The ACCESS Adventure summer program is created to provide leisure programs for students. Participating students take advantage of a number of activities MondayFriday during the summer months. Students get a break from the rigors of yearround academic work through opportunities that build character; encourage development of leisure activities and independence; foster communication and social skills; and promote physical fitness. Students who participate in ACCESS Adventure, along with their families, must abide by the policies and procedures outlined in this handbook. If you have questions about any of the items in this document, please contact the Director of Academy.
The ACCESS Adventure regular programming day begins at 8:00 a.m. and lasts until 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. ACCESS depends on student attendance to ensure all students are receiving their prescribed therapy services each week, as well as to meet required funding reimbursement from state agencies. Regular attendance is crucial and enforced. All ACCESS Adventure students are reuired ot attend 80% or more of the program days. Poor attendance may reseult in program dismissal or cause an individual not to be invited back to participate in the program in future summers.
During ACCESS Adventure days, students may arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. Morning care is offered 7:30-8 a.m. for no additional cost.
ACCESS Academy students may arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. for school. Students may stay as late as 5:30 p.m. if they are enrolled in extended care, which is available 4:00-5:30 p.m. during for working parents. This service is not part of the ACCESS Adventure program day. Students must be enrolled in the extended care program to participate. Enrollment in this program is based on staff availability to ensure proper staff-to-student ratios. Please see the Tuition and Fees schedule on our Admissions page for the cost of the extended care program.
There is a drop-in policy for extended care in order to assist families in case of an emergency or a situation where parents need childcare on a given day. Parents must contact the front office for approval of drop-in services. Approval is based on staff availability to ensure proper staff-to-student ratios. Drop-in extended care is $30 per day.
All parents, guardians, or approved pickup persons must park and come inside to the front lobby to pick up your child from after care. In the lobby, you will be asked to scan your unique after care tag to sign your child out. The individual working at the front desk will then call the appropriate after care space to request your child be sent to the lobby for dismissal. Students will NOT be allowed to go straight to the car for dismissal.
Morning drop-off begins at 7:30 am and runs through 8:00 am. Students should be dropped off at their designated drop-off at the breezeway in the north parking lot (closest to Cantrell Road).
CLICK HERE TO SEE A MORNING DROP-OFF AND CAR RIDER MAP
Students who are leaving campus at 4:00 p.m. will wait for their ride in the car rider line. Afternoon car rider line for all students leaving at this time will take place at cafeteria door in the back of Building 3, located at the back of the south parking lot. Parents/guardians will line up in the south parking lot along the greenhouse side. Students will be called to load into cars a few at a time as their ride approaches the front of the line. Once your student has gotten into the car, the driver will continue past the cafeteria doors toward the tennis courts, make a U-turn and continue toward the exit by following along the southernmost lane of the parking lot (closest to Fellowship Bible Church - Midtown). Our parking lots are very busy during this time. Please be aware of people and cars at all times, and drive slowly and cautiously.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MORNING DROP-OFF AND CAR RIDER MAP
Please remember that the car rider line is not the place for conversations; if you need to talk to someone, please be considerate of other driver’s schedules and park.
Any student who is still in the car rider line at 3:15 p.m. is considered an extended care drop-in; subsequently, parents will be charged the $30 daily drop-in fee.
Lunches may be brought from home; however, they cannot be refrigerated or heated at school. Please make sure your child’s lunch is nutritional and well-balanced. Any needed utensils should also be sent daily with your child’s lunch.
ACCESS Academy is excited to offer school lunch ordering options through Bella's Kitchen and Wellness. Students, parents, and employees may order lunches in advance for your convenience - a la carte, by the week, or by the month. To setup your child's account:
If you have any issues or questions while ordering, please email info@bellaskitchenandwellness.com or call/text 501-951-0864. More detailed information about the lunch ordering process for ACCESS Academy may be found at the following link: Bella's Kitchen and Wellness School Lunch Guidelines
It is strongly recommended that students do not wear flip-flops, crocs or any other type of shoes (bulky or strappy) that make it difficult for them to walk around campus and participate in school activities. Students must have a pair of athletic shoes each day to participate in physical fitness programs and other school activities. Tennis shoes or other close-toed shoes with a strap around the heel are the best choice. Students need to be able to participate fully in all activities in class and around campus.
Students may not wear shirts that have inappropriate characters or messages on them. It is not appropriate for undergarments to show or for students to wear extremely tight clothing. Student’s shorts need to be an appropriate length offering complete coverage while students stand, walk, and sit. Shorts must also be visible below the shirt line. All shirts must cover the chest, shoulder, and midsection without showing undergarments or cleavage.
Each student in possession of any electronic device (cell phone, Apple watch, AirPods, etc.) will receive a Yondr pouch upon arrival at school. Students will be required to place all their electronic devices in their designated pouch and keep them locked throughout the school day. Electronic devices that are too large to fit in the Yondr pouch (gaming devices, headphones, personal iPads, computers, etc.) will not be allowed to be brought on campus without express written permission from the Academy Director. If these devices are brought on campus, they will be confiscated and will require parental retrieval from the office.
