Published for the Arts Based School Community
January 8, 2026
ABS 7th Grade presents The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
Fairy tales are among the world’s oldest and most beloved stories, passed down through generations and across cultures. While the characters and details may change, these stories often share familiar structures—heroes, villains, and a touch of magic—shaped by the time and place in which they were told.
This year marks ABS’s second year presenting The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, a fast-paced, ensemble-driven comedy that brings several Grimm fairy tales together in one wildly entertaining production. Familiar stories like Cinderella, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel are flipped on their heads with modern twists, unexpected surprises, and just the right amount of dark humor to engage middle school audiences.
Written by Dan Zolidis, the play honors the original Grimm tales—far grittier than their Disney counterparts—while reimagining them through a contemporary lens. This mirrors the developmental stage of our 7th graders, who stand with one foot in childhood and the other stepping toward adulthood, learning to find their voice and understand that not every story ends with “happily ever after.”
The production is performed in the style of Story Theater, where actors serve as both narrators and characters, frequently breaking the “fourth wall” and interacting directly with the audience. This dynamic style builds collaboration, creativity, confidence, and empathy—skills deeply connected to 7th grade ELA, Social Studies, and Health standards.
ABS Drama teacher Jordan Brown has created a thoughtfully edited, PG-appropriate version of the show (with playwright permission) that keeps it exciting, challenging, and family-friendly. We’re thrilled to bring this production back for a second year and can’t wait to share it with our community.
Performance Details:
Wednesday, January 14 & Thursday, January 15 at 7pm at The Freedman Theater at Performance Place- UNCSA Campus 585 Giannini Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Tickets: No ticket required; donations gratefully accepted.
North Carolina School Report Card
Each year the North Carolina School Report Cards provides a comprehensive resource for information about student achievement, the school environment and student safety at the state, district and school levels. The Arts Based School exceeded growth and earned Performance Grade of B. Congrats to all our students and teachers for their hard work.
You can find the website here North Carolina School Report Cards (sas.com)
Student Intent for 2026-27 School Year
As we prepare for next year’s enrollment lottery (2026-27), it is important to know how many spaces are available in each grade. As a current student, your child has priority placement and no additional action is required. If your child is not returning to ABS for the 2026-27 school year, please notify Director Hollis.
Siblings of students also receive priority, but must fill out an enrollment application. You must complete an application for the 2026-27 school year for siblings of current students in order to reserve a space before the lottery. The deadline for receiving applications is Jan 31 at 3pm. Applications are available on our school website under enrollment.
Field Trip Grant
We’re thrilled to share that The Arts Based School has been awarded a $2,500 Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund grant from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources! This grant will help support our 4th Grade field trip to Raleigh on April 22, 2026, where students will explore the North Carolina State Capitol, the Legislative Building, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
This experience will bring learning to life as our students engage directly with North Carolina’s history, government, and natural sciences beyond the classroom. We are grateful to DNCR for investing in meaningful, hands-on educational opportunities that inspire curiosity and deepen understanding.
Author Visit at ABS!
We’re excited to share that Bookmarks will be bringing author Chanel Miller, writer of The Moon Without Stars, to ABS next week! Chanel will visit 5th grade on Wednesday morning, January 14. Fifth graders will enjoy a reading, Q&A, and activity, and Bookmarks is generously donating 10 copies of the book to our school. Families may preorder books now for guaranteed delivery and author signature on the day of the visit—students outside of 5th grade are welcome to order signed copies, though they will not attend the presentation. Book order forms should be sent home to 5th grade families today.
EC Parent Survey
The NC Department of Public Instruction, Office of Exceptional Children, is asking for parent input through the 2025-26 Indicator 8 Parent Survey. You may access the survey using the link . To better serve families, the short, two-minute survey allows the respondent to select from multiple languages in which to complete the survey.
Get Ready for The Arts Based School Dance Fit Fundraiser!
We’re excited for this year’s student fundraiser — The Arts Based School Dance Fit! Our goal is to raise $60,000 for our school to benefit our students at The Arts Based School.
Why are we excited?
✅ Easy-to-use fundraising platform
✅ Character-building program
✅ Fitness celebration event for every student!
Families will gather donations through MyBooster.com by simply sharing your student’s page with friends and family. Every share makes a difference!
Students will also enjoy 'Star Quest 5,' an exciting character-building adventure where they'll learn important values through space-themed figures and activities.
⭐ Key Dates:
Sign up opens at MyBooster.com – Today
Kickoff in school – 01/21/2026
January Jam Dance Celebration – 01/30/2026
Reward Store Orders Due - ONE WEEK AFTER EVENT DAY
Stay tuned for more details…
January Jam, Reinvented!
January Jam is back—with a fresh new twist! This year, our beloved afternoon dance party at the 7th Street Building is being reimagined as part of our Booster Dance Celebration, honoring the incredible fundraising success of our students. Students in grades 5–8 are invited to join the fun in the gym from 1:30–2:30 PM for an energetic afternoon featuring a live DJ, great music, and plenty of dancing. Best of all, there’s nothing to bring—no cash, no tickets, and no concessions—just friends, fun, and celebration.
Our K–4 students will also get in on the action with DanceFit sessions during their regular specials times, ensuring every student gets a chance to move, groove, and celebrate. January Jam may look a little different this year, but the spirit remains the same: community, joy, and celebrating what we can accomplish together!
School Calendar 2026-27
The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2026-27. The WSFC school board recently approved and then reviewed their calendar with a change in start date. We have added an additional draft for consideration. If you would like to review the Draft A calendar and Draft B and Draft C 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
Cold and Flu Season
As you know, viruses can be easily spread from person to person. We are asking for your help in reducing the spread at ABS. The symptoms for the seasonal flu and other upper respiratory infections can include: fever of 100 degrees or more, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Students with these symptoms will be sent home.
You can help us by taking these simple steps:
- Keep sick children home.
- Teach children to wash their hands often.
- Teach your children not to share food or drink.
- Teach children to cough or sneeze into their elbows to avoid spreading germs.
Contact your local pharmacy and/or your child’s doctor about getting the flu and/or COVID vaccine.
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
ABS Skate Night-Jan 22
The ABS Builders Club is sponsoring a Skate Night on Thursday, January 22, from 6:30 - 8:00 at Skate Haven, 120 Hood Drive in Winston-Salem. All students invited! This event funds many charities the ABS Builders Club supports during the year. Skate Night $7.00-includes entrance and skate rentals.
Parent Council Notes:
Parent Council meeting minutes December 12.
ABS Volunteer Hub
Find opportunities for Pizza Friday, Teacher Appreciation, Car Line, and log miscellaneous or classroom volunteer hours.
ABS Ice Skate — Saturday, February 21 at 1:30pm!
Join us at the Annex (414 Deacon Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27105) for a fun Parent Council fundraiser supporting our Teacher Appreciation lunch. Admission is $12 and skate rental is $3. Please arrive a little early to ensure skate sizes, and remember: parents must stay with their children—no drop-offs. We hope to see you on the ice!
Clubs and SummerCamps!
We have several very exciting afterschool clubs coming in the spring: Crazy Running, Soccer Shots, Club Invention, and LAZR Dojo! Keep checking back for registration and dates in the next several weeks.
Although winter break just passed, it’s time to think about summer! Summer Camps for The Arts Based School will be released for registration on February 12th. We already have some great ideas from our teachers such as Knits & Giggles, Unplug and Explore, and Camp 90s Rewind. Mark your calendars today!
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…
Acting Out Spring Registration info for January Flyer and registration link here: https://www.uncsa.edu/community/drama-acting-out/classes-dates.aspx
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