Through the portal, parents don't have to fill out paper forms for annual enrollment, field trip permission, release agreements and other documentation schools ask for each year.

As a parent of two kids, Kory Twyman, principal of T.C. Cherry Elementary School, knows how repetitive it can be to fill out paperwork for multiple kids before school starts back. 

Fortunately, officials at Bowling Green Independent School District are launching online registration to streamline the process for parents. 

Twyman used the system when it became available Wednesday and described it as “definitely a timesaver for me as a parent.” He estimated the new system only took about 10 to 15 minutes to use. 

“I just really feel like it’s gonna be a win-win for schools and parents as well,” he said. 

Letters to parents explaining the new online registration option will be mailed by July 22. Parents can complete most back-to-school paperwork online after they create an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. 

Through the portal, parents don’t have to fill out paper forms for annual enrollment, field trip permission, release agreements and other documentation schools ask for each year. The accounts also allow parents and guardians to track student information about student attendance, grades for students between the third and 12th grades and update changes to contact information. 

“It’s a very simple process to make those changes, whereas before it was not so simple,” Twyman said. 

Carolyn Price helped develop the system as an attendance associate with the city schools. The project began in the late fall after Price attended a professional conference where she learned about online registration. One downside to paper registration was that it had parents filling out multiple packets of information for each of their kids, she said. 

“For those parents who had multiple students, they were starting to ask if there was some other means that we could get the information,” she said. 

Price also expects the savings in paper costs to be significant for the district. She said the reaction’s been “overwhelmingly positive” from parents so far. 

“The parents are very appreciative of the fact that they can fill out most forms online and do so within 10 to 15 minutes,” she said. 

Parents aren’t limited to online registration, however. Price said paper enrollment packets will still be available to parents who prefer it. There will also be online registration events in late July and early August at schools for parents who need extra help or don’t have internet access. 

“We will have Chromebooks set up and staff ready to assist,” Price said. 

Location and times for online registration events in July include:

•Kindergarten screening: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 at W.R. McNeill Elementary School. 

•KinderCamp: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. July 29 at Potter Gray Elementary School. 

•Kindergarten screening: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 29 at W.R. McNeill Elementary School. 

— More information about online registration is available at www.bgreen.kyschools.us/News/22941#sthash.BQwZDwa8.dpbs or by calling 270 746-2200.

— Follow reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @aaron_muddbgdn or visit bgdailynews.com.