✅ CTE teachers and business partners connected at the ABSS CTE Center — covering all 6 career clusters and shaping programs that prepare students for real careers.
✅ Elementary and secondary teachers gathered at Hawfields for sessions covering math, reading and writing, science, the arts, and supporting every kind of learner.
✅ Pre-K teachers completed CPR and First Aid recertification — because keeping our youngest learners safe is always the top priority.
Every session. Every room. Every conversation. All for our students.
#ABSSAlert | Due to the threat of severe weather and strong winds, ABSS will be closed for students tomorrow, March 16. It will be an optional teacher workday for staff. There will be no athletics or after-school activities.
Debido a la amenaza de condiciones meteorológicas severas y vientos fuertes, ABSS permanecerá cerrada para los estudiantes mañana, 16 de marzo. Será un día laboral opcional para el personal docente. No habrá actividades deportivas ni actividades extraescolares.
February 28 — All-County Chorus (Elementary) | Graham High School | 3:00 PM
March 6 — All-County Orchestra (now with Elementary!) | Cummings High School | 7:00 PM
March 14 — All-County Band (Middle and High) | Southeast Alamance High School | 2:00 PM
March 28 — All-County Chorus (Middle and High) | Williams High School | 4:00 PM
🏆 Portfolio Winners
Ava Garner – Southeast Alamance
Caroline West – ABEC
🥇 Gold Key Awards
Kendal Dixson – Southern Alamance | Printmaking
Brandon Kennedy – ABEC | Photography
Caroline West – ABEC | Mixed Media
🥈 Silver Key Awards
Aubrey Dial – Eastern | Ceramics & Glass
Eva Skinner – Eastern | Chromatophore
Misheel Tamir – Southeast Alamance | Painting
⭐ Honorable Mentions
Elliana Ames – Southern | Sculpture
Savannah Crisp – Eastern | Ceramics & Glass
Kaia Forbes – Southern | Painting
Ava Garner – Southeast | Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage
Riley Justice – Eastern | Sculpture
Brandon Kennedy – ABEC | Photography
Misheel Tamir – Southeast Alamance | Digital Painting, Drawing & Collage
Misheel Tamir – Southeast Alamance | Painting
Genesis Velasquez-Arraega – Eastern | Ceramics & Glass
Four of our students — Kendal Dixson, Brandon Kennedy, Caroline West, and Misheel Tamir — had their artwork selected for display at an art exhibition at East Carolina University. You can see some of their work pictured here! Additionally, our Gold Key recipients will advance to the next level of competition, with the opportunity to have their work featured in the National Show at Carnegie Hall in New York City!
We are so proud of these young artists and their outstanding achievements.
Today, Hillcrest Elementary School didn't just celebrate 100 days of school — it celebrated the people who are so important to the students and who showed up big today — their community support. Beginning around 10:30 AM, the cafeteria was completely full and it was hard to see the students among the crowds of families and community members who showed up to eat with them during the 100 Days, 100 Dads lunch event! We spotted them smiling and proudly chatting about their while enjoying their lunch. This will be one day they will never forget. And to all those in the #ABSSCommunity who showed up — parents, step-parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, local first responders, Board of Education, local government, anyone who sat down and ate with a student today — thank you. Shout out to Ashley West and all the Hillcrest staff involved in making this a fun and well-organized celebration! Look for a FOX8 story highlight soon! Here's a link to the photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XMQWLYBr1TuQoj1P7
In those early days, Dave was answering calls on a pager and a beeper, becoming the district's very first webmaster at a time when having a website was still considered cutting edge. Back then, we were on dial-up connections, floppy disks, and schools had computer labs that felt like spaceships. He watched those bulky desktop computers evolve into laptops, then tablets, then Chromebooks. He lived through the Windows 95 era, survived Internet Explorer, helped roll out interactive whiteboards, navigated the shift to cloud computing, and kept everything running as classrooms went from chalkboards to smartboards to full-on digital learning environments. Through every upgrade, every rollout, and every "I don't know what happened, it just stopped working" moment spanning nearly three decades, Dave showed up calm, patient, and smiling. Have you ever called the Web Help Desk for technology support? That friendly, unhurried voice on the other end was Dave.
At his retirement celebration today, surrounded by loved ones and co-workers who he proudly calls family, Dave left everyone with one final piece of hard-earned wisdom: "If something goes wrong, make sure it's plugged in, try restarting it, or check if it has paper." Now a new adventure begins. Roads to travel, a guitar that has been waiting patiently in the corner, and meaningful work ahead with Habitat for Humanity, because Dave has never been the type to stop building things or supporting people. Thank you for 27 years of steady hands and a good heart, Dave. Enjoy every second of what comes next!
We are excited to launch our All Hands on Deck campaign! We know that when students are in class, they are building the habits, relationships, and confidence they need to thrive. As we sail towards the end of the school year, we’ve set our sights on improved attendance district-wide! Every school has created incentives and celebrations for hitting this target! 🎯
Facts on Attendance:
📉 Missing just 2 days per month can cause a student to fall behind academically.
