Hello Atomic Families,

• Wednesday, April 23, is an early release day—all students will dismiss at 12:45 PM.

• All other days this week follow our regular start and dismissal times.

Middle School State Testing (Grades 6–8):
This week, ACCESS will administer OSAS state assessments in ELA, Math, and Science to students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

• Wednesday, April 23: Students will follow a special testing schedule for the entire school day.

• Thursday, April 24: Students will follow a special testing schedule during periods 1–4 and Atomic Time, then return to their normal schedule for periods 5–7 after lunch.

To be ready for testing, students should bring:

• Their fully charged school Chromebook

• Wired headphones with a 3.5mm audio jack (not Bluetooth)

• A physical (non-digital) book to read after completing their tests

If your student doesn’t have wired headphones, loaner pairs will be available at school.

For students opting out of testing:
They will spend testing periods in technology-free, supervised silent reading. Please remind them to bring a physical book to read.
If you are planning to opt your child out of testing, please submit the opt-out form by the morning of Tuesday, April 22. Last-minute opt-outs on testing days create significant logistical challenges—thank you for helping us plan accordingly!

2nd Grade Families:
Don’t forget to send your child with swimming gear on Tuesday for their swim lessons! If possible, have them wear their suit under their clothes and pack dry undergarments to change into after. This helps maximize their time in the water!

Big Congratulations to The ACCESS Academics!
Our middle school OBOB team placed 2nd in the state last Saturday! We’re so proud—not just of their incredible competition performance, but of their growth, teamwork, and dedication throughout the season. Their journey has been inspiring, and they’ve made our entire community proud!

Celebrating Autism Awareness Month:
April is Autism Awareness Month, and we want to recognize and celebrate the positive contributions of all of our twice-exceptional and neurodiverse students. At ACCESS, we believe that our diversity makes us stronger. We are committed to creating a school community where every student feels welcomed, valued, and supported for exactly who they are. We are honored to learn with—and from—one another every day.

Thanks for reading this extra-long update. I hope you enjoyed the beautiful spring weather this weekend, and for those who celebrate, hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Warmly,

Principal Aaron

Good morning ACCESS families,

I hope you had a chance to enjoy the beautiful spring weather this weekend—and for those who celebrate, I hope your Passover celebrations are off to a joyful start!

We’re on a regular schedule this week with no early release days for staff meetings.

A reminder for our 2nd grade families: the Schools to Pools schedule has shifted. Swim lessons will now take place tomorrow (Tuesday, April 15th) and continue on Tuesdays for the remainder of the program. If possible, please send your child to school wearing their swimsuit under their clothes, along with a set of dry undergarments to change into after. This helps us get them into the pool quickly and ensures they have more time with the instructor.

I also hope to see many of you at our ACCESS PTA meeting on Thursday evening!

Warmly,
Principal Aaron

Hi Everyone,

Welcome home to our 6th-grade students! Your chaperones shared that you were absolutely inspiring in the way you embraced your time at Outdoor School. We’re so proud of you!

Here are a few things going on at ACCESS this week to keep on your radar:

• Tuesday: It’s a staff meeting day, so all students (including middle school) will be released at 3:15 PM. This means that buses should arrive at their afternoon stops a few minutes earlier than usual.

• Tuesday: Our 8th graders will be heading out on their field trip to the University of Oregon.

• Thursday: Our 2nd graders will begin the Schools to Pools program. If you have a 2nd grader, please remember to send them with their swimming gear.

• Friday: We will conduct our spring earthquake drill. As we practice earthquake safety at school, it’s a great opportunity to check your home for earthquake preparedness as well.

• Middle School Dance Update: The dance originally scheduled for this Friday has been postponed to Friday, May 2nd.

• OSAS Exams: At our staff meeting tomorrow, we will finalize the plans for administering the OSAS exams. You can expect to receive the testing schedule soon.

Thank you for your continued support!

Best,

Principal Aaron

Good morning everyone! Hope everyone had a relaxing and joyful spring break! I’m excited to hear from your kiddos about the fun they had last week. We’ve got a short week as we dive back into things. Students will be out this Friday, April 4th, and next Monday, April 7th, for grading and planning.