Electronic devices will not be accessible to students during school hours. This includes during class, study periods, lunch, and recess. The goal is to minimize distractions and maximize student engagement.
We understand the importance of communication between students and parents. Students will be allowed access to their electronic devices in designated areas during morning care and aftercare. If a parent/guardian needs to deliver a message to a student during school hours, he/she may call the front desk at 501-217-8600. If a parent/guardian needs to speak directly to a student, he/she can call the front desk and the student will be allowed to call his/her parent/guardian from an office phone.
By limiting access to cell phones, we aim to create a focused and productive atmosphere where students can fully participate in classroom activities without distractions.
Promotion of Social Interaction: Removing cell phones during school hours encourages face-to-face interactions and strengthens interpersonal skills.
This policy also addresses concerns related to cyberbullying, inappropriate use of technology, and potential distractions that can impact student safety and well-being.
Students are expected to adhere to the honor system by securely placing all electronic devices in Yondr bags when requested. If a student is found using an electronic device during school hours, the following consequences will be implemented:
First Violation: Confiscation of the device, requiring parental retrieval from the office.
Second Violation: The student will not be permitted to bring any electronic devices to school for a specified period.
Additional Violations: Further violations may lead to escalated consequences, such as:
These consequences are intended to reinforce the importance of compliance with the school's policy on electronic devices and to maintain a focused learning environment for all students.
We kindly request your support in reinforcing this policy at home by encouraging your child to comply with the guidelines and discussing the benefits of minimizing cell phone use during school hours. Please ensure that your child’s cell phone is fully charged and ready for use before arriving at school each day to facilitate effective communication during designated times.
The ACCESS community shows respect and dignity through the following:
Students are expected to treat other members of the ACCESS community with respect and courtesy by using appropriate language, utilizing constructive actions, and observing the rights of others. Whether on or off campus, all students should live by the ideals and rules of the school. Through respect, consideration, and kindness, students not only improve ACCESS as a caring community, but themselves as contributing individuals within the community.
The vast majority of parents, caregivers, and others visiting our school are keen to work with us and are supportive of the school. However, on the rare occasions when negative attitudes or actions towards the school are expressed, this can result in aggression, either verbal and/or physical, towards members of school staff and/or the wider school community.
We expect students, parents and other visitors to behave in a reasonable way towards members of school faculty and student body. This policy outlines the steps that will be taken when behavior is unacceptable.
The following types of behavior towards a staff member or student are considered serious and unacceptable and will not be tolerated:
This is not an exhaustive list but seeks to provide illustrations of such behavior. Any and all behaviors will fall on a continuum of severity. The level of severity and the number of occurrences of the behavior will determine the decision as to what recourse will be taken regarding discipline of the student.
Depending on the severity of the situation, staff may or may not attend the parent meeting. For situations that the faculty feels we can quickly or systematically modify the behavior to an acceptable outcome, staff will join the Director in meeting with the family to develop a written plan including the action steps, time frame and consequences should the behavior continue or escalate.
If the behavior is severe in nature, the Director of the program will have follow-up with the family in regard to the final outcome for the student.
Communication is a vital component of our program. Parent conferences provide information two times a year regarding programming, but these meetings are not frequent enough to be considered the sole avenue for parent-teacher communication. ACCESS® has several ways for teachers and therapists to send and receive information on a regular basis:
Teachers are not available to take phone calls during class time. The administrative office gladly connects parents to teacher voicemail; teachers may return calls during a break time. If you have an emergency, the administrative staff will assist you in whatever way they can. Please remember your child’s teacher must utilize available time before and after class for classroom preparation. Therapists may not receive phone calls during therapy sessions. Please feel free to send them an email or contact them via ParentSquare.
In case of inclement weather or emergency closing, parents of ACCESS Academy students should listen to local broadcastings for school closings, late arrivals or early dismissals. The broadcasting will be listed as ACCESS. ACCESS will also post this information on the ACCESS Facebook and Instagram pages: @accessgroupinc, as well as on ParentSquare; and an email and text message will be sent to all families to the contact information on record. When ACCESS Academy is closed for inclement weather, all related services including therapy and evaluations are canceled.
If at any time a parent has cause for concern of feels an issue needs to be discussed regarding their child's experience at ACCESS Academy, parents should follow our Grievance Policy by contacting the appropriate person as follows:
No student is to attend school if:
A student must be free from fever for a 24-hour period of time (without the use of Tylenol or Ibuprofen) in order to return to school. A student should be free of diarrhea and/or vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school.
If your student gets sick at school the administrative office will:
If your student has been absent for an extended period of time or has a contagious condition, ACCESS® requires a note from the physician clearing your student to return to school.
