GREENSBORO, N.C. — “We are going to be an arts integration school and so from the design up we are talking about how art is the foundation of everything that we do,” proclaimed Shannon Peeples, former Principal of Cone Elementary.

After construction delays and a ballooned budget from inflation, Guilford County’s Visual and Performing Arts School is on the path to having its opening night.

The first public school of its kind in Guilford County, The Visual and Performing Arts School will be a fully arts integrated institution catering to kindergarten through 5th grade.

“Students who are exposed to the arts tend to perform better academically. Research shows that time and time again we teach them safe ways to learn to express themselves. To explore different modalities and maybe they have had opportunities with before,” said Peeples.

The former Cone Elementary principal, Peeples, will be playing the esteemed part of the inaugural principal for the arts school — task she didn’t even realize she was up for until now.

“I remember when the tornadoes came through being out in the neighborhoods and helping and seeing what was here versus what’s here now and even from a few months ago when I drove by. And was checking on progress, not yet knowing, um, for sure that I would be leading here. It’s amazing to see just how far we’ve come and to envision what this is gonna look like in just a few months with students,” Peeples said.

But what are classes without students? With a capacity for nearly 600 students, The Arts School still has plenty of space. Principal Peeples says, it’s all a part of being a class of firsts.

“Yes, there are going to be growing pains, but we are at a perfect time of year to help let people know we are here… We want long term of course to be a wonderful foundation for students who go on to explore the arts at the other schools in our district. We have performing arts schools that are at the middle and high school, so taking the opportunity with visual and performing arts in elementary can give them that fantastic foundation.”

While the stage isn’t full yet, this Elementary Arts School will certainly be a first in this next chapter for Guilford County Schools long-awaited Bond Projects. Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are still open.