Published for the Arts Based School Community
January 15, 2026
No School-Monday, January 19, 2026- MLK Day
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert, Founding Arts Director, retired
“Through study of original works of art and extensive exploration of art criticism, history, theory, and studio practice, students will learn to see themselves as makers of meaning, not simply vessels into which knowledge is poured.” - From the ABS charter
Even at The Arts Based School, students sometimes learn and practice via traditional means, like working problems or reading material and answering questions about it, but always with the instructor’s eye on the individual child. In addition, we integrate the arts in the 4 ways we often mention: Direct arts instruction in the studio, visits into the community or visits from artists in the community, large-scale “Landmark” productions, and arts-integrated lessons in the classroom. For these lessons in the classroom, teachers provide structure, goals, guidance, materials, and assessment for them to engage in learning in many ways.
Here are some models of integration as it appears in the regular classroom:
Quick Connections - Planned or spontaneous use of the arts to help understand or reinforce concepts. For example: dance breaks, drawing, curriculum songs, drama games that reinforce learning from other subjects.
Student-Led Lessons - Where possible and appropriate, teachers follow student curiosity. Examples: Students write and direct a scene, write a song and perform it, create a work of art to explore a topic, with necessary support and structure from the teacher or parents.
Teacher Designed and Led Lessons - Teachers create lessons based on required curriculum, inspired by the connections that naturally occur across subjects, seeking to captivate the interest of students, and sometimes sharing a particular passion of the teacher. Example: A teacher who loves throwing pots designs a series of lessons around the basics of working with clay and connects the lessons with social studies, geometry, and problem-solving skills. She leads her team to provide the experience for all students at that grade level. A visiting expert might be brought in to demonstrate slab pottery techniques.
Immersion Experiences - Teachers bring students into a great work of art or an artist study, allowing students to become immersed and to feel ownership. For example: Leonardo DaVinci study, grade level plays, filmmaking, self-portraits. These experiences require a lot of adult vision, planning, and assistance, giving students access to experiences they would not be able to synthesize on their own. The final quality is elevated because the student applies their skills within a dedicated and supportive structure.
None of these trumps the others…we like all of them!
Safety First
Our ABS community looks for ways to provide our children and staff with stability, security, and a collective sense of well-being.
The relatively small footprints of our campuses as well as our entire staff’s knowledge of children and their parents not only nurtures our tight-knit community, but it also sustains a connectedness that enhances our children’s safety. Our community members know and support one another. Children’s safety is always our highest priority. As a result, throughout the course of the year we have several different precautionary drills that include fire, tornado, and lockdown drills.
1) Fire drills are when we test our response time for evacuation of the building. We conduct these drills monthly. Students are taken outside for this drill.
2) For a tornado drill, students are inside away from exterior windows. They are seated with their heads down and hands over the back of their necks. We conduct this drill in March in coordination with the State’s Severe Weather Preparedness week in March.
3) For lockdown drills, teachers and students stay in the classroom, turn off the lights and must be silent. We practice this drill once a year.
Our procedures are based on the state’s crisis intervention kit, provided to all schools. As part of our school safety and crisis plan, we conduct annual lockdown training for staff which includes the children’s orderly following of directions, lockdown “shelter in place”, and common sense decision-making. Full details of our lockdown plans are not shared publicly as recommended by security experts.
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.
EC Parent Survey
The NC Department of Public Instruction, Office of Exceptional Children, is asking for your 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 ONE week away from the start of our The Arts Based School Dance Fit fundraiser where we will have fun and build community while we work to reach our fundraising goal.
Curious about the event? Find an overview of our fundraiser HERE!
Key Information to help you during the fundraiser:
Goal: $60,000
Kickoff Date (in school): 01/21/2026
Event Date: 01/30/2026 DanceFit January Jam
Reward Store Orders Due - ONE WEEK AFTER EVENT DAY
Donations for our The Arts Based School Dance Fit will be collected through our fundraising platform: MyBooster.com. Also, when students get donations and share their donation link they will earn POINTS. The more donations, the more points they can earn. Families can redeem their points through the ONLINE REWARD STORE. View the reward store from your dashboard to see this year’s prize options!
How to Start on MyBooster.com:
- Choose “Sign Up”
- Enter your School
- Enter your Personal Information
- Once you sign up, it’s time to share via Facebook, email and text!
- Check out all the prize options at the Reward Store
Tips for Success:
- Set a goal for how much to raise and make a plan with your student on how to reach it.
- Share, share, share using our easy online tools!
- Make sure to thank everyone who supported you after you reach your goal.
School Calendar 2026-27
The ABS Board of Directors is considering the school calendar for 2026-27. The WSFC school board recently approved their calendar with a late start in August. 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- Friday, January 16, 8:30am South Campus (962 Mock St) or you can join us virtually here.
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!
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.
How Inclement Weather (Snow) Days Are Made Up
Our school follows a specific order for handling inclement weather days, in accordance with state guidance. Here’s how it works:
- First 3 inclement weather days are forgiven for students
The first three days school is closed due to inclement weather do not need to be made up. - Scheduled make-up days are used next
Once the three forgiven days are used, we will begin using the make-up days already built into the school calendar.
For the 2025–2026 school year, those days are: May, 26, 27, & 28 - Remote learning days are used only if needed
If we miss more than six total days of school (three forgiven days + three calendar make-up days), we will then begin using remote learning days. - The state allows up to five emergency remote learning days.
- Current status
At this point, we have used one inclement weather day. - The next two days we potentially miss will be forgiven.
- No make-up days or remote learning days have been used yet.
- Preparation for remote learning (if required)
During the most recent teacher workday, teachers prepared Remote Day learning packets.
These packets will be sent home only if we exhaust: - the 3 forgiven inclement weather days and
- the scheduled make-up days (May 26–28).
We will continue to communicate clearly if and when we move to the next step in this process.
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…
In honor of MLK Day, our community is invited to participate in a cemetery cleanup at historic Odd Fellows Cemetery on Monday from 11:00–12:30, followed by a cemetery tour at 1:00 pm; lunch will be provided. Founded in 1907, Odd Fellows Cemetery is a 13-acre historic Black cemetery with nearly 9,500 individuals buried there, and it has endured years of neglect that now require ongoing restoration and care. This work has been supported through a multi-year collaboration with the Friends of Odd Fellows Cemetery focused on research, mapping, and preservation. The primary volunteer task is raking, and while this is better suited for adults, it makes a meaningful and powerful MLK Day service opportunity. Attendance is often over 100 volunteers, creating a strong sense of community and purpose. Registration is required for communication and waivers, and more information can be found at the link https://givepul.se/bad6b9 or Flyer
Broadway Caliber Masterclass - Now Accessible to the WSNC community
Broadway performer Anthony Wayne is bringing Broadway to Winston-Salem! He's offering a masterclass where he will teach students what it takes to be a successful performer with his knowledge as a current day performer. Performers in New York City often gain access to valuable masterclasses that give them an advantage. The Arts Council is proud to partner with Anthony Wayne to make this arts education accessible to our community right here in Winston-Salem. Tickets are on a donation basis from $0 - $10. This class is for ages 18+ and is limited to 50 students. Register here.
Broadway Performance Coming to WSNC! - Special Discount for Arts Based Families
Anthony is also performing in his show "JUST ME...LIVE!" on the Arts Council's campus. We're excited to bring Broadway to Winston-Salem! Buy tickets here and use the code JUSTME10 for 10% off.
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