Published for the Arts Based School Community
September 17, 2026
Attendance Matters: A Reminder for ABS Families
Regular school attendance is an important part of your child’s academic growth, learning, and success. We know that mornings can sometimes be challenging, and we appreciate your partnership in helping your child arrive at school each day ready to learn.
As a public school, ABS is required to record and report student attendance, including excused and unexcused absences and tardies. North Carolina’s Compulsory Attendance Law (G.S. 115C-378) requires parents and guardians to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school regularly. The law also requires schools to notify families about unexcused absences and provides families an opportunity to explain them.
Reporting an Absence
If your child will be absent, please notify the school office. When your child returns to school, please send documentation explaining the reason for the absence.
Please send all attendance notes to [email protected], rather than directly to your child’s classroom teacher. This includes both parent/guardian notes and doctor’s notes. Centralizing attendance information helps us maintain accurate records and meet state reporting requirements. Thank you for helping us keep our attendance records accurate and up to date.
A Few Important Reminders About Tardies
School begins promptly at 8:15 a.m. Students may arrive between 7:45 and 8:10 a.m. Please do not drop off your child before 7:45 a.m. Children should remain in your vehicle until the student entrance opens at 7:45 a.m.
Students are considered tardy if they are not in their classroom by 8:15 a.m. The student entrance will be locked at 8:15 a.m. If you arrive after 8:15 a.m., please park and escort your child to the Front Office entrance to sign in.
Under our local attendance policy, ten unexcused tardies or early checkouts count as one unexcused absence for attendance purposes.
We’re Here to Help
We care about your child’s success, and we want to work with families to address any concerns that may be affecting attendance. If your family is experiencing circumstances that are making regular attendance difficult, please reach out to the school office. We are happy to talk with you and explore ways we can support your child. Thank you for helping your child develop the habit of being at school consistently and on time. Every school day is an opportunity to learn, connect, create, and grow!
View the Full ABS Attendance Policy
Resident Artist Spotlight: Danielle Tarmey
Many ABS families already know and love Danielle Tarmey, but we’re excited to welcome her back into our classrooms this year as a resident artist! Danielle brings professional experience in television and film, along with a deep understanding of children and a strong connection to our ABS community.
Before pursuing acting full time, Danielle spent several years at ABS as a 6th-grade teacher, building wonderful relationships with students and families. Her decision to follow her lifelong passion for acting is an inspiring example for our students of what it means to follow your dreams and take creative risks.
Danielle now balances her professional acting career with her love of arts education. At ABS, she works with students in grades 1–3 to develop their grade-level performances.
This week, Ms. Tarmey is beginning work with our second grade students on American Mosaic. We’re excited to see what they create together—and we’ll share more about this special project next week!
mClass/DIBELS Results Sent Home
Kindergarten through third-grade students will receive HomeConnect/DIBELS results in their Thursday Packets today. Please take some time to review these results. This assessment is required for kindergarten through third-grade students to help teachers assess, track and support each student’s reading skills. Each student will be assessed every trimester. Teachers will use this data to focus their instruction around your child’s specific needs, in areas that may include:
- Hearing and using sounds in spoken words (Phonemic Awareness)
- Knowing sounds of letters and sounding out written words (Alphabetic Principle)
- Reading words in stories easily, quickly, and correctly (Accuracy and Fluency)
- Understanding what they read (Reading Comprehension).
After each assessment period you receive a letter outlining your child’s specific assessment results and progress as a reader. The letter includes learning activities you and your child can do together at home to reinforce skills learned at school. Parent support and reading at home are a vital part of your child’s education. The teacher’s efforts, combined with your support, will help your child read with mastery and confidence. If you have any questions about the assessment, the activities, or your child’s classroom work and progress, please talk to your child’s teacher.
MAP Testing: Understanding Your Child’s Results
MAP results are coming home today in Thursday packets for students in grades 3–8.
The Arts Based School uses Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments in reading and math to help us understand each student’s instructional level and measure academic growth throughout the school year and from year to year. Students in 5th and 8th grades also take MAP in science.
MAP tests are taken on a computer and are adaptive, meaning the questions adjust based on each student’s responses. This allows students to work at an appropriate level while giving teachers detailed information about their skills and growth.
