafter:
Any child who will be five years of age on or before September 1, 2025, and meets all residency requirements is eligible to begin kindergarten at the start of the 2025 - 2026 school year.
  • Caregivers of children who are not five years old on or before September 1 need to request a waiver by making a written request to their child’s future principal.
  • Children will have to take part in an assessment administered by the district.
  • The district will make a recommendation regarding whether the child is deemed ready to start kindergarten at four years old; this will be a rare exception. The decision of the district stands and parents will not have the ability to override this decision.




 

For questions regarding kindergarten registration, please contact Jackie Dunn:
Phone: (860) 828-5741 
Email: [email protected]

New Kindergarten Age Requirements for 2024-2025 New Kindergarten Age Guidance for Families: Arabic
New Kindergarten Age Guidance for Families: English
New Kindergarten Age Guidance for Families: Haitian Creole
New Kindergarten Age Guidance for Families: Portuguese
New Kindergarten Age Guidance for Families: Spanish

As there are times throughout the year that multiple school years are options for registering, please be sure to select the appropriate school year’s registration tab when registering.

If you would like to add your child to our database of future students, please contact the Board of Education at 860-828-6581.

Kindergarten Orientation
Kindergarten Orientation is usually held in the month of April. To be certain you receive future communication about kindergarten events and happenings, please be sure to complete the kindergarten registration forms online

Exercising your Option to Withhold your Child
Parents have the option not to send their kindergarten eligible child who is 4 or 5 years of age to school until the child is 6 or 7 years of age. If you decide to elect to exercise your option to withhold your child from kindergarten in the Berlin Public Schools, please complete and return to the Board of Education a School Attendance Option Form. You will have an opportunity to meet with school personnel. Please note that this form must also be returned if your child will be attending a private or magnet school for kindergarten.

WHERE WILL MY CHILD ATTEND SCHOOL?

A list of streets and corresponding elementary schools is available here District Street Listing.

WHAT FORMS DO I NEED TO FILL OUT?

Parents/guardians will be asked to complete the following: Additional forms that may be required, if applicable:

 

 

 

MAGNET/TECHNICAL/NON-PUBLIC REGISTRATION

Magnet, Technical/Vo-Ag Schools, or St. Paul in Kensington

Parents of students who are attending these schools, register them through the schools’ regular processes.

All students who are enrolled in magnet or out-of-town Technical/Vo-Ag schools need to prove residency on an annual basis. Please fill out the correct form and return it to the Board of Education by August 1. If documentation is submitted late, then transportation may be delayed 1 - 2 weeks after the start of the school year.

Students attending out-of-town Technical/Vo-Ag schools or St. Paul in Kensington are required to be registered in order to receive transportation.

 

 

Forms and attachments may be dropped off at the Board of Education, emailed to Kim Pethigal ([email protected], or faxed to 860-829-0832.)

CURRENT STUDENT CHANGE OF ADDRESS

If you are a current resident and need to update your address, please log into your PowerSchool account and complete the Change of Address form for your child(ren) online. Once you have logged into your account, the link to the form can be found in the left navigation panel under FORMS. Proof of residency documents can be uploaded at that time. If you are unable to upload the required documents, require assistance or need additional information, please contact Kimberly Pethigal at E-Mail.

Transportation changes and changes to the student's mailing address cannot be made before proof of residency is received. Please refer to the Transportation webpage for additional information.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How is Berlin residency defined?
In order to attend Berlin Public Schools, a student must primarily reside in the Berlin school district. A student's primary residence is the place where he/she dwells permanently, not temporarily, and is the place that is the center of his or her domestic, social, and civic life. Temporary residence, solely for the purpose of attending Berlin Public Schools, shall not be considered permanent residency. The primary residence of a minor child is normally presumed to be the legal residence of the parent(s) or guardian(s) who have physical custody of the child. Any student 18 years or older may establish a residence apart from his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) for school attendance purposes but must still meet all residency requirements.

How is residency verified?
Parents/guardians or a student, if 18 years or older, registering for school or changing addresses within the Berlin school district, are required to demonstrate proof of residency. Residency is established by submitting a minimum of (2) two documents from a list of authorized documents. A photo ID is also required at the time of registration or when submitting a change of address. In order to verify residency, we reserve the right to request additional documents and/or to conduct an investigation. Because residency can change for students and their families during the school year, a request for verification of residency may be made at any time.

