Published for the Arts Based School Community
November 3, 2022
Nov 11: Veterans Day-No School
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert
“The human soul can always use a new tradition. Sometimes we require them.”
― Pat Conroy,
Last year, after the lurching stages of return from remote classes to masked, hybrid school days and alternating days of attendance, our 8th graders performed Disney’s The Lion King, Jr. once again. The year before, while separated, we pieced together a video study of the show. Last spring, we were proud to make it happen live and in person, in spite of many absences of both staff and students.
We thought at first that we’d make a change this year, and choose a new show. But, like annual productions of Nutcracker during the holidays, we discovered that Lion King had become a “landmark production” for our 8th graders. It has a uniting quality. The teachers reported that the students overwhelmingly desired its return. They have known the music and characters and the story since they were young children. It draws out students who have never performed a leading role before. It builds a strong sense of unity and ensemble. The production team decided to revisit the show, make a few changes in interpretation, and keep the tradition rolling.
Visiting choreographer Thao Nguyen brings fresh, new ideas for this year’s project, engaging our 8th graders more than ever before. Elizabeth Gledhill, our art teacher, has upgraded, redesigned, and repaired many elements of headpieces, masks and props, and supervises the students in making them as well.
Director Jordan Brown and music director Court Wynter have reported from the start that this year’s 8th graders have been focused and dedicated and delivering remarkable work. For some students, the biggest challenge is simply staying in the game. For others, it’s a chance to stretch budding artistic identities. For everyone, it’s uniting. We are excited to see what magic this group of students will bring to the stage next week.
Disney’s The Lion King Jr. Will be performed NEXT WEEK by the entire ABS 8th grade
Where: First Presbyterian Church Worship Center, 200 N. Cherry Street, downtown W-S
When: Thursday, November 10, 7:00 p.m.
Cost: Free, but we welcome your donation to cover theater costs.
Parking: available on the south side of 2nd Street across from the theater, between Marshall and Cherry. There are parking decks across the street on Cherry, as well.
PLEASE STAY AND HELP US RETURN THE SET TO ABS AFTER THE SHOW! Thank you!
November Dates:
- Nov. 4: Picture Day at ABS North and ABS South
- Nov. 4, 1:50pm: Friday Sing at ABS South
- Nov. 4, 3-4pm: All hands on deck to move sets and costumes at ABS North
- Nov. 5, 9am-12pm: Positive Discipline Workshop at ABS North for all interested families
- Nov 10, 7-8pm: 8th Grade Performance: The Lion King, Jr. at First Pres. Theater Downtown
- Nov 11: Veterans Day (No School)
- Nov 14-18: Parent/Teacher Conferences
- Nov 15, 5-6pm: Open House at ABS South for Prospective Parents
- Nov 15, 5:45pm: ABS Monthly Board Meeting at ABS South
- Nov 17, 1:50pm: Friday Sing for 3rd and 4th grades. (Guests welcome.)
- Nov. 18, 8:30-9:30 am: Parent Council Meeting in MLK Cafe at ABS North and via Zoom
- Nov 18: Early Dismissal for Conferences (11:45 am for K-4, 12 pm for 5-8)
- Nov 21-25: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
Picture Day: November 4
Smile! November 4 is Picture Day! All students will be photographed to be included in the school’s yearbook. To order pictures online, please visit www.strawbridge.net, click the red “Order Pictures and Yearbooks” button, and enter code FM398080. To qualify for free shipping, you must place your order no later than November 8.
Positive Discipline Workshop for Parents
Positive Discipline is for parents who are looking for long-term parenting skills that will encourage their children to think for themselves, become more responsible and have a greater respect for themselves and others. The teachers on Positive Discipline are filled with non-punitive, respectful methods that will incorporate kindness and firmness into parenting, help parents get to the core of their child’s misbehavior, bring more joy into the home, and give parents a sense of accomplishment.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov 5 from 9am-Noon
WHERE: ABS Café, MLK Building
CHILDCARE: Childcare will be provided on site (please let us know how many children will need care when you sign up)
COST: $10/family
SIGN-UP: Sign up here to register. You may send in payment with your child in a marked envelope (checks should be made out to ABS). You may also stop by either front office to sign up as well.
Say Something Tip Line and Training
State law (G.S. 115C-105.51) requires public secondary schools (grades 6 and up) to have an anonymous safety tip application available for public safety tips from students and others. The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) is a life-saving school safety program that teaches students, educators, and administrators how to recognize the warning signs for individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others and to report this information by going to a trusted adult, calling 911, or using the anonymous reporting system. Our students in grades 6-8 will receive “Say Something” training in his/her classroom during the first weeks of November.
There are five steps to SS-ARS process:
- A tip is submitted via mobile app, website, or by calling the 24/7 Crisis Center by the tipster.
- The submitted tip is triaged by Crisis Center certified counselors to gather enough information to act.
- The tip is then delivered via call, text, and email to the impacted school and 911 dispatch – if needed.
- The school and local law enforcement (as needed) assess and take action with the at-risk individuals.
- School personnel then close out the tip and report actions taken as a record for their school.
Annual Giving!
Our month-long push for Annual Giving has come to an end, and ABS is so very grateful to everyone who participated this year! Thank you. Your support of ABS goes a long way toward bridging the gap between what it costs to operate the school and what ABS receives in state and federal funding.
Total School Participation: 45%
Total Gifts: $61,340
Volunteer Thank You!
