Elementary Registration Day

My daughter's registration for fifth grade was held today at Farmer.   Cars were parked in every slot in Farmer's main lot and that of nearby Ramsey Middle School.   We have been at Farmer since it opened and it has been fascinating to see the registration events evolve and improve each year.  My daughter's teacher impressed us with her responsiveness to our concerns for the coming year, and was enthusiastic, which is a great plus.   The school also did a great job of compiling folders for the parents and checklists that made it easy to verify that you'd filled everything out.   The PTA was there in full force and selling great looking t-shirts.  I was also glad to see that Farmer was moving to a weekly e-newsletter instead of a printed one. 

But, since I'm a critic, here are a couple of things that I'd like to see in the coming years for registration: 

• Online registration or forms that can be printed and completed prior to attending.   I realize that many parents do not have internet access, but this would save a lot of time for those of us who do.
• One check covers every expense.    At my daughter's school there is an activity fee and a supply fee.  Both are separate per grade.   This means that a parent will write at least two checks, and possibly many more.    Shannon Conlon, the principal, acknowledged that she also thought it was a hassle, but explained that the fees need to be kept separate because they go into separate accounts.    Perhaps this can't be avoided, but it would be nice if JCPS could work toward it. 
  

But overall, I was pleased to see a large turnout and smooth registration today.  

Have you attended registration?  How did it go?