Kaylee Roberts, Staff Writer 

(Image from https://vpa.gcsnc.com/)

In August 2025, Peeler-Hampton Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School officially opened its doors with Dr. Shannon Peeples as founding principal. According to the school’s website, Peeler-Hampton VPA encourages K–5 students to learn creatively and have many unique features that enable students to build a deep connection to the arts. Significantly, the new school also arose from the destruction of a natural disaster. 

In April 2018, a tornado touched down on the east side of Greensboro. Three elementary schools were damaged and deemed unsafe because of the storm. Thanks to a school bond passed by Guilford County voters, though, funding for a rebuilt, reimagined school became possible. 

As noted on the school’s website, Peeler-Hampton VPA’s name combines names from two of the schools lost during the tornado—Peeler Open Elementary School and Hampton Elementary. These two names correlate back to Black individuals important to Greensboro’s history. Rev. Silas Peeler served as president of Bennett Seminary (now Bennett College) from 1905 to 1913, while Dr. William Hampton became Greensboro’s first Black city council member and served on the Board of Education. 

Construction began in September 2021 and, according to WXII 12, cost around $40 million to complete. As reported by Guilford County Schools, a bond passed by voters in 2020 for $300 million dollars allowed for the Elementary school to be built. Other schools in Guilford County are also expected to receive renovations and improvements. 

Peeler-Hampton VPA is a magnet school.  As defined by Magnet Schools of America, a magnet school is a public school offering a special curriculum with the intent to prepare all enrolled students for an active role in society and a future career. The new school’s stated mission is to “Provide students with enriching opportunities that cultivate creativity, innovation, and collaboration, empowering them to thrive throughout their academic journey and beyond.” 

A Facebook post by Guilford County Schools grants parents and community members a tour of the new school. Peeler-Hampton VPA offers a performance stage for those interested in performing arts. The Facebook post highlights features including the large classrooms, with tools such as whiteboards that make up an entire wall, and spaces for hands-on learning. Yellow picnic tables sit on the roof of the school, allowing outdoor learning. The post also notes that Peeler-Hampton VPA offers classes in dance, pottery, music and more, alongside core subjects.  

The post goes on to explain that lessons are designed to help students think creatively, collaborate with others, and explore ideas through movement, design, and performance. Overall, the school’s approach reflects that exposure to the arts enhances problem-solving, confidence, and emotional growth. 

Peeler-Hampton VPA’s ribbon cutting ceremony took place on August 20th. During her speech, Principal Dr. Shannon Peeples expressed immense gratitude to the Board of Education, elected officials, and many others who made the new school a possibility: “Your dedication and commitment to open this new school is greatly appreciated.” The amount of time and dedication put into transforming what was lost into something better serves as a testament that the district cares for public education and the accessibility of creative education. 

A report by Alli Lindenberg for EducationNC states that, for local families, the school’s opening has already created a sense of excitement and pride. After years without a neighborhood school, the surrounding community once again has a hub for learning and connection. Teachers and staff began the year with a shared commitment to creating an environment where every child feels inspired to explore their strengths and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts. 

Peeler-Hampton VPA enters its first year not just as a building or a program, but as a statement that education and the arts belong together, and that communities can rebuild stronger after loss. As students, teachers, and families grow into this new setting, the hope is that Peeler-Hampton VPA becomes a beacon and place where children learn not only what they can do but who they can become.