We wanted to add a special word of thanks to all of the class reps who kept you up to date on your class progress throughout Annual Giving! Thank you, class reps, for your work throughout the year to keep everyone informed!
Cold and Flu Season
As you know, viruses can be easily spread from person to person. We are asking for your help in reducing the spread at ABS. The symptoms for the seasonal flu and COVID are very similar: fever of 100 degrees or more, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Students with these symptoms will be sent home.
You can help us by taking these simple steps:
- Keep sick children home.
- Teach children to wash their hands often.
- Teach your children not to share food or drink.
- Teach children to cough or sneeze into their elbows to avoid spreading germs.
Contact your and/or your child’s doctor about getting the flu and/or COVID vaccine.
Forsyth County Public Health, 799 N. Highland Avenue, will offer flu shots during the month of October on Monday-Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No appointment is required, walk-ups are welcome, and wearing clothes that gives easy access to the upper arm is encouraged.
Attendance Reminder
Consistent school attendance is an essential component of each student’s academic growth and progress. As a public school, we are required to record and report excused and unexcused tardies and absences daily. Please notify the office when your child is expected to be absent. When your child returns to school, please send note or email explaining the reason for the absence, dated and signed by a parent or guardian.
TARDINESS-School begins at 8:15 a.m. Students may arrive at school between 7:45 and 8:10. Please do not “drop off” your child before 7:45am. Children should stay in your vehicle until the doors are unlocked at 7:45am.
Students will be counted tardy if they’re not in their classroom at 8:15am. The student entrance will be locked at 8:15 a.m. After 8:15 a.m., parents must park and escort their child(ren) to the Front office entrance and sign in. Ten tardies are considered one absence on state attendance records.
Please help your child have a successful school year by being at school on time each day!
Dental Screening
When children have dental problems, their overall health and ability to learn can be seriously compromised. As part of our regular school preventive dental health program, the NC Oral Health Section, Division of Public Health, and Mashica Jefferson-Tobias, BSDH, RDH, Public Health Dental Hygienist for Forsyth County, will conduct dental screenings for children in grades K, 3rd, 5th on November 14th (ABS-North) and November 17th (ABS-South). She will use gloves, mask, flashlight, and will use a new tongue depressor for each child. The screening serves as an educational, positive dental experience and also collects information to help improve the Children’s Dental Health programs. Children who see a dentist regularly will also benefit from the screening for the educational opportunity. A form letter will be sent home to show your child’s results. If you do not want your child included in this dental screening, please send a note to your child’s teacher. If you have any questions, please call Mashica Jefferson-Tobias, BSDH, RDH, at the Forsyth County Health Department at (336) 391-4822.
Volunteer Opportunity!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0a4cafa92daa8-dental
Double Hours Volunteer Opportunities!
Volunteers needed to move sets, props and costumes! These are high-energy, rewarding tasks that help us produce our beautiful performances. These magical shows do not just magically happen...we rely upon magic-making volunteers!
There are fast-moving, heavy objects involved in these processes, so if you bring your children, we'll have them wait safely in the lunchroom or in the theater seats with supervision. (Please, no infants or toddlers.)
You are invited to log DOUBLE VOLUNTEER HOURS for these tasks:
Friday November 4, 3:15-4:15
Meet at the Ewing Theater at the MLK building. We will:
- Move 8th Grade Lion King sets, drums, costumes and props from the theater to the ramp in ABS basement, (ready for Monday's transport to the First Pres theater.)
- Move 3rd Grade Renaissance Spectacles sets from the ABS basement into the Ewing Theater, ready for rehearsals.
Thursday, November 10, 8:00-9:15 p.m.
Meet onstage at the First Presbyterian theater after the 8th Grade performance of Lion King. We will:
- Load sets, drums, costumes, and props onto the truck, sweep the stage, tidy the dressing rooms
- Meet at the basement doors at ABS to offload into the basement.
Friday, December 16, 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Meet in the Ewing Theater at the MLK building after morning drop-off. We will:
- Move 3rd grade sets to basement storage.
- Move Kindergarten sets from basement into Ewing theater
If you can help with any of these, sign up HERE
We also need one volunteer with a pickup truck and some muscle to please load the debris in the center median of the MLK parking lot (concrete bird feeder, palettes, and bagged trash) and take it to the dump. Thank you! If you can do this, you are welcome to just roll on up anytime that works for you.
Prospective Parent Tours
School tours for prospective parents are scheduled weekly on Thursdays at 9:30am. Each tour is limited to 10 adults in an effort 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 will be accepted beginning January 1. The lottery will be held the second Tuesday of February. An Open House Tour of South Campus will be held Nov. 15, 5-6pm.
Assistant Principal for the Day
Does your child want a chance to be Assistant Principal for the day? We hold drawings every month at Friday Sing! You can purchase raffle tickets online or in the front office of your campus 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!
Around Town
The Winston-Salem Ambassadors organization is hosting a “Welcome to Winston-Salem” event from 6 to 7:30 PM on the evening of November 9 at the downtown central library. It is totally free and is a re-exploration of why our City is so awesome. (Or if you’re new, why our city is awesome!)
Student Auditions for The Wizard of Oz
Reynolds High School is inviting elementary and middle school students from all over town to audition for their huge 100th year anniversary production of The Wizard of Oz! Auditions are in December, for performances in March. If your child is interested, here are the links: