Hello ACCESS Families,

I hope all of our students enjoyed a wonderful long weekend and had a fun Halloween for those who celebrated!

Our team spent Thursday and Friday entering grades, which will be available to view in ParentVUE by the end of the week. These are new report cards for both our elementary and middle school students, and we understand you may have questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to your child’s teachers with any grade-related questions. Additionally, Meg Cleary will be joining our Principal’s Coffee on November 12 to answer general questions about standards-based grading.

A quick scheduling note: we have a staff meeting this Tuesday, so middle school will release 15 minutes early, and buses may arrive at their afternoon stops a few minutes earlier than usual.

Finally, in case you missed it, sign-ups for fall conferences are now open!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Good Morning ACCESS Families,

It’s Spirit Week here at ACCESS! We’re kicking things off today with Cozy Day 

Here’s what’s coming up next:

• Tuesday: Accessory Day or Twin Day 
• Wednesday: Anything But a Backpack Day or Formal Day 
• Thursday: Hobby Day — show off what you love! 
• Friday: Costume Day 
  A few reminders for Costume Day: The general dress code still applies, and outfits should allow for normal classroom activities. Please, no fake weapons (including foam or plastic swords), no full-face masks, and nothing gory or gruesome.

Site Council Meeting – All Are Welcome!
Our Site Council will meet online Tuesday, October 21, from 4:30–5:30 PM.
While the Site Council is an elected body, all community members are welcome to join and listen in.

Google Meet Info:
  Join the Meeting
  Or dial: +1 573-427-3988‬ PIN: 598 555 970#
 More phone numbers

Early Release Wednesday
This Wednesday, all students will dismiss at 12:45 PM for staff professional learning. Our teachers will be learning from PPS Autism Specialist Carlyn Eames — we’re looking forward to deepening our understanding and support for all learners.

Harvest Festival & Haunted House – Friday!
We’ll wrap up the week with our ACCESS Harvest Festival and Haunted House on Friday! 
Our middle schoolers have been hard at work preparing and can’t wait to share some spooky fun.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Principal’s Coffee and PTA last week!
If you missed the Coffee, you can watch the recording here.

Wishing everyone a fun and spirited week ahead!

Warmly,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all staying dry and enjoying the long weekend! We’ve got a busy calendar this week with a mix of photos, meetings, and opportunities to connect.

Middle School Picture Days

Monday and Tuesday we’ll be taking school photos for our middle schoolers. The forecast looks good for outdoor photos, but we’ll have an indoor setup ready if needed.

Early Release on Tuesday

Tuesday is a staff meeting day, which means middle school students will release 15 minutes early. Afternoon buses may also arrive at stops a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Principal’s Coffee — Wednesday, October 15

Our October Principal’s Coffee is this Wednesday from 9:00–10:00 AM.
We’ll meet in person at ACCESS and also stream live via Google Meet for families who’d like to join remotely.

ACCESS Principal's Coffee (In Person & Online)
Wednesday, October 15 · 9:00–10:00 AM
Join via Google Meet
Or dial: +1 912-712-4249‬ PIN: 957 243 752#
More phone numbers

PTA Meeting — Thursday, October 16

Please join us for our October PTA Meeting, held Thursday from 7:00–8:00 PM in person at ACCESS.
We hope to see you at one or both of these meetings!

2nd Grade: Naglieri Nonverbal Assessment

This month, our 2nd graders will take the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) — a universal screener used by the PPS TAG Department to help identify students who may benefit from TAG services.
The NNAT measures general reasoning and problem-solving using geometric shapes and designs, making it accessible to all students, including English learners.

It includes four types of questions: Pattern Completion, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization.

Please check with your child’s teacher for assessment dates.
The TAG Referral window opened on September 15th, and under new state law, schools can now receive referrals year-round.
You can submit a referral through the PPS TAG Website.

The evaluation process typically takes about eight weeks. For more information, contact Joyce McShane (ACCESS TAG Facilitator) at jmcshane@pps.net, or email the PPS TAG Department at ppstag@pps.net.

Volunteers Needed: Lunch & Recess Support

We’re looking for ACCESS-affiliated adults to help supervise in the Cafetorium and on the front lawn during breakfast and lunch.
Each shift lasts 25–40 minutes, and it’s a great way to connect with students and staff while helping keep our spaces organized and safe.