What if I am unable to upload the required residency or other documents when I register online?
Please be sure that you are using a computer or laptop (not a cell phone) when uploading documents in PowerSchool. Please call 860-829-6782 for assistance in uploading documents.

What does the term “host” refer to?
If a student, either with or without his/her family, is not living in his/her own home but is living with a legal Berlin resident who has a dwelling that is leased or owned and occupied in the legal Berlin resident’s own name, that legal Berlin resident is referred to as the “host.”

Why must I provide a photo ID?
A photo ID is required for all registration and changes of address as proof that the person making the application matches documentation for parent/guardian status and is also the person whose name is associated with the residency documents. Acceptable photo identification includes:
  1. Valid Driver’s License
  2. Valid Connecticut Non-Driver’s License ID Card
  3. Passport
  4. Military ID
  5. Another current ID that includes both your photo and legal name may be approved by the Berlin Board of Education.

Why can’t I submit a wallet-sized birth certificate instead of the long form birth certificate?
In order to ensure that the person registering the student has the authority to do so, a long form birth certificate is required because it lists the student’s parents’ names.

Where can I obtain a long form birth certificate for my child?
If the student was born in Connecticut, you can obtain a long form birth certificate from the town where the student’s birth occurred, from the town where the mother was living at the time of the birth, or at the Connecticut Department of Public Health. If the student was born out of state, you can find more information here - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm.

Why must students attending out-of-town magnet schools register with Berlin Public Schools?
Students that attend out-of-town magnet schools are required to be registered and meet residency requirements so that as a school district, we can assure Berlin residents that we are only paying tuition to magnet schools for students that reside in the Berlin district.

What is a Notarized Landlord Affidavit?
If you are a tenant at will (month-to-month), or your lease has expired, or you do not have a written lease in place, please have your landlord complete and have notarized a Notarized Landlord Affidavit for Host Form. This document will fulfill Category A of the residency requirements.

What if I own my home and want to submit a copy of the deed as proof of residency in Category A but don’t have a copy?
Contact the financial institution that handled your mortgage or the Berlin Tax Assessors Office at (860) 828-7105 or visit their website at https://www.town.berlin.ct.us/department/index.php?structureid=120.

What if I do not pay for utilities or if none of the utility bills are in my name?
If you live in a household where all utilities are in someone else’s name, please choose (2) two of the acceptable residency documents from Category C on the Required Proof of Residency Documents chart. Submission of a utility bill may still be required to prove that the residence is occupied.

What if I have recently moved and do not yet have a utility bill?
To fulfill the Category B requirement on the Required Proof of Residency Documents chart, you may submit a work order from any utility company stating that your service has been ordered or installed. Most utility companies will provide the service customer with a “Service Verification Letter” by calling their customer service hotline at 1-800-286-2000. Please ask Eversource to email you a service verification letter which you can then upload in PowerSchool.

Is a cell phone bill an acceptable document?
No. Only a home telephone (landline) bill satisfies this requirement.

What if I am over 18 and no longer live with my parents?
Any person eighteen (18) years of age or older may establish a residence separate and apart from his or her parents or guardians for school attendance purposes. However, the student will still be required to submit the required residency documents bearing their name and address.

What if I reside with a friend or relative?
If you voluntarily share housing with a friend or relative that permanently resides in Berlin, a Residency Affidavit Packet for the family or student over 18 living with a “host” is required. Ask the person you are living with (called the Host hereafter) to complete the Residency Affidavit and have his/her signature notarized to affirm your residence. Please note, under these residency circumstances, both the host and the parent/guardian are required to prove residency in Berlin as described in the Residency Affidavit.

If you are temporarily “doubled up” with a friend or relative due to economic hardship, loss of housing, or a similar reason, you may qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. For questions, please contact our McKinney-Vento Liaison, Michelle Zeuschner, Ed.D., at (860) 828-6581.

