Published for the Arts Based School Community
February 1, 2024
2024 ABS 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. Here is a sneak preview of all of the wonderful camps and dates that will be available! Families should sign up for summer camps according to their current 2023-2024 grade level. Contact Ashley Tate at [email protected] with any questions.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
Yes, that's you! We want to know what you think! Please follow the link ArtsBasedSchoolsurvey to a 10-question online survey about our school. Your responses are completely anonymous and help us determine what's working well and what needs more work! Please take a few minutes to complete and submit. Thank you!
School Calendar 2024-25
The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2024-25. The WSFC school board adopted a significantly different calendar with an earlier start date and spring break in March. In response to these changes, the School Leadership team has created additional calendar options for ABS. Please review and consider these options and provide your feedback here. Thanks!
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
- Snow Make up days are built into calendar throughout the school year
- Gather input from teachers, staff, and parents
News from Parent Council
Volunteer Opportunities
We need all hands on deck to help with a set change. We will move the Peter & the Wolf sets out of the theater, and move the Romeo & Juliet sets in, after dismissal on Friday, February 2 at 3:00. Please join Mr. Brown and Mr. Reichmeier in the theater at the North campus. No kids assisting, for safety, but your children may wait on the risers while the magic happens.
- NEW: Pizza Friday cannot happen without volunteers. Each class will be assigned a month, and parent reps should coordinate with their classrooms to fill these volunteer slots.
- Time Commitment: 10:15-12:30pm
- Duties would include:
- sorting pizza/orders into individual baskets (located in the teacher workroom) for each classroom with pizza, milk/juice, fruit.
- Passing out orders to students during lunches in the cafe and assisting with any lunchtime needs.
- Directing students to the front office and/or alerting office staff of any issues with students who don't have lunch.
- Wiping down, stacking and returning baskets to workroom following lunches/classroom pickups (Kinder/1st) in preparation for the following week.
- Alerting office staff of any concerns with pizza, milk/juice or fruit shortages or errors.
ABS - Stock the Fridge - North Campus (7th St. Building) - Middle School
ABS - Stock the Fridge - North Campus (MLK Building) - Elementary
Hi all! In addition to the planned parent council teacher appreciation events, we're hoping to stock the fridge with healthy drinks for teachers and staff to enjoy throughout the day. Check out the signups below for ABS North - MLK and 7th Street buildings - if you're interested in helping!
ABS - North - Sewing Volunteers
Fourth graders are beginning their sewing project! Starting Monday, February 5, each student will be creating a hand-sewn pillow. This will continue through the month of February. We can use several (4-6) volunteers for each 4th grade class to assist tables of students with this project. Previous sewing experience is NOT required but it will come in handy if you have it :-) Fourth grade visits the art room on Monday 8:20-9:00 am, and during the afternoons on Monday-Friday from 1:40-2:20 pm. Feel free to sign up for more than one name in the spaces on the Volunteer Sign-Up sheet. It creates a more enjoyable sewing experience for students when they do not have to wait on only myself to help them.
Pizza Volunteers
The pizza arrives to South Campus close to 10:45. Classrooms begin eating their lunches from 11:30 until 12:30. Our pizza Friday helpers would be a great help to prepare the lunch baskets. ABS South Pizza Volunteer Sign up Sheet
Pizza helpers will:
- Count and Load the pizzas into warmer
- Sanitize returned pizza baskets
- Pack each basket with each class's order of: pizza slices, milk/juice count, fruit cups, and spoons
- Deliver to the classroom 5 minutes prior to lunch time.
- At the end of lunch, turn off the warmer*.
*Once all lunches are delivered, there may be additional lunches/pizza slices please date them, place them in the refrigerator, and notify the office (Ms. Sherell).
Carline Volunteers
We could use at least 2 volunteers a day. Some families like to volunteer on the same day every week for a month. Some families like to volunteer for the year.
Carline Volunteers duty begins at 2:25 and runs until 2:50. Each volunteer will stand at one of the marked colored flags number 1-3.
STAFF FRIDGE STOCKING
If you could offer up a bit of your time and/or beverages, it would be greatly appreciated in making sure that our ABS-South staff feel well supported.
Mad Science Grades 3-5
We are welcoming Mad Science back for our 3rd-5th graders! Mad Science will meet each Wednesday at North Campus. We will start on February 14th and run through April 10th. Click here for more information!
Crazy Running Grades K-4
Crazy Running is back for both campuses! Crazy Running North will be held on Thursdays, and Crazy Running South will be held on Tuesdays. This will run from February 26 for an 8 week season in preparation to train for Crazy Kz Kidz Race (Saturday, April 27th) this season, which is a fundraiser for the WS/FCS Healthful Living Department. Sign up information will be in Thursday packets and you can register at crazyrunning.com.
Welcome
Welcome to Emily Craig, an intern from Wake Forest University. She will be shadowing our school counselor, Allison Carlisle this semester. She is at ABS-North on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
Late Pick Up Policy
Please review our Late Pick Up policy from the Parent Student Handbook.
The regular school day ends at 2:30 for K-4th grade students and 2:45 for 5th-8th graders. Parents should have a ride at school for their child within ten minutes of the student’s dismissal time.
Students who have not been picked up on time will go to the main office in the building appropriate for the oldest child in the family. School personnel will contact the student’s family to inform them that student has not been picked up.
When a parent arrives late, they will be asked to sign the student out. After three late pick-ups, parents will need to meet with the building administrator to make a plan for ensuring on-time pick ups in the future.
At 3:45, any student still at school will be taken to the ABS After School Program until a parent arrives. Families will be charged a $20 fee when this happens.
If no contact has been made with anyone about a late pick up by 3:45, the Winston-Salem Police Department will be contacted to help locate a parent or family member.
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).
Film Camp! Action! Spring Break camp at ABS
This 3-day camp is sure to make spring break creative and fun! Students (Grades 5-8) will learn the basics of acting in front of the camera but also the work that goes into being behind the lens of the camera. Students will create a short film by the end of the camp using a green screen, their own script and storyboard, props, and of course acting. Register here.
Monday-Wednesday, 9-2pm, April 1st-3rd 2024
Around Town…
My Voice, My Story
Join Winston Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. and Bookmarks for a day of stories and creativity February 3rd at Hanesbrands Theatre. This is a free event, open to the public, but registration is required. Here’s the link for more information and registration.
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