Published for the Arts Based School Community
July 21, 2022
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 17
(Staggered entry for Kindergarten students)
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert
“If a man believes and expects great things of himself, it makes no odds where you put him, or what you show him … he will be surrounded by grandeur.” – Henry David Thoreau
Why integrate the arts into classroom instruction?
- The arts channel energy into productive learning, incorporating higher-level thinking and putting the application of knowledge into practice.
- Authentic problem-solving opportunities are presented within arts endeavors.
- Mastering the arts requires engagement, repetition, discipline, accuracy, and focused application, resulting in delight, deep recall, and increased self-esteem.
- Integration allows other subject matter to “hitch a ride” with the energy of the arts.
- When you use the arts, students’ brains are fully engaged.
- Integration enables the instructor to teach several subjects simultaneously.
- When learning through personal, artistic expression, students “own” integrated knowledge, which helps them retain it. When you create art, you care about it.
- Integration provides an answer to the question: “When would I ever use this math?”
Here’s when you might use this math:
- Basketry measurement
- Volume measurement and ratio in paint mixing
- Counting and fractions in music and music notation
- Measurement and scale in set design
- Measurement in costuming
- Geometry in graphic design and dance
- Number patterns in choreography
- Calculation of space, weight, and balance in architecture and sculpture
- Financial challenges of becoming an arts entrepreneur or a producer
…and finally, performances and art exhibitions provide authentic goals that inspire individual and collaborative excellence.
- When students have a targeted performance date, they all care and hold one another accountable for preparation and quality.
- Students strive to offer their very best work when they know an audience is coming.
- Students collaborate in fresh, inventive ways, to create performances.
- Students learn from one another and adjust standards upward when inspired by the observance of excellence in others.
- Students learn to appreciate and accept individual ideas, through performance.
- Performances are real-world assessments, where effort and product are valued.
- The opportunity to have individual expression recognized and valued builds self-esteem, inspiring even greater efforts.
Fall Enrollment Forms for All Returning and New Students due August 9
We ask all families to please take a moment to register your ABS student(s) for the new school year. ABS is using the software platform Enrollease to facilitate this process this year. Please register with Enrollease here. Once you have an account, you will login here, and then please complete the 2022-23 Required Student Form for each of your children who attend the Arts Based School. The required Student Form is due August 9. Thank you!
ABS North and ABS South
In searching for the best way to distinguish between our original ABS campus and the second ABS campus, we’ve landed on designations based on the compass: ABS North is situated at 1380 N Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, and ABS South is 962 Mock Street. We know we’ll all get the hang of the new names soon!
ABS Family Portal Access
Access to our ABS Family Portal will be switching over to new credentials for the 2022-23 school year. Currently enrolled families will receive login information via email. The ABS Family Portal is your source for a great deal of information that is not publicly available on our website, including class lists, a family directory, links to videos of our past productions, and more. If you need help logging in, please let us know!
ABS Student Handbook
The updated Parent/Student Handbook is now available on our website
After School Care Registration for 2022-23
We are happy to offer an in-house after school care program! Our After School Care program is offered Monday-Friday, from the end of the school day until 6pm. On some days when school is not in session, full day care may be available from 8am - 5:30pm. More detailed information on After School Care is available in the Parent Handbook. Please contact Tammy Dunlap, Aftercare Registration Coordinator, with any questions.
School Calendar and Important Dates
The approved 2022-23 school calendar is available here, and you can integrate it with your calendar by using the following ID:
- artsbasedschool.com_vkd7f3c0apsjevptjdbl6gtdk4@group.calendar.google.com
Important dates coming up (details below):
- July 26: ABS North Playdate
- July 27: ABS South Playdate
- August 3: New Parent Orientation
- August 9: Fall Registration Forms Due via Enrollease
- August 11 & 12: Special Visits
- August 15: Back to School Night
- August 17: First Day of School
New Student Playdates
We're bringing back an old tradition! We will host a playdate for our incoming Kindergarteners at local parks; an informal opportunity to meet one another and play. We've reserved the shelters at the splash parks for these events.
- July 26 10am-12:30
- ABS North K Play Date- Hathaway Park 301 Anita Dr.
- July 27 10am-12:30
- ABS South K and 1st graders Play Date-Happy Hill Park 1230 Alder St
Prospective Parent Tours
School tours for prospective parents are scheduled weekly this summer on Thursdays at 9:30am. Parents interested in learning more about ABS and how to enroll their child, should contact the front office to sign up for a tour. 336-748-4116. We have a few available first grade spots at ABS South! Spread the word!
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 were emailed to parents July 18, and school supply lists are posted in the parent portal here.
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.
Class Representatives for 2022-23 School Year
Did you love being a class representative or want to give it a try for next year? If you are interested in a class or specialist representative position for the upcoming school year, please let our Parent Rep Coordinator Aaron Willey know! We are starting to plan for next year and will make assignments soon.
Ways to get involved and learn more about ABS:
- Follow us on Social Media
- Catch up on Thursday Notes you may have missed
- Explore the ABS website
- Make sure we have best contact information so that you receive all communications