èßäapp¹ÙÍø

ACCESS Academy Alternative Program

An Accelerated Program
for Highly Gifted Students

6318 S Corbett Ave.?èßäapp¹ÙÍø, OR 97239?Ph (503) 916-6482?Fx (503) 916-2482

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  • The ACCESS Academy Lottery opens February 12th, 2025!

    To apply, students must meet the eligibility requirements listed here AND complete the application by March 12th, 2025. Please attend one of our info sessions if you have any questions about our program, eligibility, etc.

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Principal's Message

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  • Monday Message (2/10)

    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 èßäapp¹ÙÍø weekend.

    I want to take a moment to congratulate our MathCounts team! This weekend, five ACCESS students competed at the University of èßäapp¹ÙÍø 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 èßäapp¹ÙÍø 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: .

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

    Best,
    Aaron Ferguson
    Principal, ACCESS Academy

  • February Updates

    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: Ã¨ßäapp¹ÙÍø SBG Info


    èßäapp¹ÙÍø 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, èßäapp¹ÙÍø)

    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 èßäapp¹ÙÍø.

    To stay informed:
    ? Ã¨ßäapp¹ÙÍø 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: Ã¨ßäapp¹ÙÍø 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 – èßäapp¹ÙÍø Literacy Scavenger Hunt (Feb. 15)

    èßäapp¹ÙÍø 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

School News

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District News

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  • To Close or Not to Close? The Many Factors that Go into an Inclement Weather Decision

    In meteorological terms, èßäapp¹ÙÍø’s first big weather event of 2024 was the definition of a perfect storm. Frigid temperatures and high winds combined with snow and ice to bring down tree limbs, close roads, scramble traffic, freeze pipes, and knock out power for tens of thousands of residents.

    It was a metaphorical perfect storm for èßäapp¹ÙÍø as well. Fallen trees cut power to multiple schools and others have suffered water damage from broken pipes. Lack of heat was also a problem, and impassable roads, paired with snowed-in and icy parking lots, made it impossible for buses to run safely. Those same conditions limited how the district’s facilities and operations teams can even assess the scope of the issues, let alone begin working on solutions. And icy sidewalks meant walkers have no safe route to school.

    This week could bring similar conditions to the èßäapp¹ÙÍø area, and èßäapp¹ÙÍø’s School Closure Team is ready to meet the challenge. The team convenes regularly during inclement weather to take all of the above into careful consideration. By now, families are quite familiar with how the district communicates these decisions. What’s perhaps less known is how district leaders arrive at such decisions in the first place. 

  • Free Screening of "Champions" as Part of Our Series Boosting Belonging, Equity, and Inclusion

    As part of our district's focus on events that center belonging, equity, and inclusion, we have been screening a series of films that we hope will challenge our perceptions about what is possible in the systems we create for our children with disabilities.

    The next film in the series is “Champions,” which will screen on Saturday February 8th at 2:00 PM at Lincoln High School. This event will also include first-hand testimonials from èßäapp¹ÙÍø students.

    This movie highlights the journey of a basketball coach who leads a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Through humor and heartfelt moments, the movie emphasizes the strengths, individuality, and value each player brings to the team and how inclusion enriches communities and creates positive, supportive environments.

    Staff, families, and community members are all invited. Parking is free and light refreshment will be provided. We hope to see you there!

     

  • Two èßäapp¹ÙÍø Educators Receive Presidential Honor

    We’re thrilled to announce that two èßäapp¹ÙÍø teachers were recently awarded the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). 

    Krishnan Ranjani,  a teacher of advanced mathematics and Career and Technical Education (CTE) computer systems at Lincoln High School and Nick Nohner, a computer sciences and data sciences teacher at Ida B. Wells High School, were both selected for the honor which is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The award recognizes outstanding educators for their contributions to the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

    Each awardee will receive a certificate signed by President Joe Biden and a $10,000 award from NSF. Awardees will also travel to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony at a future date. 

    Congratulations to these two exceptional teachers!

     

  • At-A-Glance school profiles now available

    Each year, the Oregon Department of Education publishes school-level At-A-Glance profiles that describe characteristics of each school, as well as progress on key metrics of academic progress and school environment. The profiles for 2023-24 and prior years are now available to view at .
    For more information about these and other reports, please visit .
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