- Black Water Middle School
- Attendance and Registration
Student Enrollment/Registration Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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For our Black Water families in need of assistance with registration, we will once again be offering our Registration Assistance Center. However, due to a limited number of computers available for registration use, this availability will be by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please contact our registration team at bwmregistration@horrycountyschools.net or the following website: https://tinyurl.com/2022registrationassistance.
Birth Certificate
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Is a birth certificate required to enroll my student? (BC)
Yes. S.C. Code Ann. §§ 59-63-20 to 30 and S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 43-272 governs the age and qualifications of children attending public schools in South Carolina. Under these statutes and this regulation, Horry County Schools (HCS) has a legal obligation to verify an enrolling student's age and legal name and to establish the legal guardianship of the child.
Because we use the enrolling student's birth certificate to not only verify the student's age, but to also establish the legal guardianship of the enrolling student, we can no longer accept "short form" birth certificates or "certificate cards." An enrolling student's birth certificate must contain at least one of the child's parents' names.
Need a copy of a birth certificate?
- For students born in South Carolina, visit www.scdhec.gov/vital-records/birth-certificates for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
- For students born in other states, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
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Is a "long form" copy of my student's birth certificate required to enroll? (BC)
Yes. Because we use the enrolling student's birth certificate to not only verify the student's age, but to also establish the legal guardianship of the enrolling student, we can no longer accept "short form" birth certificates or "certificate cards." An enrolling student's birth certificate must contain at least one of the child's parents' names.
Need a copy of a birth certificate?
- For students born in South Carolina, visit www.scdhec.gov/vital-records/birth-certificates for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
- For students born in other states, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
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Is there a way to request a new copy of my student's birth certificate? (BC)
Need a copy of a birth certificate?
- For students born in South Carolina, visit www.scdhec.gov/vital-records/birth-certificates for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
- For students born in other states, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w for instructions on obtaining your student's birth certificate.
Immunization Records
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Is a SC Certificate of Immunization required to enroll my student? (CI)
Yes. S.C. Code Ann. § 44-29-180 and S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 61-8 governs the immunization requirements for school attendance in South Carolina. S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 61-8 specifically requires Horry County Schools (HCS) to ensure that "no child...be admitted to or retained in any...school, grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12)...without a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization" or an authorized exemption.
To comply with this requirement, HCS requires one of the following certificates before a student's enrollment:
- SC Certificate of Immunization (DHEC 2740 or DHEC 4024)
- SC Certificate of Religious Exemption (DHEC 1126)
- SC Certificate of Special Exemption (DHEC 1123)
Need a copy of your student's immunization record?
- In South Carolina, visit www.scdhec.gov/frequently-asked-questions-vaccinations for instructions on obtaining your student's immunization record.
- Nationally, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/iis/contacts-locate-records.html for instructions on obtaining your student's immunization record.
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I only have an immunization record from another state. Can I still enroll my student? (CI)
Yes. Please submit the most up-to-date immunization record that you have. A member of our Student Health Services team will review your student's immunization record and will issue a SC Certificate of Immunization or contact you with questions regarding your student's immunizations.
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My student's immunization records are in another state or on file at the previous school. Can I still enroll my student? (CI)
Yes. However, within thirty (30) days of the student's enrollment date, we must receive verification of the student's current immunizations. Often, immunization records are forwarded to us along with the student's academic record.
Proof of Residency
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Is Proof of Residency (POR) required to enroll my student? (POR)
Yes. S.C. Code Ann. §§ 59-63-30 to 32 and Horry County Schools (HCS)'s Policy on the Admission of Resident Students governs the qualifications for attendance at particular schools within the district. Under these statutes and this policy, we must verify that enrolling students maintain residency within our attendance area.
To comply with this requirement, we require one of the following documents in the name of the enrolling student's parent(s) or legal guardian showing the enrolling student's physical address:
- a monthly utility (e.g., electric, gas, water, or sewer) bill dated within the last 30 days (cell phone bills are not accepted),
- a signed rental lease, sales, or construction contract, or
- a receipt and letter on the property's letterhead indicating that the enrolling student is staying long-term in a hotel or rental condominium.
Depending on the enrolling students' circumstances, we will accept one of the following in place of the above documents:
- an Affidavit of Student's Domicile,
- an Affidavit of Guardianship (accompanied by the guardian's valid proof of residency), or
- an approved In-District Transfer Request form.
