Published for the Arts Based School Community
March 27, 2025
How We Do It and Why
By Mary Siebert, ABS founding Arts Director, retired
“Appalachian storytelling isn’t a theatrical performance with sets and costumes and lighting and accents, though a good storyteller can conjure all those things in the mind of the listener.”
– Dave Tabler
The 4th grade “Like a Family” event is named after a renowned collection of first-hand stories from NC mill workers of the ‘20s and ‘30s. Students become familiar with the lives of those workers, whose historic accounts are folded into the script, bringing those characters back to life through theater. This is not a formal performance, but a shared experience focused on the art of Appalachian story-telling and song, and the history of the textile industry in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It recalls life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in the days before radio, when we all participated: telling stories, dancing, singing on front porches, playing instruments, adapting household objects to produce percussion and melody, sewing our own clothing and household linens, creating art from whatever we found around us. And working. Plenty of working.
Students learn about the vibrant cultural mix of people who contributed to establish an influential and unique culture in our state during this time. They explore our state culture through reading, research, maps, visiting artists, and the arts. They do extra “piece work” in class, where they check in each day as if at the mill, learning how to accumulate and save funds by working a little extra. We share our learning with our families in a culminating event that includes dancing to old-time music, student art and sewing exhibitions, music, and storytelling.
Preparation for the storytelling involves extra time with “Mr. Bob” Moyer, who helps students focus on the lifeblood lines of acting: simply telling the story, and truly listening. Students learn traditional tales from Mr. Bob, but they also learn about child labor in the textile mills, and unionizing efforts that followed changes in lifestyle from farming to millwork. Through the famous period photos of Lewis Hine and the written memoirs of folks who were there, students imagine themselves into the mills and act out a scene using quotes from the letters of textile workers. Along with the stories, students will perform some traditional songs from the region, and demonstrate delightful reels, fiddling, hambone rhythms, and will display their hand sewing projects.
Although we have taught this unit for many years with 4th grade, it changes, kaleidoscope fashion, as our personnel change. Our arts specialists all have deep roots in North Carolina. Mary Boudreault, (or “Mrs. B”,) our music teacher, grew up in the Appalachians with extended family, singing and telling stories together. The recently hatched “front porch” segment of our 4th grade event, along with astonishing fiddling from every student in the grade level, are entirely her developments.
Trish Goldberg grew up in Winston-Salem, and has taken on the truly daunting task of teaching sixty 10-year-olds how to sew. Sharp needles and pins, and threading scores of needles are part of her daily routine. Ms. Trish considers sewing a critical artform for students to learn, especially when they are studying textiles, but she also sees this study as an important exploration in self sufficiency. The students have progressed from helplessness to threading and knotting their own needles, as they hand-stitch quilted pillows.
4th Grades “Like a Family” Presentations: Next Week!
4th Grade families are welcome to attend their students’ Like a Family presentations next week in the Ewing Black Box Theater at the ABS-North campus, MLK building.
Brady 12:00-12:45 Tuesday, April 1
McGarry-Pike 12:00-12:45 Wednesday, April 2
Robertson 12:00-12:45 Thursday, April 3
Two Exciting Spring Fundraisers Are Just Around the Corner!
Spring is here, and with it come two of The Arts Based School’s exciting fundraising events! Whether you’re looking for a fun, fitness-focused challenge for the kids or a chic night out for the grown-ups, we’ve got something for everyone.
Community Creates – A Night of Art and Celebration!
This year marks the return of Community Creates, and we couldn’t be more excited! If you’ve never attended before, you might be wondering: Is it a party? Is it a fundraiser? The answer is yes, and yes!
For one evening, the ABS Middle School building and courtyard transform into a chic, hip art gallery filled with incredible artwork created just for this event. Local artists, both familiar and new, donate pieces for our 100 for $100 drawing, silent auction, and live auction. Enjoy an evening of drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and fun while mingling with fellow ABS families, staff, Board members, and community supporters.
More than just a great night out, Community Creates is a vital fundraiser for ABS. Proceeds directly support our artists-in-residence program, which brings accomplished local visual, and performing artists into our school and classrooms. These relationships enrich our students’ education, fostering creativity and meaningful community connections.
Big thank you to our Community Leadership Sponsors: Elliot Morgan Parsonage PLLC and Wrennie & Elizabeth Pitt
Save the date: Saturday, May 3rd, from 7 PM to 11 PM at ABS Middle School. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. Tickets will be available at Eventbrite starting April 1. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please reach out to Director Hollis if you or your business would like to support this event.
