Residency
Massachusetts General Law requires that all students attending public school must attend a school in the town where they reside. Since Fairhaven does not participate in School Choice, only students who reside in the Town of Fairhaven may attend Fairhaven Public Schools.
“Residence” is defined as the place where a person lives. As stated in policy JCBA-Student Residence, the Fairhaven School Committee reserves the right to require a variety of records and documentation as well as the right to investigate where a student resides.
Who Must Prove Residency
Parents/Guardians of the following students must prove residency:
- New Students
- Students entering Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 9 (typically requested in late March/early April)
- Students currently registered under a Resident or Landlord Affidavit (required annually, typically in late March/early April)
- This requirement also applies to students planning to attend Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School or Bristol County Agricultural High School
For Fairhaven High School students ONLY: If you are joining us from Acushnet, you must prove your residency with the Town of Acushnet.
How to Prove Residency
To prove residency, you must complete the form and upload the required documents in Aspen. This process must be completed on the full Aspen website using a computer (not the mobile site). If you do not have access to a computer, please contact your student's school for assistance.
STEP 1
Sign In to Your Aspen Account
If you've forgotten your login details or are unsure of your Aspen account information, refer to the guide on How to Recover Your Aspen Login ID and Password.
STEP 2
Initiate the Proof of Residency Form
On the Aspen home page, locate the Proof of Residency form in the right-hand column and click “Initiate.”
A pop-up window will appear with your student(s) name(s). If you have multiple students who require proof of residency, you will need to complete the form for each student individually, one at a time. If your student(s) name is not listed, please contact [email protected].
STEP 3
Complete the Proof of Residency Form
Use the guide below for step-by-step instructions on completing the form and uploading required documents in Aspen.
Acceptable documents for each column are outlined below.
Provide one of the following documents that corresponds to the student's physical address residency type:
- Record of recent mortgage payment and/or property tax bill with parent/guardian name
- Landlord Affidavit with mortgage/property tax bill
- Resident Affidavit with mortgage/property tax bill
- This form must be completed by the Fairhaven resident with whom the student resides (for example, the homeowner) and must be notarized.
- Download the Resident Affidavit
Recent bill dated within the past 60 days showing your name and Fairhaven address. Accepted types:
- Gas Bill
- Excise Tax Bill
- Cable Bill
- House Phone Bill (cell phone bills are not accepted)
- Car Insurance Bill
- Health Insurance Statement with address
- Valid Driver's License or other valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID of all parent(s)/guardian(s) with whom the student resides
Once all sections are complete, submit the form for school review. If there are any issues with the information or documents provided, school staff will contact you directly.