Published for the Arts Based School Community
December 14, 2023
Winter Break-No School
Dec 19-Jan 2
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert
“There is a kind of classlessness in the theater. The rehearsal pianist, the head carpenter, the stage manager, the star of the show - all are family.” - John Kander
Ovation Sound is on the verge of opening an elegant new location, two doors down from The Arts Based School’s North campus. The owners have transformed an old, unused space into a sleek, state-of-the-art recording studio. The two-story recording space is dramatically overlooked from above by the engineering station. The walls pop with unique and beautiful art, made from materials that absorb sound and prevent unwanted reverberation.
Bill Stevens, one of the owners, is father of two daughters who attend ABS. He has been enormously generous in his volunteerism over the years, providing recordings, videos, and rare opportunities for learning.
Bill will be offering afterschool programming beginning in the new year, piloting his new series: Standing Ovation Enrichment Program to Arts Based School 7th and 8th graders only. This week, 7th and 8th grade students have been walking the few steps to the new gem of a studio to see it, hear a bit about it, and ask questions. At these sessions, Bill explains that performers are the obvious stars of any show, but the people in the background are every bit as important. They supply the amplification, lighting, sound effects, recordings, costuming, and organization that make a performance possible, and they all work as a team. His goal is to serve students who are curious about how that backstage magic is made, and the learning will be enhanced by visits from some of the area superstars in these fields.
Ovation Sound has been a landmark community business here for decades, serving individuals, bands of all descriptions, churches, colleges and universities, orchestras and ensembles, podcast presenters, and audiobook readers…anyone at all who needs to make a fine audio recording. The owner-engineers, Bill Stevens and Evan Richey, are both excellent musicians themselves, who can play, arrange, record, engineer, mix, livestream, even video a recording session. We congratulate them on the enormous accomplishment of creating a dream studio, and we are grateful to be invited in!
Watch for more information about the Standing Ovation Enrichment Program here. Spots will fill up quickly, and no transportation will be required, as students will be escorted to the studio immediately after school, rain or shine.
NC School Report Card
Each year the North Carolina School Report Card provides a comprehensive resource for information about student achievement, the school environment and student safety at the state, district and school levels. Congratulations to our students and teachers for their hard work. We are very proud of the work everyone has done to meet and exceed the State’s expected academic growth!
To see our school’s report card click on the following link:
News from Parent Council
The next meeting is scheduled for December 15 at 8:30am at the MLK building cafe.
School Calendar 2024-25
The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2024-25. If you would like to review the draft calendar and provide feedback, please respond to this form.
School Calendar Considerations
- 180 days of instruction
- Major breaks coincide with WS/FC schools
- Trimester system allows teacher workdays to coincide with parent/teacher conferences
- Begin school year earlier than WS/FC school to secure enrollment and fill from waiting list
- Snow Make up days are built into calendar throughout the school year
- Gather input from teachers, staff, and parents
Sign Up for After School Band and Percussion - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades
After school ensembles will start up again during the week of January 8. If your student is already participating and would like to continue, please sign up again so we have a refreshed roster. If your student would like to join up, find more information and sign up HERE.
Volunteer Opportunity Tomorrow!
Get double your hours by helping us pack up the 3rd grade sets and move them to the basement for storage. Meet us at the ABS North theater Friday at 1:20. This task should take about one hour. No need to sign up, just come if you can!
Crisis Control Food Drive
K-Kids and Builders Club are sponsoring a canned food drive for Crisis Control Ministries, a non-profit organization which provides food for the needy in our community. Please bring non-perishable items in cans and boxes (no glass containers, please). Items will be collected in a hallway location outside each grade level and in the lobby of the 7th St building.. This drive will end Friday, Dec. 15.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, ABS will announce school closings on local TV channels, under “The Arts Based School”. This information will also be posted on the ABS website (www.artsbasedschool.com).
Prospective Parent Tours
School tours for prospective parents begin in October. They are scheduled weekly on Tuesdays at 9:30am at South Campus and Thursdays at 9:30am at North Campus. Each tour is limited to 10 adults in an effort to limit the disruption to our students and teachers in the classrooms. Parents interested in learning more about ABS and how to enroll their child, should contact the front office to sign up for a tour. 748-4116 ext 1023. Applications will be accepted beginning January 1. The lottery will be held the second Tuesday of February.
Ways to get involved and learn more about ABS:
- Follow us on Social Media
- Read and Review the Student/Parent Handbook
- 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