Introducing The Arts Based School Dance Fit!
We’re thrilled to introduce this year’s new fundraiser: The Arts Based School Dance Fit! This is our first year trying Booster DanceFit, and we can’t wait to see our students get active, have fun, and support our school. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to support our students, strengthen our school, and build brighter futures—benefiting all ABS students.
This exciting fundraiser offers three key benefits to our school community:
- A user-friendly online fundraising platform
- A character enrichment program to inspire students
- A fitness-focused event that includes every single student
How It Works
As a family, you’ll work together to ask friends and family to donate on your student’s personal donation page at MyBooster.com. Even if you can’t donate, you can still support our school just by sharing the fundraiser.
Students will also participate in an engaging character-building program called Castle Quest, where they’ll learn how to be brave and live with strong character values.
Key Dates to Remember
- Sign up online at MyBooster.com – April 15, 2025
- Fundraiser Kickoff in school – April 15, 2025
- Event Day – April 25, 2025
Stay tuned for more details, and be sure to follow our social media pages for updates!
These two events provide crucial support for our school while also bringing our community together for unforgettable experiences. Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and let’s make this one to remember!
Kids STEAM Night Out
Join Mrs. Hoffman and Mrs. Gledhill for an evening of science, technology, and art fun Saturday, April 12th, 5:30-8:30pm! Dinner will be served. All proceeds will benefit the ABS STEAM Club. The cost is $30 per child, $25 for additional siblings. Spots are limited- Registration begins Friday, 3/28. Open to any ABS Student K-8.
Sign Up- https://bit.ly/aprilsteamnight
2025 ABS Summer Camps-Only 44 days left!
Register for summer camps today! In two weeks, students in the community will be able to join our summer camps. If you want to secure your spot before they fill up, please do so soon! Please follow the link below to view all of our amazing camps and register. Click on the description of the camp that you would like to register for and fill out the Google Form. Invoices will be sent in the coming weeks following registration to secure your spots! Check out the FAQ at the bottom of the flyer for important information!
2025 Summer Camp Registration
Contact Ashley Tate at [email protected] with any questions.
National School Lunch Program at ABS-Updates
We’re set to switch over to the new Lunch program coordinated with the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) April 1st. The April Menu is posted on our website.
A few details that may be helpful…
-All payment and school meals will be processed through LINQ. If you do not have an account, please set that up. To set up your student's account, please visit linqconnect.com and click on "Register." You will need your student's first name, last name, birthdate, and state identification number. If you need your student's state ID number, please reach out to [email protected] for further assistance.
- You will no longer pre-order lunches online. (LINQ does not provide this option yet.) Teachers will take lunch orders each morning while taking attendance. Meals will be ordered based on previous ordering trends, with some extra available for those who need a meal.
- For families eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school will receive a reimbursement for the cost of the student meals each month. If you have not completed the required form to receive a free/reduced lunch, please complete that in the LINQ system.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we transition to this new system. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] and we will be happy to assist you! See FAQ for more details.
Staffing Updates
With a sad heart, we announce that Rains Paden will be leaving ABS at the end of the school year. She has taken a job teaching Science at Summit. We will miss her and wish her the best. That means we have two openings at 3rd grade and two openings for 4th grade next year. Please keep your eyes and ears open for great teaching candidates and send them our way.
Our Lead Speech Language Pathologist, Mary Dunevant, has gone on leave to welcome her new baby. She will be out for the remainder of the school year and will return when next year begins. Victoria Shull, SLP and Gina Pruitt, SLP will cover most of the therapy during the remaining weeks of school. Some students will be eligible for makeup of missed services over the summer. We will notify those families directly.
News from Parent Council
The Parent Council meeting previously scheduled for March 21st at 8:30am will be cancelled. The next PC Meeting will be Monday April 14th at 8:30AM in person (and on zoom). May’s meeting is schedule for Friday 5/16 at 12pm on Zoom
If you have any announcements, questions or concerns that need addressing prior to the next meeting, please send those to Katy Whiteheart or Stephanie Smith.
We would like to open nominations for all positions on the 2025-2026 Parent Council. Nominations can be made on this form. We do have existing members staying in many positions, so the biggest need is for the following four positions:
- Co-Chair from South Campus
- Secretary
- Teacher Appreciation Coordinator from South Campus
- Event Coordinators (we have coordinators staying on, but can use more)
ABS Yearbook
Here is the link for online ordering for the ABS Yearbook.
Deadline for ordering is March 31st. Yearbooks are $30.00 and will be hardcover this year.