August 17, 2026

August 17th, 2026

Good evening, ABS Families,

We hope you are savoring the last few weeks of summer break and that both our new and returning Bobcats are gearing up for the school year ahead. As we eagerly anticipate the first day of school, we would like to share some updates and reminders to help you prepare for the upcoming academic year:

Parent/Student Handbook: Please read and discuss the handbook together with your child/children. We will have the Handbook Acknowledgment for you to sign on August 28th, confirming that you have read and understood the contents.
Trimester One Clubs start on September 8th, 2026. Clubs run from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Registration will be sent out this week via ClassDojo.
Health Forms: They were due last week. We know some students have appointments. Please continue to upload them as you receive them or email them to Nurse Grace at gvukcevich@abbschool.com. You may also drop them off on August 28th during Supply drop-off. Remember to update your child's emergency form in the Parent Portal, including confirming your contacts' phone numbers.
Family Income Survey: Every year, each school has an opportunity to participate in federal and state programs that benefit our students with a variety of materials and services. Some examples of available opportunities are:
- The Maryland Textbook & Technology Funding Program
- The Nonpublic Aging School Program
- Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV services under the Every Child Succeeds Act
To determine the funding available for these programs, we need an accurate record of family income information. You will be asked to complete a survey. Please take two minutes to complete it when you receive the secure link via ClassDojo.
New Families Orientation Only: August 28th at 12:00 p.m. New families, parents, guardians, and students are invited to visit the school. You may enter the gym through the white doors in the parking lot or the Highland Avenue entrance.
Returning Families Supply Drop-off: August 28th at 12:30 pm. Returning families, guardians, and parents are welcome to drop off their child's school supplies starting at 12:30 pm. This will allow you to visit your child's homeroom. Please arrive after 12:30 PM, so our new families have time to meet with admin.
Ice Cream Social: On August 28th, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, the PTO is hosting an Ice Cream Social featuring ice cream from Miss Twist.
First day of School for all students is August 31, 2026.
Drop-Off hours are between 7:30 am and 7:55 am. School starts at 8:00 am.
Pick-Up time is 2:55 pm -3:15 pm.
School Breakfast and Lunch: All Archbishop Borders School students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch from the school through the Office of Child Nutrition.
Aftercare: Our aftercare program, Bobcat Faith and Adventure Aftercare(BFA), is open for registration for families who need it. Hard copies are also available in the office. Please return all forms by hand-delivering them to the office, clearly marked “ABS Aftercare,” or by email to the school office at bfa.aftercare@abbschool.com, with the subject line: ABS Aftercare.
School Uniform: Students must wear the correct uniform at all times, as substitutions will not be allowed.
School supply lists for 2026-2027 are here.
School Calendar: Click the link to add our school calendar to be informed of events during the school year. https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=c_r5202gt4llud0t76tu1aic8g0o@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
Summer Hours: The school office is open from Monday through Thursday, specifically from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM each day.

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

Meet the 2026-27 Leadership Team

President:

Elizabeth Funsch (Bilingual English and Spanish)

Hi ABS Community! My name is Elizabeth Funsch, and I am thrilled to serve as your PTO President for the fourth year. My family’s journey here began when my son, Sasha—now a rising fourth grader—was in Pre-K 4. Outside of school, my husband Oscar and I spend a lot of our time cheering Sasha on at soccer practices and games. Fun fact: Oscar and I actually met while I was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador! When I’m not volunteering or at the soccer fields, I love baking, reading, and working full-time in performance data and analytics for local government.

Members:

Tiera Chin (Bilingual English and Spanish)

Liz Obara Piedramartel (Bilingual English and Spanish)

Liz Piedramartel, PhD has served on the ABS PTO for the past 2 years, and is mother to Gabriel (rising 5th grader) and Nathaniel (Class of 2026). She and her husband Abdel live in the Patterson Park area, and they are deeply engaged in the community and their church. With more than 25 years of experience in special education and community schools in Baltimore, Liz has also worked in education research, writing, and teaching at Towson University. She currently serves in the Community Schools Branch at the Maryland State Department of Education, where she helps ensure that students and families have access to the resources they need to thrive through schools that serve as community hubs. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Liz is passionate about family voice and engagement, and believes that strong partnerships between schools and families are essential to building vibrant, supportive school communities.