Here’s how to get started:

1. SECURE your volunteer approval through PPS. (Approvals last three years and are district-wide.)

2. ORIENT yourself by watching our quick video for ACCESS meal-time volunteers.

3. SIGN UP for shifts here.
   On your scheduled day:

• Arrive a few minutes early and buzz into the office vestibule.
• Log in on the computer to print your volunteer badge.
• Check in with cafeteria staff to get started.

Warmly,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal, ACCESS Academy

Hello Atomic Families,

We’ve got a short week ahead — regular schedules Monday through Thursday, and no school on Friday for statewide inservice.

School Pictures
We’re excited to kick off school pictures this week with So-Min Kang Photography!
www.sominkang.com | sominkang25@gmail.com

Schedule:

• 10/6: 2nd & 3rd Graders
• 10/7: 4th & 5th Graders
• 10/13: 6th & 7th Graders (Vosler’s 3rd period)
• 10/14: 7th & 8th Graders (Vosler’s 4th period)
• 10/20: Make-Up Day (10:30–11:30 AM)

Lost & Found Reminder
As we enjoy this beautiful fall weather, please remember to label your child’s clothing — jackets, sweatshirts, hats, and anything else they might take off during the day. Even initials written in Sharpie on a tag can make a big difference in getting items returned.

Please take a moment to review the attached Lost and Found photos and have your student check for missing items. The items shown will be donated on October 13. Anything added after these photos were taken will remain available.

Thank you for helping us keep our Lost and Found under control and our Atoms’ belongings where they belong!

Warmly,
Aaron Ferguson
Principal, ACCESS Academy

You can find a recording on June's Principal Coffee virtual meeting here.

You can find a recording on January's Principal Coffee virtual meeting here! 

Please enjoy the newest edition of the Atomic Articles!

Atomic Articles - June!

Here is the link to view the video of today's principal coffee, which had details about dates for the end of this school year as well as previews of next year's schedules: Recording

Here is the link to the powerpoint with the basic info: PPT

Also note: If you know people interested in the lottery results for the 24-25 school year, we anticipate the initial offers to go out early next week, May 13 or after. Thanks!

Please enjoy the newest edition of the Atomic Articles!

May Atomic Articles

Please enjoy the newest edition of the school newsletter!

Atomic Articles Volume 29

Congratulations to Lincoln High School students Richard Deng and Coral Platt! Both were awarded National Merit Scholarships of $2,500 toward their college studies.

They were chosen from more than 15,000 finalists nationwide. Richard plans to pursue a career in politics and Coral is looking at a future in the legal sector.

Two exceptional PPS educators, Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones, were recently named OnPoint Educators of the Year for 2025.

As part of this prestigious honor, both teachers will have their rent or mortgage paid for an entire year, and their schools also receive a $2,500 donation. 

Ricardo Barber teaches third grade at Faubion, and Hang Jones serves as a social worker at Marysville Elementary. 

The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education celebrates educators who embrace innovative teaching techniques that ignite enthusiasm in their students. 

Congratulations to Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones! And thank you both for everything you do to make a difference in the lives our students.

The assignment their teacher gave them was simple – make a short film that begins with a phone call and ends with someone hanging up. Benson first-year students Dylan Martinez-Torres and Dariel Soriano Zamora ran it all the way to a small city populated by two very big and rather iconic monsters – Godzilla and Hedora.

The result, Sorry, Wrong Number, is one of the more than 90 films entered into the annual Best of PPS Film Festival. The festival is a celebration of exceptional student filmmaking that includes a showcase at the historic Hollywood Theatre. 

The fourth annual installment of the festival took place on May 21 and included a screening of 13 standout films. The films came from all over PPS and ran the gamut from Dylan and Dariel’s monster short to documentaries, film noir, and broadcast journalism. 

If you are a passionate student or community member that wants to make a difference at PPS, apply to join the Climate Crisis Response Committee! This is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education.

On the committee you will learn about how PPS is making progress towards our climate justice and sustainability policies, provide input and recommendations to the PPS Board on how to better support PPS staff as we advance these policy goals, and connect with other passionate members of our PPS community from diverse backgrounds, knowledge areas, and lived experiences.

No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required! Students can apply via this form. Community members can apply here.

Deadline to apply: June 6.