Finding community and learning at Access Academy

11/4/2025 12:00 pm

The neighborhood elementary school that my daughter attended prior to ACCESS did not have the resources to meet her needs. By second grade our daughter was complaining that school was boring and that felt like a huge red flag! During a parent-teacher conference we learned that the teacher did not have any books that could challenge or meet the needs of my daughter. We also learned that our daughter was there to help other kids, serving as a teacher helper. I can see the benefit of this if it is paired with challenging work, but it was not. ACCESS has been an incredible experience for my daughter. Not only is she academically challenged, but the school does a truly excellent job of building community, and ensuring that all children feel safe and seen during the school day. 

- Parent of an 8th grader

Empowered by Strengths: Our Child’s Transformation at ACCESS

10/22/2025 2:20 pm

Our child has ADHD, and one of the key ways we are told for gifted children with ADHD to succeed is strength based learning. Our child became disinterested in math by 2nd grade, often not finishing his work or getting poor scores on quizzes/tests, as he had long learned the subject matter, some of it as early as KG, but was not receiving any differentiated work, to our knowledge. When we got to ACCESS, all of that went away immediately. His enjoyment/enthusiasm for school similarly immediately rebounded. 

Low-Income Weighting Gave Us a Chance—ACCESS Gave Us a Future

10/15/2025 2:27 pm

Applying to ACCESS was a no-brainer. Thankfully, applying as a low-income family weighted our application in the lottery system, and he got in on our first try. I was overjoyed—but I had no idea just how great it was going to be. He has blossomed and thrived at ACCESS. It is a very special school—a wonderful place I have the utmost trust in to have my child’s best interest at heart.

ACCESS: A School That Truly Fits

10/13/2025 3:13 pm

We didn’t realize how much we needed ACCESS Academy until we became part of ACCESS Academy. Our children have found their people. They are surrounded by peers who encourage one another, who value curiosity, and who make space for different kinds of talents and interests. Sometimes when people ask where my kids go to school, I say “it’s a weird kid school.” And I mean that in the best possible way. These kids are weird, wonderful, unique, intelligent and inspiring. And I’m so grateful they can be their full, authentic selves, in a place that celebrates who they are. ACCESS is truly something special. 

ACCESS Understands How to “deal with” Our Child

10/10/2025 9:51 am

Our parent teacher conferences always included the counselor and assistant principal. We were regularly asked by teachers and staff for recommendations of how to "deal with" our child. When we switched to ACCESS we began to notice differences. We are incredibly grateful to ACCESS and what it offers. Our child's life would have been very different had we not found such an amazing school. 

High Expectations Equitably Empower Students

10/8/2025 12:06 am

My eldest Atom is unusual in that their TAG is for math, but they tested into ACCESS in language and that is where their skill flourishes. Would ACCESS be a good fit? Yes! ACCESS created an environment in which everyone was assumed and expected to be able to perform at a high bar which empowered the students to grow.

ACCESS: A Place for Big Words and Big Dreams

10/5/2025 7:56 pm

Our daughter was struggling as a 2nd grader because she was a very bright child who was not receiving the supports she needed at her prior school. At ACCESS, she has flourished and thrived since then because she is finally surrounded by other bright, quirky girls who love math and think that it's GREAT to use "big words." Our son is now in 9th and has tremendous confidence in his academic abilities. Access gave him that confidence because he didn't have to feel like a fish out of water for being bright since all the other Access kids were equally bright.

A Lifeboat for Our Learners: What ACCESS Gave Our Family

10/3/2025 10:23 am

ACCESS changed both my children’s trajectories. Without it, my daughter would have remained “fine” - overlooked, under-challenged, and unseen. Without it, my son would have gone from being isolated and frustrated to deeply unhappy, forced to work far below his abilities, and perhaps eventually refusing school altogether. Instead, he is now a 6th grader taking high school Algebra 1. He went from having no friends to being a part of a wide circle of friends and peers who understand and inspire him. ACCESS gave both of my children what every student deserves: challenge, community, and the chance to truly thrive.