We’ve got our Principal’s Coffee this Wednesday at 9:00 AM, which will be in-person this week (and streaming online as well) at ACCESS—with actual coffee provided!

Our 6th graders are out this week participating in that great Oregon tradition of Outdoor School! We wish them the best of luck and know they are learning important things about this land that we share and care for while building lifelong memories.

2nd grade families—please make sure to get your permission slips in for Schools to Pools! That program starts Thursday, April 10th. Remember to send your child with their swimming gear on Thursdays starting next week.

Our Spring Dance is also coming up! We will be looking for parent volunteers to help chaperone next Friday, April 11th.

I’ve had a couple of people asking about the calendar for next year and want to clarify that we are planning to do 6th Grade Jump Start again next year. That means students who will be starting 7th or 8th grade in the fall will get one extra day of summer break and will start school on August 27th.

Best,

Principal Aaron

Hello Atoms Families,

A huge thank you to all the volunteers and everyone who supported our 8th graders last week during the presentation of their National History Day projects. The students did incredible work, and it was fantastic to see their efforts shine!

Another big thank you to everyone who volunteered for Pi Day — the pie was delicious, and the students had an amazing time.

We’ve got just five school days left until Spring Break! Here’s what’s coming up this week:

 Tuesday: Our Site Council meeting will be held at 4:30 PM. If you’d like to observe, the link is posted on the website.

Wednesday: Early release day — all students will be dismissed at 12:45 PM.

 Thursday: Our PTA meeting will take place at 7:00 PM.

• Join via Google Meet: meet.google.com/eph-zphf-ibc

• Dial-in: +1 208-715-5825‬ PIN: 778 452 051#

• Draft agenda: Click here

Thank you for your continued support — let’s finish strong before Spring Break!

Best,
Aaron Ferguson

Hello Atoms Families!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Principal’s Coffee last week. We have a regular schedule all week, and our second Tuesday Site Council meeting is rescheduled to next Tuesday, March 18, at 4:30 PM.

Enrollment Window

The enrollment window is open and will remain open until March 12th. A huge thank you to the parents who have attended our information sessions to answer questions and share their experiences as ACCESS parents. Hearing directly from other parents is incredibly meaningful for prospective families. 

Chess Club – New Players Welcome!

The Chess Club is gearing up for spring and looking for new players. If your student is interested in joining, please check out the flyer for more details.

You're Invited to ACCESS History Day – March 11

Next Tuesday, March 11, will be our first-ever ACCESS History Day, from 5:45 to 8:00 PM! Our 8th Grade Atoms have been working hard all year, conducting research, citing and annotating bibliographies, writing, and creating projects on a history topic of their choice. Their work focuses on primary sources and crafting a historical argument under this year's theme:
Rights and Responsibilities in History

This year, due to a surge in school participation across Oregon (yay!), we are limited to sending 15 projects to the State competition. Our 8th Graders have worked incredibly hard and are excited to showcase their projects!

Pizza will be sold, with 100% of the proceeds going toward the 8th-grade trip. If you plan to attend and would like to order pizza, please fill out this form by Friday, March 7, so we can plan accordingly.

Middle School Spring Dance – April 11 (Tentative Date)

Our Middle School Spring Dance is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 11. We will be looking for volunteers to help make this event a success, so please check your calendars and stay tuned for more details!

Bathroom Care Reminder

Please remind your students to take care of the school bathrooms the same way they would at home. This week, we had conversations with our middle school students about keeping the bathrooms in the portables clean and respectful for everyone.

Our custodial staff works hard every day to keep our building clean and safe—let’s show our appreciation by doing our part to help!

PPS Middle School Standards-Based Grading Info Session – March 13

PPS is hosting an information session on Thursday, March 13, about the transition to standards-based grading for middle school, which is scheduled to begin next year.

I highly encourage ACCESS parents to attend, as this change will align our middle school grading system more closely with elementary report cards—grading students based on their proficiency in specific standards. You can find more details here. 

PPS Budget & Advocacy Updates

We also discussed PPS budget news. You can find general information about the PPS budget here.

The best way to support ACCESS and public education is to use your voice, your story, and your vote to advocate for adequate school funding in Oregon.

