Parent Newsletter

Greetings, McCullough Families! ❤️

As we enter our second official week of school, I want to take a moment to say THANK YOU for your strength, resilience, and perseverance as our Gary community continues to recover from the devastating storm. Our thoughts, prayers, and hearts remain with every family who has been affected. We know that many of you are still navigating challenges and working to find a sense of normalcy, and we want you to know that you do not have to walk through this alone.

It was truly a blessing to open the doors of Frankie Woods McCullough Academy on Monday, August 24, 2026, and welcome our scholars back into the building. Seeing their beautiful smiles, hearing their laughter, and watching the excitement on their faces as they walked through our doors was absolutely priceless. Those moments reminded us of the strength, hope, and joy that our children bring to our community.

To our McCullough families who are still recovering—we see you, we care about you, and we are here for you. Frankie Woods McCullough Academy is more than a school; we are a family and a village. We will continue to support, encourage, love, and care for our scholars and families every step of the way.

Please know that when you send your child through our doors each day, they are entering a place where they are loved, valued, protected, and cared for. Their safety and well-being will always be one of our greatest priorities.

Thank you for trusting us with your greatest treasures. Together, we will continue to heal, rebuild, grow, and move forward—one day, one scholar, and one family at a time.

With Love and Appreciation,
Principal McKinley ❤️
Frankie Woods McCullough Academy

Families,

There will be a Constitution Dress Down Day on Friday, September 11th. Dress Down Colors: RED, WHITE, and/or BLUE ONLY! Every student must bring $1 in order to participate. Students can bring the money in starting Tuesday, September 8th.

Please remind your child/children that their behavior matters and will determine their ability to participate in school activities and special events. Let’s continue to reinforce positive behavior and remind our child/children to PAWS UP and make good choices!

📚 FAMILIES, PLEASE TAKE NOTE! — EARLY RELEASE WEDNESDAYS

• Families, please mark your calendars! Early Release Wednesdays will take place on the second Wednesday of each month. On these days, students will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m.

  Our first Early Release Wednesday will be Wednesday, September 9th. Please make arrangements for your scholar to be picked up or otherwise prepared for dismissal at 11:30 a.m.

  Early Release Dates:

  • September 9
  • October 14
  • November 11
  • December 9
  • January 13
  • February 10
  • March 10
  • April 14
  • May 12

🐾🎉 DON’T MISS OUR OPEN HOUSE! 🎉🐾

McCullough Families, mark your calendars! 📅

Our Open House has been RESCHEDULED for:

📅 Monday, September 14th
⏰ 3:30–5:00 PM

Come meet your scholar’s teacher, visit their classroom, connect with our staff, and see all the amazing things happening at Frankie Woods McCullough Academy! 💙

✨ We can’t wait to see YOU!
🐾 DON’T MISS IT—WE’LL SEE YOU THERE! 🐾

Dear McCullough Families,

Every Day Counts! ❤️

We need our scholars at school EVERY DAY and ready to learn! In order for us to provide the high-quality instruction, support, and experiences our scholars deserve, they must be present and engaged in school each day.

For the month of September, we are challenging every McCullough family to make attendance a top priority! When scholars attend school consistently, they have more opportunities to grow academically, build positive relationships, develop important social-emotional skills, and stay on track with their learning.

Our dedicated teachers and staff are committed to providing THE BEST INSTRUCTION possible for every scholar. However, we can only provide those opportunities when our scholars are here, present, and ready to learn!

📱 PARENT REMINDER: NEW CELL PHONE POLICY

Families, please be reminded that Indiana has a NEW STATE LAW regarding cell phones and other electronic devices in schools.

🚨 This is a STATEWIDE policy—not just an FWMA school rule.

Our goal is to keep our scholars focused, engaged, safe, and ready to learn throughout the school day. We appreciate your partnership in helping our scholars understand and follow this new requirement.

💙 Thank you, FWMA Families, for your continued support!

🐾 PAWS Together, We Can Make a Difference!

Hello, Families!

My name is Ms. Cotton, and I am excited to serve as the new F.A.C.E. Liaison for McCullough for the 2026–2027 school year!

I am a proud parent of two and, most importantly, a proud graduate of the Gary Community School Corporation—Emerson VPA, Class of 1994! 💙

I am here FOR YOU and your family, connecting you with valuable resources, information, and support throughout the school year. I will also keep you informed about important district and school events, family opportunities, and helpful tidbits to help make this school year a smooth and successful one for everyone.

