Published for the Arts Based School Community
September 26, 2024
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert, ABS Founding Arts Director
“As Americans we are the inheritors of a uniquely rich and vibrant history, a magnificent tapestry of diverse cultures, beliefs, experiences, and intellectual movements, bound together by the warp and weft of American ideals of progress and opportunity.” - Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), National Endowment of the Humanities Chair
The threads that are woven into the cultural tapestry of America originate from all over the world. Unless you are Native American, your people were immigrants. Some of us came because we wanted to, some because we needed to, and some because we were forced to. Over the years, we all have become woven together into one complex culture that we call America, but our individual, threads remain distinct and can be traced back to where we started from.
North Carolina State Standards require second graders to learn about the divergent cultures within our country, to recognize and gain understanding. The state-required social studies curriculum for NC second graders is titled: Foundations of America. And of course, this includes basic political and historical questions and ideas. But when the foundations of America are examined from a cultural standpoint, you are actually back to world cultures, because we come from everywhere. Each of the strands of music, dance, visual art, and theater has required goals along these lines: “Exemplify the arts representing the heritage, customs, and traditions of various cultures. Recognize the impact of regional differences on the production of the arts.”
Music, like country, jazz, salsa and hip hop. Foods, like tacos, pizza, hamburgers, hushpuppies, and hot dogs. Stories, from The Three Little Pigs to Star Wars. All of these things are American, but all of them started in other places. If we could grab any one of the threads and follow it back into history, it would lead far, far back, on our own continent, and in almost every other continent of the world. So we kick off the second grade year with a celebration of cultures that lead back to those origins.
For our American Tapestry production, we follow only four of those threads through storytelling, visual art, dance, and music. We examine these threads as they originate from the “four corners” of our country: north, south, east, and west.
- A story that comes from a native tribe of our Pacific Northwest.
- Artwork inspired by vivid traditions of Mexico.
- Traditional dances that connect the African continent across centuries through popular social dances of the 1920s, and on to hip hop,
- Songs that stretch from Ireland, Scotland, and England to the workdays, front porches, and celebrations of America.
Our goal is for our students to become curious and explore the broad variety of backgrounds that make up our country, and to recognize, respect, and experience them. We discover that we have already embraced more multicultural influences than we know, simply by being Americans.
Second Grade Performances
All Second graders perform American Tapestry at the North Campus, 1380 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in the Ewing Black Box Theater beginning next week. All performances begin at noon and last only half an hour. Parking may require a few extra minutes, so please arrive in time to enjoy the show.
Campbell - Thursday, October 3, 12:00
Ward - Friday, October 4, 12:00
Pipes - Tuesday, October 8, 12:00
Rebhan- Wednesday, October 9, 12:00
Soesbee - Thursday, October 10, 12:00
Get Ready! ABS Annual Giving Campaign-Kicks off in October
WHAT IS ANNUAL GIVING?
Annual Giving is exactly as it sounds – gifts requested and given each school year to help support operating expenses at The Arts Based School (ABS). There is no tuition for attendance at ABS, but as a charter school, we do not receive the same state and federal funding as traditional public schools. We rely on the generosity of parents and families, board members, and our community to support the learning and creating that happens every day at ABS. Instead of asking our students and families to participate in fundraising activities (like selling cookies or wrapping paper), we ask all families for financial support just once each year. This is our annual fundraiser.
WHY IS MY PARTICIPATION IMPORTANT?
This year, as in past years, we are hoping to achieve 100% participation. Family participation in Annual Giving at ABS is more than financial support; it is a vote of confidence that demonstrates your belief in and investment in this remarkable place. When asking people outside of the school for financial support, it is especially important to be able to show them that our family participation in Annual Giving is reflective of the commitment to ABS that our community feels.
Your participation is also important because ABS needs broad-based financial support from everyone to continue to provide students with an effective and joyful way to learn.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?
Given the importance of the Annual Giving Campaign and the impact those dollars have on each child’s education, we ask that you give as generously as you are able. For every family this is a personal decision and should be at a level that is comfortable for you. This year, you also have the option of making a recurring monthly gift to ABS. We are grateful to everyone who contributes, as each gift is crucial to the success of the Annual Giving Campaign.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY GIFT?
There are two simple ways to give:
Make your check payable to “The Arts Based School,” You can send it by mail, or drop it off in the front office. We also accept cash in the school front office.
You can make a secure gift online at our website
Tardiness
School begins at 8:15 a.m. Students may arrive at school between 7:45 and 8:10. 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. Ten tardies are considered one absence on state attendance records. Although we provided tardy amnesty for the first few days of school as families adjusted to the traffic and routine of dropping off students in the morning, teachers are required to mark students tardy if he/she is not in the classroom at 8:15am. Attendance letters are coming home in today’s Thursday packets for students with excessive unexcused absences or tardies.
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 in each of those grades achieve higher scores than the national norms in all areas tested: math, science, and reading. 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.
mClass/DIBELS Results Sent Home
Kindergarten through third-grade students will receive mClass 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.
ABS Family Directory
This year’s Family Directory will be published behind the Parent Portal of our website by October 1st! Families who opted out of the directory or did not complete the required form are not listed. This information is provided only for school related communications. If you’d like to make any changes to your contact information or be added to the directory, please email Director Hollis
Stock the Food Bank-East Ward Food Drive- Last week...
Annually, our Builder’s Club and K-Kids Service clubs work to collect food donations for our local food bank. This year we are working with all schools in the East Ward to make a difference in September (Hunger Action Month). Both ABS campuses are located in the East Ward of Winston-Salem. We’re asking all ABS families to help us collect food donations or make donations. Collections boxes are located at each ABS school building near the offices. For more information see the flyer Stock the Food Bank
Parent Council Notes:
SAVE THE DATE-October 19 for Fall Fest! We are looking forward to an amazing afternoon of community, fun, games, vendors and food. Please join us!
Save the Date: Scholastic Book Fair
We are excited for the return of the Scholastic Book Fair! The fair will take place October 15th-21st. We will have our North Campus Fair in the gym and the South Campus Fair in the Art Room. Book Fair will also be open during Fall Fest! Stay tuned for more information on ways to volunteer and shop during the fair.
Be sure to watch the Thursday Notes, and your student's Thursday packets for information leading up to the fair.
Questions can be directed to Kristen Faulkner at [email protected].
Around Town:
Salem Bach Festival this weekend!
The annual Salem Bach Festival returns with three free concerts of Bach on September 27, 28 and 29. Learn more at https://www.salembachfestival.com/
Bookmarks Festival of Books
The 19th Annual Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors is less than two weeks away! Visit the website or stop at the bookstore to pick up your festival program and start to plan your day.
On September 28, the 19th annual Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors will host more than fifty authors in conversations and panels, storytimes, and keynote events in a fun, all-day event for people of all ages. To keep the Saturday events and activities free for everyone, Bookmarks relies on community support. So far, $4,500 has been donated by individuals in our community, but we still have not met our goal. Please consider donating today to help us continue connecting people through the life-changing power of stories! Click here to support the upcoming festival.