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ABS Thursday Notes- January 18, 2024

Published for the Arts Based School Community

January 18, 2024


How We Do It and Why

By Mary Siebert


“We left feeling that we had just visited the best school in the nation…a  belief  I am sure we are not alone in having!  The joy of teaching was so apparent in your teachers and staff. And the students were all so engaged! We applaud your commitment to respecting the individuality of each child, and to the positive/creative/nurturing way that you help them grow. We saw beauty everywhere. Not obligatory displays of a talented few, but a celebration of the imaginations of all. You truly are building healthy, confident, aware and participatory citizens. We are trying to remain hopeful that our daughter will be lucky, that her number might be called to attend ABS, if not this year perhaps the next.”

 – ABS applicant, after a school tour.


The glowing evaluation above, written by a parent who is also a professor at UNCSA, is a reminder of how many people love our school and would like for their children to attend. Unfortunately, this parent was among the hundreds of families who are disappointed each year. We wish we could accept more students; it is hard to turn anyone away.


On the second Tuesday of February, the annual ABS lottery will take place. The lottery is required by the state, and we follow guidelines with care. We use an automated enrollment and lottery system that manages siblings, twin pairings, weighted applications, waitlists, and enrollment forms. It is secure and password protected. Before this technological leap, we had gathered for the lottery in one room, with prospective parents. They waited for hours on hard lunchroom benches, watching as we drew meticulously numbered, gumball-sized balls out of a bingo turner and announced each name, one by one. With nearly 500 applicants in some years, it was a long process.


It’s exciting for us that our school is beloved and that so many families hope to join our community. It’s also painful that we have to turn many away. This community desire for children to be educated at a school like ours was the inspiration for our second campus, the “Arts Based School South” in the Happy Hill neighborhood. The South campus currently serves K-2 and is growing by one grade level each year.  


We hope that children who are not able to attend ABS will encounter schools invigorated by the current educational reforms which lean toward the National Education Association’s “Four Cs”: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration, and we offer sincere thanks to all of you who continue to entrust us with caring for your children. 


The enrollment application to the ABS Lottery for new students may be found HERE.


Deadline to apply: January 31 at 3:00 p.m.



Student Intent for 2024-25 School Year

As we prepare for next year’s enrollment lottery (2024-25), it is important to know how many spaces are available in each grade. As a current student, your child has priority placement and no additional action is required. If your child is not returning to ABS for the 2024-25 school year, please notify Director Hollis. 


Siblings of students also receive priority, but must fill out an enrollment application. You must complete an application for the 2024-25 school year for siblings of current students in order to reserve a space before the lottery.  The deadline for receiving applications is Jan 31 at 3pm. Applications are available on our school website under enrollment.

 

News from Parent Council

PC Council meeting recording and minutes- Friday 1/12 at 1230 via zoom.  

School Calendar 2024-25

The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2024-25.   Last week, the WSFC school board adopted a significantly different calendar with an earlier start date and spring break in March.  The School Leadership team is working to create additional calendar options for ABS in light of these changes.  We will share additional drafts soon for your feedback.   Stay tuned…


School Calendar Considerations

  • 185 days of instruction/or 1025 hours 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

 

 

2024 Summer Camps

Mark your calendar NOW and set a reminder for February 8! Registration for ABS summer camps will open to ABS families February 8. We can't wait to share all the details with you soon! 

 

January Raffle Winners

Congratulations to our January Asst Principals for the Day- Colten Parker and Mattie Kahill.  Each will spend a day shadowing the Principal and taking care of the important duties of the day. We hold drawings every month at Friday Sing! You can purchase raffle tickets online to give your child a chance to be Assistant Principal of the Day. Assistant Principals have their own desk, name tag, and list of very important duties for the day. All proceeds from the raffle support our teacher appreciation fund and allow us to do special things for our staff throughout the year. Thank you, and good luck!

 


January Jam- Friday, January 19th 2:45-4:00pm for grades 5-8

For $5 we will provide a fun afternoon with a live DJ,  music, and dancing in the 7th St. Building from 2:45 to 4:00pm.  Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase (prices will range from $1-$3 for drinks, chips, and candy.). All parents must park in a marked spot and come inside to pick up students at or before 4:00.  Permission Slip and Money must be turned in by Thursday, Jan 18th at 3:00pm.   Students will not be permitted to stay without a permission slip.  This event is only for students in grades 5-8.


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 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, 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 are accepted January 1 -31 . The lottery will be held the second Tuesday of February. Open House Tour of South Campus (962 Mock St) will be held January 25, 5-6pm.

 


Ways to get involved and learn more about ABS:


 

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