PPS Budget Priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session:

• Invest in High-Quality Education

  • Pass the Governor’s recommended changes to the Current Service Level (CSL)

  • Fully fund recent mandates and new initiatives (e.g., PE)

  • Fully fund special education services

• Funding for Student Supports

  • Maintain sustainable funding for school nutrition programs, extended learning opportunities, and early literacy

• Current 2025 Oregon Legislative Agenda

  • HB 3039 – Directs ODE to study ways to expand summer and afterschool programs

• Additional Funding Priorities

  • Facility improvements, curriculum, transportation, green schoolyards, cybersecurity, and healthcare access

For those looking to get involved, this Advocacy Toolkit provides great information on how to engage with our elected leaders.

Thank you again for your time and support!

Hello Atoms,

I hope you're all enjoying this sunny three-day weekend! We’re back tomorrow and will follow a regular schedule for the remainder of the week.

Principal’s Coffee – Wednesday at 9:00 AM
Our monthly Principal’s Coffee will take place this Wednesday at 9:00 AM. The link is also below.

Calendar Update – No Staff Meeting on 3/11
Next week, there is a change to the originally published calendar. There will be no staff meeting on Tuesday, March 11, so we will follow a regular schedule that day.

Classified Appreciation Week
This week is Classified Appreciation Week! Please take a moment to show your gratitude for our incredible paraprofessionals, front office staff, bus drivers, nutrition services team, and custodial crew. They do so much to support our school community!

Exciting News – Almost Reliable Robotics is Heading to State!
Success has become reliable for ACCESS Academy’s Almost Reliable Robotics team! They competed at the Spark Invitational Tournament in Philomath, OR—a statewide competition that gives Oregon teams a second chance to qualify for the State Championship.

Facing off against 33 mostly high school teams from across the state, our middle school team made it to the final round! Their team alliance with Benson High School placed second, securing their spot in the State FTC Robotics Championship on March 15-16 and earning them a well-deserved trophy.

Congratulations to Almost Reliable Robotics on this incredible achievement! A huge thank you to their dedicated coach, David Fikstad, and our amazing parent volunteers. Best of luck at State!

Shoutout to Our 3rd Graders at the Oregon Food Bank!
A big round of applause to our 3rd graders and their parents who volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank last Saturday! Our students helped pack 13,341 pounds of potatoes and apples—and they were so efficient that they even had time for a warehouse tour.

Rose City Chess Returns to ACCESS!
Rose City Chess is back this spring! This winter, 21 students had a fantastic time competing, and they’re looking for new players. If your student is interested, check out the flyer for more details.

Looking forward to another great week!

Best,
Principal Aaron

Hello Atoms Families,

A huge thank you to our PTA for providing our awesome new ACCESS t-shirts! Everyone looked fantastic in the big group picture.

Please note a slight adjustment to this week’s schedule: Tuesday is a staff meeting day, so middle school students will be released at 3:15 PM (not 3:30 PM as originally scheduled). If your student rides the bus, please expect them to arrive at their stop a little earlier than usual on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday remains an early release day, with all students dismissed at 12:45 PM as scheduled.

There are no ACCESS information sessions this week, but we will resume them next week with sessions on Monday night (3/3) and Thursday morning (3/6).

Finally, please join me in wishing all of our Atoms the best of luck as they compete in the final rounds of our school-based OBOB battles this week and next!

Thank you for your support!

Best,
Principal Aaron

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all stayed safe and warm during our surprise five-day weekend—and hopefully found some time to enjoy the snow!

We’re back to a regular schedule this week with no early release days.

We’re currently hosting information sessions for families considering applying to ACCESS. A big thank you to Lisa and Eliz for joining last Tuesday’s session! If you’re available to share your experiences with potential ACCESS families, we’d greatly appreciate it. Our next session is this Thursday at 9:00 AM. You can find all the session details here.

The PTA will meet this Thursday evening. Since we had to cancel the last Principal’s Coffee, I’ll give a general update at the start of the meeting.

Shoutout to the ACCESS FTC Robotics Team! 
The Almost Reliable Robotics Team came incredibly close to the playoffs at today’s FTC Rose City Qualifying Event. They earned second place for the Motivate Award, and their strong performance secured them an invitation to the Spike Invitational in Philomath, OR—a second-chance tournament where they’ll have another shot at qualifying for the state competition.