If a student is in need of oral medication during school hours, the ACCESS school nurse will administer the medication with written permission from parents and with a doctor’s order. All prescription medication must be in its original container or in a blister pack with the original prescription label attached. Medications may not be dropped off in the car rider line. A parent or guardian must bring the medication to the school nurse in the lobby located in Building 1, and all mediactions will be counted before the guardian may leave. All parents must complete and sign a medication form. A medication log containing these forms is kept in a central location to document medication administration. ACCESS staff members are unable to accept prescriptions to administer medication “as needed,” with the exception of an Epi-Pen, glucose, diastat, and updraft albuterol.
All information regarding medication is confidential. Medication is kept in a locked box with the individual medication reports. Parents may not have access to this area; staff members assist parents by placing student’s medications in the appropriate place and documenting activity in the log. Parents may ask to see student medical reports or to receive copies of their reports at any time.
If there is a medication change for your student, and it involves being part of a controlled medical study, you must the Director or Assistant Director of the Academy.
In case of a serious medical emergency, the administrative office will contact 911 first and then parents. A copy of the medical release form and the daily medication log will be ready when emergency medical personnel arrive.
Incident/injury reports are completed regardless of severity levels. Staff members are responsible for completing reports and having parents sign them for the following situations:
The form is completed on the day of the incident or injury. ACCESS Academy teachers and coordinators initial the report, a copy is filed, and a copy is given to parents.
ACCESS staff members and students follow monthly tornado and fire drills. These emergency plans of action stay posted in the school building. The documentation of these drills is kept in a file in the administration office. Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and emergency backup lighting are checked on a regular basis.
ACCESS also provides active shooter/intruder training for our employees. Intruder drills will occur with students periodically throughout the school year.
Upon enrollment, we ask all families to sign a release form allowing ACCESS to photograph and videotape students involved in school activities on and off campus. We use this media for classroom activities and projects, teaching demonstration, marketing, and other media-related activities.
For families who DO NOT sign the photo release form, your child will most likely be excluded from the activity that is occurring during the photo shoot. If you would like to change the status of your child's Photo and Video Release, you may do so by contacting the front office at 501-217-8600.
Visits to our campus by prospective ACCESS parents, residents of the community, and interested educators are welcomed. To protect programs from undue disturbance, ACCESS requires visitors to make appointments on designated visitor days. All visitors must register at the administrative office at the front entrance.
Public tours occur on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. The Admission Coordinator schedules these tours, and a tour must be scheduled ahead of time as space is limited for each week's tour.
Confidential student files are kept in the administrative office in a locked room or are stored in our electronic records system.
ACCESS is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your child’s individual health information as protected by law, including the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In conducting business, we create records regarding your student and the treatment and services we provide to him or her. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies your student. We also are required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices that we maintain at ACCESS concerning your student’s protected health information (PHI). By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that we have in effect at the time.
ACCESS is dedicated to maintaining privacy of students' information as protected by law, including the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In efforts to do so, ACCESS strictly prohibits students and/or parents/guardians from audio or video recording of any school meetings or activities without all parties expressed written consent.
In conducting business, ACCESS creates student/client records regarding the treatment and services provided. By federal and state law, ACCESS must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that are in effect. The ACCESS policy on student/client confidentiality includes the following:
Proper authorization to release information from a student/client’s records shall be received as a written document containing all of the following information:
The following list details ACCESS’ student/client rights. These student/client rights are written comprehensively for all ACCESS programming, therefore, not all may be applicable in all programming situations.
Any ACCESS employee is considered a mandated reporter of any suspected child mistreatment. Staff members who have reasonable cause to suspect a student/client is being abused or neglected shall immediately report this to the Child Maltreatment Hotline: 1- 800-482-5964. This number is also posted in the campus entrance hallway. A written report to the local Department of Human Services office follows a call to the hotline and is kept in a confidential file accessed by the associated program’s Director. These reports are not placed in a student’s/client's personal file.
The Department of Human Services requests you be notified that your student/client may be subject to interviews at any time by childcare licensing or the Department of Children and Family Services, special investigations and law enforcement for investigative purposes and/or for determining compliance with licensing regulations. Student/Clientinterviews do not require parental notice or consent.
All parents/guardians must acknowledge upon their child's enrollment that they have been informed of the Mandated Reporting License Notification, according to the Department of Human Services request.
A student can be discharged from ACCESS for any of the following reasons:
ACCESS Academy greatly welcomes parent help with raising money, receiving in-kind donations from individuals and corporations, and raising awareness of our programs and services. However, with multiple special events, niche fundraisers, annual giving campaign activities, media buys and numerous media pitches throughout the year, there is a need to coordinate all fundraising and media relations efforts through the ACCESS team. Ultimately, the ACCESS Executive Director or the ACCESS Director of Development must approve all fundraising activities, solicitation of gifts, and media outreach.
The parent fundraising process is as follows:
Kroger Cards: Register your Kroger Plus card at www.kroger.com/community and assign ACCESS as the beneficiary! The more you use your Kroger card, the more money ACCESS receives. You can even use your Kroger card at Kroger gas stations!
Before approaching a media organization about advertising or news stories and before using the ACCESS service mark and related logos, parents should consult the ACCESS Director of Development or ACCESS Marketing Manager.