ABS Thursday Notes- June 23, 2022

Published for the Arts Based School Community

June 23, 2022

How We Do it and Why

     -Mary Siebert, Arts Director

“I strive to create a place where we all feel safe, appreciated, and included. I know these values are contagious.” - Principal Robin Hollis

Welcome to our new families! Our returning families join our staff in inviting you into the ABS way, where we learn together. We learn not only the standards that the state expects us to learn, but we love going beyond. We are learning together how to tend a community where everyone feels safe, appreciated, and included.

This, of course, is impossible to accomplish with perfection in any organization full of human beings! The important part is the adoption of these values. It is our school’s collective desire, to reach these outcomes, and if ever we don’t, it’s our wish to true ourselves up and try again. Please communicate, if we’re missing anything! Scientists, artists, teachers, and parents all agree: mistakes are the road to growth. (But only if you’re aware of them.)

And…please communicate, when we get it right! Sometimes, when you work as hard as we all do, you forget to celebrate! We have much to celebrate, and much to appreciate. For example:

• We made it through a very challenging year dealing with the pandemic and recovering from it. Hooray!
• We built and ran this cool school for TWENTY consecutive years! Woot woot!
• We’re starting another campus, with two Kindergartens and two 1st grades, which will grow each year. All preparations are zooming happily along!
• We still believe in those values of inclusion, and we still love learning through the arts.
• Parents and students still come back from the wide world to tell us how well-prepared and well-nurtured they were by this school; for high school, for college, for growing up.
• We are still excited to greet and welcome new students, and to see how much our kids grow over the summer. (Always a shock!)

We hope you will all enjoy some great family time, that you’ll reach out with questions, and that you’ll come back with renewed energy when we begin our new year. See you in August!

Back to School Night-Save the Date!

ABS Back to School Night is scheduled for Monday, August 15, 5-8pm.  To ease parking, we will have staggered sessions. More details soon…

Who’s My Teacher?

Classroom teachers met with the grade level team before school was out to create the class rosters for next year.  They use all that they know about your child’s academic, social, emotional, and behavioral qualities to determine which classroom is the best match.   Class placement lists will be sent to parents mid-July.

New Parent Orientation

Save the Date- Wednesday, Aug 3 at 10am for the New K-4 Parent Orientation at ABS.  This program is designed specifically for new families in grades K-4th at ABS to support your transition into ABS and to answer your questions.  Please mark your calendars and join us!

Middle School Orientation

Save the Date-Wednesday, Aug 3 at 2pm for Middle School Orientation.  For new parents (grades 5-8) and also for parents new to middle school.  This program is designed to answer questions about how our middle school program works (grades 5-8) and what to expect.

Special Visits

Educational research shows that the relationship between the student and his or her teacher is one of the most important factors in a student’s academic success.  This critical relationship is enhanced by our small class size and our educators’ commitment to children.  In support of the teacher/student relationship, our teachers will be offering a Special Visit before school begins.  A Special Visit is simply an opportunity for your child to meet his or her teacher in a familiar setting, a chance to learn a bit about the class and what to expect in the coming school year.   This year’s scheduled days for Special Visits are August 11 and 12, 2022.  Your child’s teacher will be contacting you to schedule a 15-20 minute appointment.

Around Town

The Little Theatre of Winston Salem presents The Sound of Music June 10-26, and the show features a number of ABS students in important roles. Note that the venue is recommending that this show is best for children 5+, due to its length, which is about 2 and 1/2 hours.