Published for the Arts Based School Community
October 17, 2024
Fall Fest This Saturday, October 19th!
Noon - 3pm at ABS North
It's going to be AWESOME! Only $5 admission per child (adults are free!). Cash Only for Admission! Face painting! Food trucks! Pumpkin decorating! Photo Booth! Cake Walk! Book Fair! Games, Games, Games! Bring extra dough for the food trucks and book fair! Fall Fest is a Parent Council sponsored fundraiser that helps to support the school's annual operating expenses. 100% of admissions support Arts Based School. Don't miss it – come hungry and ready to play! Need more information, please contact your Class Rep or Erin Sorenson.
Remember: This event is for ALL ABS North and South students! Students must have an adult present and be supervised during Fall Fest. Book Fair will be open during Fall Fest if you want to shop!
ABS Annual Giving Campaign
Thank you sincerely to everyone who has already contributed to this year's campaign! We are already in the third week of the campaign, and we urgently need your support to make a difference for ABS! Annual Giving benefits every student in every classroom at ABS. From visiting artists to the keeping the lights on and beyond, your gift helps to make the ABS experience unique, genuine, and meaningful for every student.
Last year, thanks to your generosity, we had our best year ever for Annual Giving, and it was remarkable to see what we can accomplish together for our students and for our school. You are an important part of ABS, and your support of Annual Giving matters. Please take a moment to give as generously as you are able! Making a recurring monthly gift is an excellent way to maximize your gift to ABS, as is sharing the call to action with your extended family and friends. Our goal is 100% participation, please join in the effort today!
Total School Participation to Date: 21%
Total Gifts to Date: $50,454
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
School Safety Grant
NC Legislation has provided funding for schools to support school safety through a competitive grant. Although we have applied for these competitive grants in the past, our school profile does not typically qualify for the funding. With the increase in funding support, we may be eligible. Senate Bill 105 outlines the details (starting on page 68). A committee will be working on this to meet the grant deadline of October 31. The grant requires a needs assessment, (with law enforcement), and an updated school risk management plan. Grant can cover equipment, services for students in crisis, and training to increase school safety. As part of the process, we are asking our community of parents, students and staff for feedback about our school safety. If you have ideas, suggestions, or concerns about ABS school safety that might be helpful in applying for the grant, please provide feedback here.
Parent Council Notes:
Here’s the recording and ABS PC Meeting Minutes 10/10/2024 from PC meeting. Next Parent Council meeting is scheduled for November 18 at 7pm.
ABS Book Fairs Oct 15-21
The Scholastic Book Fairs are HERE!! Exciting news! Both campuses are up and running! On Tuesday and Wednesday, our students were able to preview the fair and make their wish lists! Shopping for students began today and will run through the remainder of the fair. Families are welcome to come shop, too!
Please note the fair closure times on Monday, 10/21:
South Campus: 10am
North Campus: Noon
There are still some volunteer openings available:
Sign up to volunteer here for North Campus: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4AA4AC23A02-51296008-absnorth
Sign up to volunteer here for South Campus: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4AA4AC23A02-51605729-abssouth
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/ABSNorth
South Campus Book Fair link: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ABSSouth
*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 Kristen Faulkner, Book Fair Chairperson at [email protected]
Picture Day-Oct 23
Smile! October 23 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 FM445730. To qualify for free shipping, you must place your order no later than Oct 23. More information will be coming home soon.
Halloween is Coming
Please do not send students to school in costumes. We all enjoy the fun and excitement of Halloween but find that costumes and accessories make it very difficult to concentrate. Also we do not want students to bring candy in their lunch bags for snacks. Although it can be delicious, high sugar snacks should not replace a healthy snack. Thanks for your help!
Prospective Parent Tours
School tours for prospective parents begin in October. They are scheduled weekly on Tuesdays at 9:30am at South Campus and Thursdays at 9:30am at North Campus. 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. Applications will be accepted beginning January 1. The lottery will be held the second Tuesday of February.
Save the Date- Saturday, November 2nd, 10-1 Parent-Child Retreat at ABS!
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Parent-Child Retreat with former ABS counselor Scott Ertl on Nov. 2 from 10am to 1pm! This special event is designed for you to spend quality, meaningful time with your child while engaging in fun, interactive activities. Together, you'll explore new ways to communicate, strengthen your bond, and reminisce about special memories. In our busy lives, we depend on routines to make things predictable. This retreat will provide an opportunity to see if any morning, mealtime and/or bedtime routines could be more enjoyable and effective. Take this opportunity to step away for a few hours, reconnect with your child, and enjoy a day of learning, laughter, and love. Spaces will be limited to 50 parent-child pairs, so don't miss out! Cost is $10 per family which includes pizza lunch and will take place at the North Campus 1380 N MLK. Payment can be made in cash at the ABS front office. Sign up today and reserve your spot!
School Calendar and Important Dates
The approved 2024-25 school calendar is available here, on our website, or Student Calendar Here is a copy of the updated Parent Student Handbook