Published for the Arts Based School Community
December 4, 2025
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert, Founding Arts Director, retired
“A Well-Tempered Mind demonstrates that by working together, we can make a difference in our children's lives and replace cultural bankruptcy with a full pocket of good music. Lord knows we need it."—Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center
“This book should persuade parents and administrators to give education in music its deserved high priority in the schools under their care.” —Walter J. Freeman, M.D., professor of Neuroscience and Molecular & Cellular Biology, UC Berkeley
Five adult musicians perch on teensy first-grade chairs, gleaming instruments at their lips. A crisscross-legged group of first-graders gathers curiously on the carpet. There is a nod, a collective deep breath, a glorious burst of music. Little eyes grow wide and round, little mouths drop open. Wiggles become statues, leaning forward. One little girl turns to stare at me, flushed with delight, as if to say “Can you believe this miracle?” then she quickly turns back. When the music stops, the children sit in bewildered, delighted silence for a moment. The classroom teacher begins the applause, children join in. The smiling musicians introduce themselves and their instruments, and ask the children for comparisons. “What is the same about these instruments? What is different? Which one plays the lowest?” (Demonstrations follow.) The children learn that small instruments play higher than large instruments, just as little dogs have high barks and big dogs have low barks. It is the first day of “Quintet” in the 1st Grade.
The Quintet has worked with ABS students every year since we opened our doors in 2002. They will visit first-grade classrooms eight times this month, linking their performances with the first grade academic curriculum. The work of this distinguished group of professional musicians is chronicled in A Well-Tempered Mind, a book by Peter Perret. Maestro Perret is Conductor Emeritus of the Winston-Salem Symphony, former ABS band director, and one of the founders of our school. He was inspired to create the “Bolton Quintet” after reading of experiments in neuroscience which produced evidence that active listening to music helps develop cognitive abilities in children. With five instrumentalists from the W-S Symphony, he designed a cleverly crafted curriculum that links with reading, comprehension, story structure, science, and math. Mr. Perret worked with Dr. Frank Wood, professor of Neuropsychology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, to develop and test the Quintet program. ABS participated in the study, which was shown to cause significant improvement in emerging readers, reflected on standardized test scores.
One of the hallmarks of the group is that they perform right in the classroom; not in a concert hall. The children grow to regard these musicians (and their instruments) as friends. Music is selected and prepared with meticulous care, including everything from Mozart to the Pink Panther; all performed just a few feet away from 1st graders’ ears. We are honored and delighted to host the Quintet again this year beginning next week.
4th Graders Hide Pottery Pinecones in Celebration of North Carolina State Symbols
As part of their 4th-grade study of North Carolina state symbols, our students got creative with clay, crafting beautiful pottery pinecones inspired by the state Pine Tree. Each student made two or more pinecones—one to keep and one to hide somewhere on school grounds for others to discover as part of our ongoing community-building “treasure hunt.”
If you’re lucky enough to find one of these hidden pinecones, stop by the front office! You’ll be able to pick up a handwritten note from the student who made it. Each pinecone has a number on the bottom to help identify its creator.
Pottery has a long and rich history in North Carolina, making it the perfect medium to celebrate our State Pine Tree. The tradition began with Native inhabitants, who shaped local clay into functional and ceremonial pots as early as the 1500s. Later, in 1750, English potters settled in the Seagrove area, where pottery-making continues to thrive to this day.
Through this project, students not only learned about our state’s symbols but also connected with our local history—and left a little bit of joy hidden for the whole school community to find!
School Calendar 2026-27
The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2026-27. If you would like to review the draft calendar and provide feedback, please respond to this form.
School Calendar Considerations
- 1050 hours of instruction
- Major breaks coincide with WS/FC schools
- Trimester system allows teacher workdays to coincide with parent/teacher conferences
- Snow Make up days are built into calendar throughout the school year
- Gather input from teachers, staff, and parents
Middle of the Year MAP Testing Dec 15-16-Grades 5-8
ABS uses Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to assess each student’s academic growth. We will give students in grades 5-8 MAP tests to determine each child’s instructional level and to measure academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year in the areas of math and reading. Grades 3-4 will test in January. Your child will take the tests on a computer. MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to be appropriate for your child’s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing. And with MAP tests, we can administer shorter tests and use less class time while still receiving detailed, accurate information about your child’s growth.
Yearbook Ordering Is OPEN!
It’s that time of year! Our 2025-2026 yearbook is officially available for pre-order, and you won’t want to miss it. Packed with photos, memories, and all the amazing moments that made this school year shine, this year’s book is one to treasure! LINK TO ORDER
Parent Council Notes:
Parent Council Meeting
Please find the minutes for November’s parent council meeting here.
Staff Favorites / Holiday Gifts
Please remind the parents in your class about the "Staff Favorites" sheet, as we begin to prepare for the holiday season. You may want to try to coordinate a group gift, or whatever works best for your classroom. You may want to remind your parents who their Specials and EC teachers are.
Get Involved with Volunteering!
ABS Families can now easily sign up for volunteer opportunities through SignUp Genius, including Pizza Fridays, Book Fair, Carline, classroom help, and more.
- One-stop site for all things volunteering at ABS!
- Learn about volunteer opportunities at both campuses
- Links to sign up and log your volunteer hours
Prospective Parent Tours
School tours for prospective parents begin in October. They are scheduled weekly on Tuesdays at 9:15 am at South Campus and Thursdays at 9:30 am 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 ext 1023. Applications will be accepted beginning January 1. The lottery will be held the second Tuesday of February.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, ABS will announce school closings on local TV channels, under “The Arts Based School”. This information will also be posted on the ABS website (www.artsbasedschool.com) and emailed to the Thursday Notes distribution list.
Our school calendar has three inclement weather days “built in” so we do not need to make up the first three days. Breakfast/Lunch orders will be credited to student accounts if school is cancelled due to inclement weather.
Activity Fee-Reminder
ABS is publicly funded and free to all students. We ask families to contribute a $40 activity fee each year to help cover the costs of our field trips, special arts activities, and more. You can pay your Activity Fee through the website donation link. Please mark other and in the comment box type “Activity Fee”. Families qualifying for free/reduced lunch are exempt from this charge.
Around Town…
Join the North Carolina Brass Band for a festive performance of holiday favorites! Featuring the North Carolina Brass Chorale, this concert includes holiday music that warms the soul, fun tunes that bring a smile, and the promise of a few laughs as well. A concert for folks of all ages – the NCBB will get you into the spirit of the holidays!
Friday, December 5 at 7:30PM
Saturday, December 6 at 7:30PM
JUXTAPOSITION Fine Arts presents Music Man Kids on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 2 PM at Arts Based School Theatre (1380 N Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Winston-Salem, NC). This shortened, child-friendly adaptation of Meredith Willson's classic musical follows a charming con man who convinces a small town to form a boys’ band to scam them, only to have his plans complicated by falling for the local librarian. With roles for children of varying skill levels, the show is family-friendly and perfect for young performers. Tickets are $15 + tax/fees, and Arts Based families receive 50% off with code ABS50. Seats are limited—get yours here: Ticket Link.
Ways to get involved and learn more about ABS:
- Follow us on Social Media
- Catch up on Thursday Notes you may have missed
- Explore the ABS website
- Make sure we have best contact information so that you receive all communications