Teachers use MAP results, along with classroom work, observations, and other assessments, to identify strengths, areas for support, and instructional needs. MAP is one piece of the larger picture we use to understand and support each child’s learning. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions about your child’s progress.
Curriculum Night
Thank you to all of the families who joined us for Curriculum Night! It was wonderful to have the opportunity to share more about what students will be learning and experiencing this year.
Teachers have also shared information from Curriculum Night in their weekly classroom newsletters for families who were unable to attend or would like to revisit what was shared.
We’d love to hear your feedback! Your thoughts help us understand what was helpful and how we can make future Curriculum Nights even more useful for families.
Please take a few minutes to share your feedback:
Curriculum Night Feedback Form
ABS Board Retreat
The Arts Based School is governed by the ABS Board of Directors, a volunteer board made up of community leaders, business professionals, educators, and parents who are committed to the success of our school and its mission. The Board of Directors meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:45 p.m. at the school. Board meetings are open to the public.
Last Saturday, the ABS Board of Directors and School Leadership Team gathered for our annual Board Retreat. We met at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness and began our morning with a wonderful watercolor activity led by Elizabeth Messick. It was a fun and creative way to start our time together before jumping into some important conversations about ABS.
We spent time reflecting on our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges and thinking about where we are as a school and where we want to go next. We also talked about the school budget, strategic planning, and fundraising opportunities. I’ll be compiling the information and ideas from our conversations to help us identify the work that should be our focus for this school year and beyond.
A big thank-you to our Board members and School Leadership Team for giving their Saturday morning to support ABS. We are grateful for their thoughtful participation, leadership, and continued commitment to our students and school community.
Interested in learning more about the ABS Board of Directors? Visit our Board of Directors webpage
ABS Family Directory
This year’s Family Directory will be published behind the Parent Portal of our website soon! Families who opted out of the directory or did not complete the required form are not listed. This information includes student name and parent email address and is provided only for school-related communications. If you have any questions regarding the directory, please email Director Hollis
Get your guac on and support the ABS Builders Club!
Join us for a delicious night out while helping our Builders Club make a difference in our community.
Where: Chipotle, 128 Hanes Mall Circle, Suite 100
When: Tuesday, September 22-4:00–8:00 PM Time:
Why: Chipotle will donate 25% of all qualifying sales to the ABS Builders Club, which will use the funds for community outreach projects throughout the school year.
Ordering Online?
Order online for pickup and use code WTDEW7W.
Don’t forget to bring your flyer to the restaurant!
Come grab some dinner, enjoy your favorite Chipotle meal, and support our ABS students as they give back to our community!
Crazy Running, Kindergarten-4th Grade, September 21-December 2nd
Cost: $120/8 week program
North Campus: Mondays , 2:45-3:45
South Campus: Wednesdays, 2:45-3:45
We’re all about sparking a lifelong love for fitness in our young athletes! Our coaching style is all about blending fun with fitness, ensuring our kiddos are learning essential skills while having a blast. From drills to plyometrics, we’re shaping not just runners, but strong resilient athletes with a burning passion for the sport. Let’s get them moving, improving, and achieving their best.
Club Invention: Kindergarten-4th Grade, 10/5-11/20
Cost: $79/8 week program (optional aftercare add on +$40)
Children build skills for the future as they explore the past in Castles, Catapults and Coats of Arms™. Investigating basic scientific principles through the lens of medieval history, children use their imaginations to take on the roles of lords, ladies, knights, craftspeople and serfs. They work together to complete hands-on challenges and discover that inventiveness has existed even in times of suppressed learning, helping them to build empathy and social awareness, along with responsible decision making.
This club will be ran by our very own teachers, Ms. Katie Pipes (North) and Ms. Jehn Boyd (South)! The club will run from 3:45-4:45. If your student would like to attend and is not already registered for a 3 or 5 day plan for aftercare, we are starting a “Club Hold Over” Membership.
The “Club Hold Over” membership will be $40 total for the 8 weeks. This will allow students to stay in the aftercare program for the hour in between regular dismissal and when the club begins. If you register for the club and are not a part of aftercare, please email Angela Wooten to start the Club Hold Over Membership. You may also pick up your student at dismissal and bring them back for the club if you prefer.