🎓 Strong attendance is the #1 predictor of reading at grade level and graduating on time.
🤝 Being in school every day builds the routines and social connections that help students succeed.
How Families Can Help:
✅ Set consistent bedtime and morning routines.
✅ Prepare backpacks and clothes the night before for a smooth start.
✅ Schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.
We are "All Hands on Deck" to support our students, and we thank you for being partners in education! We know it takes a community to help a child thrive. This includes educators providing engaging lessons, parents ensuring a structured routine, and students putting in the effort. We need everyone working together to finish the year strong. If the waters are rough and you're facing barriers to getting your child to school on time, please reach out! We are to help. Our crew is stronger when we are all together! 🌊✨
🔬 Region 5 Science Fair Winners
We are so proud of these ABSS students for their incredible work in this year's Science Fair. Four students are moving on to the State Fair! Here are the winners:
🏆 Riley Justice, Levi Prince & Natalya Cooper (Eastern Alamance High) – 1st Place: Physics (State Fair Qualifier)
🏆 Dawson Allen (B. Everett Jordan Elementary) – Exemplary Award (State Fair Qualifier)
⭐ Braxton Ballard, Lillian Massey & Morgan Beckham (Eastern Alamance High) – 3rd Place: Physics
⭐ Ethan Lambert, Ulises Flores & Jamal Davis (Eastern Alamance High) – 3rd Place: Earth/Environmental
⭐ Margaret Parker (Southeast Alamance High) – 3rd Place: Biology A
⭐ Jett Hutchings (Western Alamance Middle) – Honorable Mention
⭐ Natalie Mathis (Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary) – Honorable Mention
💧 Joseph Carmack & Vincent Cervantes (Eastern Alamance High) – Special "NC ONE Water" Award that included a monetary prize!
Ante la posibilidad de condiciones climáticas invernales durante la noche, el distrito escolar de ABSS operará con un retraso de dos horas mañana, jueves 5 de febrero. Este retraso permitirá que haya más luz natural cuando todos comiencen sus desplazamientos por la mañana. Se recomienda al personal y a las familias que extremen las precauciones y se tomen tiempo adicional para llegar a la escuela y al trabajo por la mañana.
This week, we celebrate the incredible school counselors who guide, support, and inspire our students every single day. Our counselors are champions for student success, helping with everything from academic planning to social-emotional support, college and career readiness, and so much more. To our amazing counseling team, THANK YOU for your compassion and unwavering commitment to our students! Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom.
Please join us in celebrating our school counselors and interns:
Erin Stoker, Glennis Lesane, Kim Davis, Kion'Shay Whitley Brown, Shantia Shackelford, Kate Cushman, Genevieve Lyons, Beth Taylor, Megan Palmer, Kristin Rosario, Joy Toms, Dana Crowder, Jodi Carson, Liza Palazzi, Cheryl Williams, Joanne Simao, Mary Oney, Lindsey Vega, Kimberly Yancey, Mindy Bacchus, Joy Hayes, Annie Goldberg, Amanda Hylton, Sam Westbrook, Rikki Dashaies, Amory Sparger, Leslie Murray, Jennifer Lombard, Nicole Watlington, Crystal Taylor, Vache Davis Johnson, Graham Smith, Dayna Bryden, Carrie Strickland, Tracy Jefferies, Cameron White, Holly Herring, Angela Parsons, Melissa Day, Isabel Allen, Jennifer Barnhardt, Elizabeth Tricomi, Sarah Anderson, Ashley Cole, Mandy Moore, Amber Chatman, Ashley Price, Randy Milton, Marie Lunde, Meredith Willis, Hannah Stokes, Tanika Walker, Clay Oliver, Isabella Guidino de Grote, and Maureen Tumey
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students!
A pesar del sol y las temperaturas ligeramente más cálidas de hoy, muchas carreteras aún están cubiertas de hielo y nieve. Mañana, martes 3 de febrero, será un día de trabajo opcional para los maestros. No habrá clases para los estudiantes. Tampoco habrá actividades deportivas ni extracurriculares. La sesión comunitaria sobre la rezonificación en la Escuela Preparatoria Southeast Alamance se ha reprogramado para el lunes 9 de febrero a las 6:00 p. m. Agradecemos nuevamente a nuestro equipo de Instalaciones y Mantenimiento por evaluar las condiciones de las carreteras, compartir estas fotos de todo el condado y despejar los estacionamientos y las aceras de nuestras escuelas.
Say hello to Mike! He's an important part of the Maintenance team working in schools every day. They've been checking on buildings all week. We know the weather has been unpredictable, but they're taking precautions such as putting down salt on the sidewalks for our staff working today. Thank you, Mike and the entire Facilities & Maintenance team, for keeping our schools safe and running smoothly!