They competed against high school teams, demonstrating outstanding teamwork and problem-solving skills. We’re so proud of their effort and achievement! A special thanks to our incredible coach, David Fikstad, for his dedication and leadership.

Have a great week!

Best,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal, ACCESS Academy 

Dear ACCESS Families,

If your family enjoys watching sports, I hope you had a great time watching the big game on Sunday—hopefully with some delicious snacks! If sports aren’t your thing, I hope you had the chance to get outside and enjoy a beautiful Portland weekend.

I want to take a moment to congratulate our MathCounts team! This weekend, five ACCESS students competed at the University of Portland and placed 3rd overall. They showcased not only their strong math skills but also their teamwork and positive attitude. A huge shoutout to the team and their coach, Ms. MacKinnon, for their hard work and achievement!

Looking ahead, we have a regular schedule all week, with no school next Monday in observance of Presidents' Day. Our Site Council will meet this Tuesday at 4:40 PM online, and we encourage families to join.

Additionally, as PPS moves into budget season, your input is valuable in shaping decisions that impact our students and schools. If you haven't yet shared your thoughts, you can do so here: PPS Budget Input Form.

Thank you for being such an engaged and supportive community. Have a great week!

Best,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal, ACCESS Academy

Middle School Winter Dance

A great time was had by all! We had over 100 of our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders attend, and it was wonderful to see them enjoying the event. A huge thank you to our leadership class and parent volunteers for making this such a memorable evening!

Science Bowl

Congratulations to our two ACCESS Science Bowl teams for their fantastic performance at last Saturday’s competition! Both teams won two of their four rounds, showcasing their knowledge and teamwork. Well done!

Spelling Bee Results

On a rare dry February day, 43 students competed in the ACCESS Spelling Bee! After 23 rounds, our champion is 6th grader Heidi Benson! Runner-up (who will advance if Heidi is unable to continue) is 7th grader Ezra Metcalfe, and 8th grader Dahlia Cunningham took third place. A special shoutout to Mazzy Bundy (5th grade), who was the last elementary speller standing, and Leander Solovitz (6th grade), who tied for fourth.

This year’s winning word? Shakuhachi! 

Thank you to our teachers, parents, and counselor Devin Harkness for supporting the event. See you next year!

Standards-Based Grading – Parent Engagement Session (Grades 6-8)

 Date: Tuesday, February 13
 Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
 Location: Virtual & In-Person (Prophet Education Center)

Families of current middle schoolers and rising 6th graders are invited to learn more about the district’s shift to Standards-Based Grading (SBG). More details and other listening session dates can be found here: PPS SBG Info. 

PPS Movie Screening: “Champions” – Feb. 8

Join us for a special Belonging, Equity & Inclusive Practices event featuring the movie Champions, a heartwarming story about a basketball coach and his team of players with intellectual disabilities.

 Date: Saturday, February 8
 Time: 2:00 – 4:15 PM (Doors open at 1:30 PM)
 Location: Lincoln High School (1750 SW Salmon St, Portland)

Staff, families, and community members are all invited!

Inclement Weather Updates

With cold temperatures this week, we want to remind families that any weather-related school closures or delays will be communicated by PPS.

To stay informed:
 PPS Transportation will monitor conditions and coordinate with Emergency Management.
 Families will receive updates first via building leaders, then through district-wide messaging.
 To opt into text alerts, visit: PPS Weather Communications.

National School Counseling Week (Feb. 3-7)

This week, we celebrate National School Counseling Week to recognize the incredible impact school counselors have on students' success and well-being. A small gesture of appreciation can go a long way—please take a moment to thank our wonderful ACCESS counselors!

Golden Key Quest – PPS Literacy Scavenger Hunt (Feb. 15)

PPS is launching its first-ever Golden Key Quest, a citywide literacy scavenger hunt!

 Date: Saturday, February 15
 Locations: Caldera Arts (224 NW 13th Ave, Suite 304), Third Eye Books (2518 SE 33rd Ave), Literary Arts (716 SE Grand Ave)

Students who find a Golden Key hidden inside a book can scan the QR code to win free family tickets to OMSI! No purchase necessary—just a fun way to celebrate reading!

Thank you for being engaged with our school community. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events!

Best,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal, ACCESS Academy