A handout summarizing the residency verification document requirements is provided here in English or here in Spanish.
When submitting a picture of proof of residency documents via online forms or email, make sure that the entire document is visible. Utility bills used as proof of residency must show the "service location" along with the mailing or billing address.
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My student and I reside with extended family and I have no valid Proof of Residency documents in my name. Can I still enroll my child? (POR)
Yes, most likely. In certain circumstances, we can provide you with an Affidavit of Residency that must be notarized. The head-of-household with whom you reside must also attach one of the Proof of Residency documents in his/her name to this affidavit. Contact our registration team at bwmregistration@horrycountyschools.net for more information.
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My student and I reside in a long-term hotel. Can i still enroll my student? (POR)
Yes. We can provide you with an Affidavit of Student Domicile that must be notarized. In addition to the affidavit, you must provide a valid receipt dated within the 30 days of enrollment showing where you have paid for room rental and a letter on property letterhead indicating that you and the student are staying long-term in a hotel or rental condominium.
Contact our registration team (bwmregistration@horrycountyschools.net) for more information.
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My student been approved for an In-District Transfer. Do I have to provide Proof of Residency? (POR)
Yes. Please provide a copy of the In-District Transfer approval email you received from the Division of Student Services. This email serves as your Proof of Residency.
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Is my photo ID or voter registration card an acceptable Residency Verification document?
No, not by itself. A driver's license, state-issued identification card or voter registration card may be used to verify an address but can not serve as the sole evidence.
Parental Custody & Guardianship
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S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-30 governs the qualifications of children attending public schools in South Carolina. Under this statute, Horry County Schools (HCS) has a legal obligation to verify an enrolling student's legal name and to establish the legal guardianship of the child.
Typically, we use the enrolling student's birth certificate to verify the student's age and legal name and to establish to whom custody of the enrolling student belongs. (See the section on Birth Certificates for specific requirements.)
Under the following circumstances, the custodial parent must provide certain additional documents:
- In cases where the enrolling student's parents are divorced or legally separated, the custodial parent must present the court order granting custody to school personnel and any issues addressed before enrollment. It should be noted that per S.C. Code Ann. § 63-17-20(B), the custody of a child born out of wedlock is solely in the natural mother unless the mother has relinquished her rights to the child.
- In the case of guardianship (not to be confused with parental custody), the enrolling student's legal guardian must present the court order establishing guardianship to school personnel and any issues addressed before enrollment.
A state affidavit can be used for enrollment in specific circumstances as set forth in state law (S.C. Ann. §§ 59-63-31 to 32).
In-District Transfers
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Student transfer applications will be accepted beginning April 4, 2022, through June 30, 2022.
Students who wish to attend a school other than the school assigned for their residence are required to complete an application for a student transfer. HCS does not provide transportation for approved elective transfers. Transfers may be denied if the school requested in the transfer application is at, or over, capacity.
Transfer requests are approved only for the period comprising a single academic year except as noted in the following sentence. Transfer requests do not have to be submitted for a student to remain in the same school or the next level in the attendance area (i.e., elementary to middle school) for which his/her transfer request was previously approved as long as he/she meets the same conditions that led to the prior approval.
Frequently Used Documents
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- Affidavit of Residency
This affidavit is used when the enrolling student resides in a household of residence where there is no valid proof of residency document in the enrolling student's parents' name(s). - Affidavit of Student's Domicile
This affidavit is a general residency affidavit used to verify residency for all enrolling students. - Residency Verification Document Requirements
This handout explains the documents required of an enrolling student's parent/guardian to verify residency.
- Affidavit of Residency
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- Declaración Jurada de Residencia
Esta declaración jurada se utiliza cuando el estudiante que se inscribe reside en un hogar de residencia donde no hay un documento válido de prueba de residencia a nombre de los padres del estudiante que se inscribe. - Declaración Jurada de Domicilio del Estudiante
Esta declaración jurada es una declaración jurada de residencia general que se usa para verificar la residencia de todos los estudiantes que se inscriben. - Requisitos del documento de verificación de residencia
Este folleto explica los documentos requeridos del padre/tutor de un estudiante que se inscribe para verificar la residencia.
- Declaración Jurada de Residencia