North Campus Registration Link
South Campus Registration Link
Notes from Parent Council:
Fall Mini Photo Sessions to Benefit ABS
Brooke Hoffman, an ABS parent and owner of Brooke Hoffman Photo, will be offering fall mini photo sessions on October 11 with split profits to benefit teacher appreciation efforts by Parent Council. You can view her flyer and visit the SignUpGenius to select a time slot.
Fall Fest – Saturday, October 3, 2026
Head to the North Campus for family-friendly music, activities, and seasonal fun including face painting, food trucks, touch-a-truck opportunities, games and vendor booths. Book Fair will also be open for browsing!
When: Saturday, October 3 | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Where: North Campus Courtyard
Admission: $5 per child (Cash or Venmo only) | Adults free
Parking: Parking is available at Mixxer, Atrium Health Downtown Plaza, and street parking. A map will be available soon!
Garden Club - South Campus - Sept. 19
The Garden Club will be at South campus Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9am - 12 noon so come out and join! Students are encouraged! The Garden Club is a monthly workday, alternating between campuses, for those interested in beautifying our shared spaces. This fall, volunteers will plant crops in the raised beds near the church, growing produce directly for classroom use. To ensure all efforts align with campus plans, families are asked to coordinate with a Garden Club representative before purchasing materials, donating items, or starting any independent projects. Email Sarah Avery ([email protected]) for information.
Needed: Fall Fest Volunteers for Clean-up and Vendor Parking Attendants
We need your help and some muscle to make Fall Fest great! We will need assistance moving tables and getting things arranged to setup a fun day for the kids and families! And as all good things come to an end we will need some assistance breaking it all down and cleaning up. There are also opportunities to help with vendor parking. Sign up on the SignUpGenius page.
Book Fair – September 28-October 2, 2026
The annual Book Fair will run from September 28 through October 2, and volunteer support is vital to making the event a success. Support is needed across both campuses for setup, daily operations, and takedown. If you are interested in lending a hand, convenient volunteer shifts are now available to browse and select through the Volunteer Hub via SignUpGenius. Additionally, the Book Fair will stay open during Fall Fest on October 3 so families can shop together. Interested parents and supporters should sign up online, or reach out directly to [email protected] with any questions.
October Parent Council Meeting
The next Parent Council meeting will be Friday, October 16 from 8:30-9:30am in the North Campus cafe, and on Zoom. We look forward to seeing you there!
Monday Staff Meeting Snacks - 5th Grade!
Calling all 5th grade families! We need your help stocking the snack table for the September staff meetings on Mondays. Ready to help? Grab a spot on the sign-up in the Volunteer Hub! Every contribution, big or small, helps us show our staff how much we appreciate them.
Carline, Pizza Friday, Art Room Volunteers Wanted!
Get involved and make an impact this year—no matter your schedule! Whether you can spare an hour a week or a single afternoon, we have plenty of ways to help. Volunteer roles include car rider line duty, Friday pizza lunch delivery, art room support, and keeping the teacher breakroom stocked with snacks. Don’t forget to log your hours as you go! Check out the Volunteer Hub here.
ABS Book Fairs September 28-October 2, PLUS Fall Fest!
The Scholastic Book Fairs are coming!! Exciting news! We will have a fair set up at both North and South Campuses! The North Campus will also be extended to be open at Fall Fest which will be a great way to grant those wish lists AND enjoy Fall Fest!
We NEED YOUR HELP! Volunteer signup is LIVE! This is a really fun opportunity to get volunteer hours during the school day and during Fall Fest. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up! We can't do it without you!
Sign up to volunteer here for North Campus:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4FABAF22A4FD0-64782008-north#/
Sign up to volunteer here for South Campus:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4FABAF22A4FD0-65090994-south#/
Please visit the links below to sign up for an E-Wallet account*, see the fair schedule, view the book fair flyer, or shop our online book fair.
North Campus Book Fair link: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/artsbasedschoolnorth
South Campus Book Fair link: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/artsbasedschoolsouth
*Set up an E-wallet account so your student can shop the Fair cash-free. If you have multiple children, you must create a separate account for each child, be sure to use the correct fair link.
Every purchase you make at the book fairs earns money towards new books for ALL CLASSROOM libraries and BOTH SCHOOL LIBRARIES! More than half of all dollars spent at the book fairs go directly to purchase books for the school!
Questions can be directed to [email protected]
Ways to get involved and learn more about ABS:
- ABS Parent Student Handbook
- 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