ABS Thursday Notes- February 10, 2022

Published for the Arts Based School Community

February 10, 2022

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.

This past Tuesday, February 8, the annual ABS lottery took place. The lottery is required by the state, and we follow guidelines with care. This year, for the first time, we used “Lotterease,” which is an automatic enrollment and lottery system that manages siblings, twin pairings, weighted applications, waitlists and enrollment forms. It is secure and password protected. This change was a technological leap. Over the past two decades, we 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.

This year, we held the lottery on a Zoom gathering, and once the information had all been entered, a single touch of a button prioritized ABS siblings, randomized results and sent emails to families. It also automatically applied the 2:1 “weighted” prioritization that applies to families who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, as defined by federal guidelines.

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 is the inspiration for our current push to open another school. (Potential locations are still being considered.) 

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. 

MAP results sent home

Third through eighth grade students will receive MAP results in their Thursday Packets today. Please take some time to review these results. Overall, results show that ABS students are making good progress in recovering from the educational disruptions caused by COVID. Congratulations to our students and their teachers for a job well done. If you have any questions regarding MAP results, please contact your child’s teacher.

School Calendar 2022-23 Approved

The ABS Board of Directors approved the school calendar for 2022-23. Here is the approved calendar.

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

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 emailed to our parent list and posted on the ABS website (www.artsbasedschool.com).

Kindergarten Video -Peter and the Wolf

The kindergarten video from last Wednesday’s performance of Peter and the Wolf is posted in the Family Portal on our website. If you need help accessing it, please let us know.

Lost and Found

Jackets and sweaters and other items from our MLK and 7th Street Lost and Found boxes are on display on the playground fence. Please take a look and collect anything that belongs to you! We'll donate anything that remains at the end of this week. Thank you!

Yearbook Request

The yearbook creators are looking for “Guess Who?” baby pictures for 8th grade students, as well as candid shots from all grades. Please send your photos with the student’s name to Nicole Taylor as soon as possible.

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