Hello, all! 

The Atomic Articles for November are available! Please check them out! 

Thanks for sharing space with us! Here is last week's RECORDING and the TAG and Title IX slideshows.

Here's the October issue of the Atomic Articles! Please enjoy!

Thanks to all who came and/or are interested in seeing the logistical updates and info for the beginning of 22-23 school year! Here is the Slide Deck with relevant info. And here is the link to the Video if you'd like to hear the accompanying narration and Q+A. 

Please check out the newest edition of the Atomic Articles!

Good news! The transportation department has done an incredible job partnering with us to get a solid draft of the ACCESS routes ready for our feedback (we're the first folks getting routes for next year in the whole district!). Please read on for how to interact with the draft routes:

- Look at the routes here: ACCESS 22-23 Bus Routes DRAFT (some notes: there are currently 8 planned routes, the goals were to keep the time of the routes under an hour and have viable stops for all families)

- Give feedback here: ACCESS Bus Route Feedback Form (these routes really are a draft and if you give feedback now, they can be updated prior to August)

Thanks!

Hello Atomic Community!

Thanks to all current, past, and future Atoms for making 21-22 an incredible experience of learning and community-building as we thrived even during a year of constant changes and many logistical challenges. I'm beyond impressed with our students, staff, and families and continue to be so honored to be your principal. 

As we prepare for the 22-23 school year, there is so much to be excited about! We are beyond thrilled to be coming together in our new (to us!) building at 6318 S. Corbett Ave. We have a space that is all ours, and we are going to daily make more Atomic as we inhabit it. We look forward to community partnership as we learn all the great ways we can use it to more effectively serve all our Atoms. We're also proud and delighted to have an updated mission and vision to undergird all our work and help us stay centered in the values and goals that make us Atomic. We have a great foundation from which to launch into even more amazing and equitable work. 

As your principal, I'm going to work to model and facilitate our values and mission every single day. I'm going to be listening to our students and each of you to ensure that I'm the best partner I can possibly can be in your Atomic work. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Ever Atomically Yours,

Anthony Bromberg

Hello Atoms and Future Atoms, 

I am so glad to be here with you, each and every one of you: Atomic students, staff members, family and community members, and those of you who are exploring the possibility of what ACCESS might be able to offer you. 

It is truly an honor to be your ACCESS Academy principal. I am here because I deeply believe that each of us are highly gifted and deserve to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically as lifelong learners and valued global community members and that every aspect of our education must reflect that. 

Our ACCESS team is committed to proactively working for equity and applying PPS’s Racial Equity and Social Justice framework intersectionally as we critically analyze and dismantle all oppressions, such as those based on race, gender, sexuality, ability, language, culture and more that deny learners full access to the best education possible. We know each of our learners deserves an education that meets their unique needs, and we’re going to personalize their experience to ensure they are accelerated with excellence. We also know that we are part of a learning community that extends beyond the ACCESS buildings, and we want to connect with and provide support for accelerated learning across PPS. There is a place for each of us in the ACCESS family. To that end, we are going to be moving toward an equity-centered Restorative Practices framework of communication and community building. Every voice matters, and we want to learn from yours.

My personal mission this year as your principal is the following: My every interaction with all Atoms (students, staff, and family/community members) will facilitate more access to and awareness of our talents and gifts as well as to more power, both personal and systemic, as we continue to grow the greatest learning community in the world. I am going to do this by being fully present with you, listening and learning how best to facilitate your learning, constantly reflecting on my own growth and learning, and collaborating with you on implementing the best practices for each of our learners. 

The 21-22 school year is going to get off to a great start! We’re going to do amazing, creative work together as we transition back to in-person learning safely and get to plan for the awesome reunification of our elementary and middle schools at the Terwilliger location. Please look out for regular newsletter updates about ACCESS on the school news section of the website's homepage, which will also go out to current families through the School Messenger system. And in the meantime, whatever the time, whether you are currently part of the academy or want to know more about how we can serve you and/or your family in accelerated learning growth, please reach out. I want to hear from you and am always learning from your questions and feedback.

Thank you again for being here. It is a privilege to share with you and to benefit from your special talents and gifts. You rock!

Your Atomically Proud Principal,

Anthony Bromberg

abromberg@pps.net

In Gratitude

November 17, 2022

Dear PPS families and students,

Every week, I am filled with joy and gratitude when I visit our school communities. We have a community that continues to demonstrate a commitment to the success of our children and youth. We have adults who care deeply for our students, and who work hard to ensure each child thrives.

Dear PPS Community,

I want to recognize, on this Veterans Day, all those individuals who have served our country, especially those members of our families and local community who have previously worn a uniform. I want to take this moment to also thank the many veterans who continue their public service by choosing to work in the Portland Public Schools.

Dear PPS Families,

There has been a surge in pediatric respiratory illnesses other than COVID-19 such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus/enterovirus, and influenza around the country this fall. Health departments in other states have seen children presenting with multiple respiratory illnesses. According to the Oregon Health Authority, rates of respiratory disease are currently relatively low in our state, but that could change based on the arrival of winter weather, and any increase in rates has the potential to overwhelm our hospital system.

PPS takes these steps to ensure healthy school environments so that in-person learning can continue. In accordance with CDC guidance, we are also urging families to take steps to protect themselves and minimize the spread of communicable diseases in our schools. 

Dear PPS Families,

Every special education student deserves a high-quality and equitable learning experience. This belief is born from my lived experiences as an educator, and from my relationships with students receiving special education services and their families. Students that receive special education services are our community’s children, and the reason why many of us became educators.