What if just the student resides with a friend or relative?
The primary residence of a minor child (under the age of 18) is presumed to be the legal residence of the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) who have physical custody of the child. Sometimes family situations lead to the student living elsewhere. In order to attend Berlin Public Schools, a student must reside in the town of Berlin “permanently.”  Permanently is defined as a student's primary residence and is the place where s/he dwells (7) seven days per week, including weekends, holidays and school vacations. In addition, the Berlin residence is the center of the student’s domestic, social, and civic life and is the location of all of his/her personal effects.

Which documents are required if a student “permanently” lives with a friend or relative?
The Residency Affidavit Packet for a student under 18 living with a “host” is required in this type of student living arrangement. During registration, the Berlin resident that the student permanently lives with, called the “host,” is required to provide the requisite proof of residency in Berlin. For further information on residency, please review the packet carefully.

What if my family is homeless?
Whenever feasible, Berlin Public Schools will minimize the effects of mobility on homeless students by maintaining a stable educational environment. If you are temporarily “doubled up” with a friend or relative due to economic hardship, loss of housing, or a similar reason, the student may qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. Please contact our McKinney-Vento Liaison, Michelle Zeuschner, Ed.D., at (860) 828-6581 for questions or for assistance in registering your child under these circumstances.

What if my family consists of undocumented immigrants?
Any child whose family lives in Berlin is guaranteed access to a free public education. Denying enrollment to children who are not legally admitted into the United States violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. No family will be denied access to school because of immigration status, see Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982). Depending on their housing situation, undocumented residents may be required to submit proof of residency in Berlin.

Will documents that I submit to prove residency remain confidential?
All documents submitted to prove residency will be considered part of the student’s confidential record. Berlin Public Schools will adhere to the standards of confidentiality set forth in state and federal laws in maintenance of these records.

How can I report a suspected violation of the residency policy?
Berlin residents, staff, students, and others can report possible residency violations by contacting the Berlin Board of Education anonymously at (860) 828-6581 or by mailing notification to the Berlin Board of Education, 238 Kensington Road, Berlin, CT 06037.

What are the consequences of residency fraud?
Should any student be discovered to be attending Berlin Public Schools illegally, the student will be immediately withdrawn from school with the right of appeal. In addition, the town of Berlin reserves the right to recover the cost of educational services received as a non-resident from the host(s), parent(s), guardian(s), or student if eighteen (18) years or older.

What is the process for appealing residency decisions?
Pursuant to Section C.G.S. 10-186 (b) (1), to appeal a decision, you may request, in writing, a hearing before the Berlin Board of Education. A hearing before the Board, or a subcommittee thereof, will be scheduled within ten (10) days of the receipt of the written request. The written request for a hearing should be addressed to Brian J. Benigni, Berlin Superintendent of Schools, 238 Kensington Road, Berlin, CT 06037. A student may remain in school until the appeal process is completed.

Who possesses the burden of proving residency for school accommodations?
Pursuant to Section C.G.S. 10-186 (b) (1), the party claiming eligibility for school accommodations shall have the burden of proving such eligibility by a preponderance of the evidence. Typically, the burden is on the parent or guardian.

How do I get a letter from Berlin Public Schools verifying my child’s school enrollment and address for tax purposes?
If you would like a letter prepared to submit for residency verification, including for the State of CT Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), both parents will need to sign and submit the following in writing:
  • Each child’s name, school, grade, address, and date of birth
  • Permission for the Board of Education to release the information
  • A contact number to call when the letter is ready for pick up
The written request can be submitted to the Berlin Board of Education, 238 Kensington Road, Berlin, CT 06037; scanned and sent as an email attachment to [email protected]; or faxed to 860-829-0832. It is our administrative policy that we require this release from both parents in order to divulge information to a third party. Once the written request is received from both parents and all information has been verified, a letter will be prepared that includes each student’s name, date of birth, confirmation that the student attended Berlin Public Schools for the current school year, and the address that we have on record as the home address. Unless otherwise requested, the letter will be addressed, “To whom it may concern.” Please allow up to five business days for preparation of the letter. In lieu of both parents signing the request, a court document showing that one parent/guardian has sole custody may be submitted in place of a second parent/guardian signature.

Who do I contact if I have more questions regarding residency?
You may contact Margarita Alahverdian at the Berlin Board of Education by phone at (860) 829-6782 or by email at [email protected].

 

NOTICE OF LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Language Assistance

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT
Margarita Alahverdian
E-Mail