I look forward to building relationships with our families and being a resource you can count on. Please know that I am here to support you!

Let’s make it a GREAT year together! 💙🐾

— Ms. Cotton
F.A.C.E. Liaison
Frankie Woods McCullough Academy

🐾 PAWS REMINDER: WE SET THE STANDARD!

FWMA Family, let’s continue to make PAWS part of our everyday culture!

As a proud PBIS school, we are committed to explicitly teaching, modeling, and reinforcing positive behavior. Please take a few moments this week to review our PAWS Matrix with your scholars and make sure they understand what each expectation looks and sounds like in your classroom and throughout the building.

🐾 P – Prepared
🐾 A – Act Responsible
🐾 W – Work Hard & Be Safe
🐾 S – Show Respect

Remember, we don't assume—WE TEACH! Consistently review and reinforce our expectations, recognize scholars who demonstrate PAWS, and redirect when needed.

When we all speak the same PAWS language, our scholars know exactly what success looks like!

Let's continue to build a school culture where our scholars feel safe, respected, responsible, and

Dear FWMA Families,

Just a friendly reminder that our regular school hours are 7:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. If your child is a parent pick-up, please make arrangements to arrive on time at 2:30 p.m. to pick up your child/children.

We understand that emergencies and unexpected situations can happen. If you are going to be delayed, please make sure you contact the Main Office or your child’s teacher through ClassDojo as soon as possible so that we are aware of the situation.

Please be advised that families who consistently pick up their child/children after dismissal time will receive communication from the FWMA Administrative Team regarding next steps.

We truly appreciate your consideration of our teachers and staff, who also have responsibilities and commitments following dismissal. Your partnership and support help us ensure that dismissal runs smoothly and safely for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation! We appreciate our FWMA Families more than you know! 💙🐾

Together, we PAWS our way to success!

Dear FWMA Families,

From September 15 through October 15, Frankie Woods McCullough Academy will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! This special month gives us an opportunity to recognize and honor the rich histories, cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.

As part of our celebration, we are excited to host a School Spirit Week from September 21–25! Our scholars are invited to participate in fun dress-down days designed to celebrate culture, community, pride, music, sports, and dreams for the future.

We are excited to celebrate the incredible diversity within our McCullough family and provide opportunities for our scholars to learn about the many cultures and traditions that make our school community so special. Let's celebrate, learn, and have fun together! 💙🐾

🎉 HISPANIC HERITAGE SPIRIT WEEK

September 21–25

Monday – Mi Cultura, Mi Orgullo!

My Culture, My Pride Day
Celebrate your culture and family heritage! Scholars may wear:

• Colors representing a Hispanic or Latino country
• Traditional clothing
• Cultural accessories
• Clothing that represents their family heritage

Colors can include: red, green, yellow, blue, and many more!

🎓 Tuesday – ¡Sí Se Puede!
Yes, We Can! College & Career Day
Dream BIG! Scholars may wear a college/university shirt, school colors, or dress as the future professional they hope to become.

🎶 Wednesday – Día de la Música
Music Day
Show your love of music! Scholars may wear a shirt representing their favorite artist, singer, band, or music theme.

⚽ Thursday – Día del Deporte y la Cultura
Sports & Culture Day
Scholars may wear a jersey or favorite sports team shirt, represent a Hispanic/Latino athlete or team, or wear colors representing a Hispanic or Latino country they would like to celebrate.

🐾 Friday – PAWS & Pride Day
Show your McCullough PAWS pride! Scholars may wear school colors or a McCullough Academy spirit shirt. Scholars may also wear an item that represents their own heritage or family culture, such as a flag pin or family shirt.

👖 Dress-Down Guidelines

To help us keep Spirit Week fun, safe, and school-appropriate, please remember:

• Jeans are permitted for students participating in Spirit Week.
• Leggings are not permitted.
• Clothing must be school-appropriate and may not contain offensive language, images, or content.
• Costumes, wigs, and face paint are not part of Spirit Week.

Thank you, FWMA Families, for partnering with us as we celebrate culture, embrace diversity, and help our scholars learn and grow!

¡Vamos McCullough! 🌎💙🐾
PAWS Together, We Celebrate!