Published for the Arts Based School Community
July 9, 2026
First Day of School - Monday, August 10 (Staggered entry for Kindergarten)
Happy Summer to our new and returning ABS families! Thursday Notes is our schoolwide, weekly communication for the ABS community. As we close out the last school year and transition to the 2026-27 school year, you will find important information in these weekly Notes and at our school website. All recent and archived Thursday Notes can be found on our website. Enjoy these summer days and we look forward to seeing you all in August.
School Calendar and Important Dates
The approved 2026-27 school calendar is available 2026-27 Student Calendar, on our website Calendar
Important dates coming up (details below):
- July 11: Parent Workday
- July 22: ABS North Campus Playdate
- July 23: ABS South Campus Playdate
- July 27: New Parent Orientation
- August 10: First Day of School (Staggered Entry dates for Kindergarten)
Calling All Volunteers! Help Us Get Ready for a Great New School Year!
As we continue to grow, especially with the exciting addition of fifth grade at our South Campus, we need your help! We’ll be relocating the art room and two classrooms to create space, and we couldn’t do it without our amazing community.
We’re looking for parent volunteers to help us on Saturday, July 11, 9am-12noon, move furniture, distribute materials, assemble shelves and classroom items, and more, at both North and South Campuses. Whether you can lift heavy things or lend a hand organizing, many hands make light work, and every bit of help makes a difference!
Double volunteer hours will be credited for your time during these moving days. Let us know you’re coming by signing up on Parent Workday Form.
Value of Volunteering
Of course, each of you knows that volunteering is an important commitment that each family makes to our school. We ask each family to volunteer one hour per week for each child enrolled at ABS. We welcome and encourage parents to volunteer in a variety of ways—we know that you are people of many talents! Our volunteers help in the classrooms and with schoolwide projects. Ongoing volunteer opportunities are also posted throughout the year in our Thursday Notes. Check out our Volunteer Handbook to learn more.
Kindergarteners Staggered Start
ABS kindergarten students begin the school year with a staggered start. Students in kindergarten will be assigned their first day of school when they receive their class placement. We schedule a third of each class to attend to help students acclimate to their school day and routine. Kindergarteners will only attend one of the first days, either Monday (8/10), Tuesday (8/11), or Wednesday (8/12). Then all kindergarteners will attend together starting Thursday, August 13. The staggered entry schedule does not affect a student’s attendance record.
Kindergarten Required Forms
Parents of kindergarten students are required to provide the school with a copy of the child’s birth certificate, immunization record, and NC Kindergarten Health Assessment form.
New Student Playdates
We're continuing an old tradition! We will host a playdate for our incoming K at local parks, an informal opportunity to meet one another and play. We've reserved the shelters at the splash parks for these events. Hathaway Park is ready for us to use!
- July 22 10am-11:30
- North Campus Kindergarten Play Date- Hathaway Park, 301 Anita Dr
- July 23 10am-11:30
- South Campus Kindergarten Play Date-Happy Hill Park 1230 Alder St
New Parent Orientation
Save the Date- Monday, July 27 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 attend the session at the campus at which your child is enrolled. Please mark your calendars and join us!
Middle School Orientation
Save the Date-Monday, July 27 at 2pm for Middle School Orientation. For new parents (grade 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. Please attend the session at the campus at which your child is enrolled.
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.
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 4 and 5, 2026. Your child’s teacher will be contacting you to schedule a 15-20 minute appointment.
ABS Family Portal Access
Access to our ABS Family Portal will be switching over to new credentials for the 2026-27 school year. Currently enrolled families will receive login information via email next week. 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.
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