GO VIKINGS GO!
In this issue...
New This Week
- Grease is the Word!
- Parent Help Requested: Next VAHS Teacher Luncheon - Nov. 17th
- Celebrating Jennie Marcum: First Ever Voyager Innovator Award
- Volunteer Opportunity with the Diaper Bank of NC
- Diaper Drive Community Help for Mrs. Punt's Anatomy Class
- Give Hope, Save Lives: Join the Voyager Academy HS Blood Drive (Nov. 23)
- PTSO Meeting Coming Up (Nov. 10)
Recent News Items
- Afternoon Pick Up Reminder
- Please Take Our Annual Culture And Climate Survey
- Clothing Drive
- Free Community College Courses While In HS: Durham Tech CCP Information Sessions
- Show Your Viking Spirit This Fall, Get Some Viking Gear
Helpful Resources
- Simplifying Your Senior's Path to College with NC College Connect
- Build Essential Life Skills: Register for LIFE Skills’ Free Fall Program
- Free Parent Workshops: Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College
- If you missed the Senior Year Essentials Meeting (Here is the presentation)
- How To Stay Up-To-The-Minute With Your Student’s Grades: Become a “Parent Observer” on His/Her Canvas Account
- Stay Connected with Our Voyager Community Calendar
- Bring Your Laptop!
- How To Purchase Viking Gear
- The Voyager Academy High School Website
- VAHS Counseling Department Blog
- Voyager Academy Student/Parent Handbook
- Important dates
-------------------------------------------
Grease is the Word!
Grease tickets are on sale now! Click the link to purchase: https://cur8.com/26277/project/141781
Hurry- seats are going fast
–
Parent Help Requested: Next VAHS Teacher Luncheon - Nov. 17th
The VAHS Hospitality team is looking forward to hosting our next Teacher Luncheon on Tuesday, November 17th!
If you'd like to contribute, please use the SignUpGenius link below to see what’s needed and sign up.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D45ACAF2AA4F58-67124630-family#
Thank you for helping make these luncheons special for our staff. We appreciate you!
Thank you,
Voyager Academy PTSO
–
Celebrating Jennie Marcum: First Ever Voyager Innovator Award
🏆 Celebrating Jennie Marcum – Viking Innovator Award!
Congratulations to Jennie Marcum on receiving the first ever Viking Innovator Award! Mrs. Marcum is being recognized for her creativity and dedication in developing adaptive electives and launching the Voyager Transition Launchpad. Her innovative work expands opportunities for our Extended Content Standards (ECS) students to learn alongside their peers, develop important workplace and independent-living skills, and thrive in a welcoming, sensory-friendly environment.
Thank you, Mrs. Marcum, for thinking outside the box, creating meaningful opportunities, and helping every Viking learn, innovate, and thrive. We are so proud of you! Voyager Academy is better a better place because of you!
Mrs. Marcum also received the EC Educator of Excellence award this month! Voyager Academy is lucky to have you!
–
Volunteer Opportunity with the Diaper Bank of NC
Voyage into Service is holding the first volunteer service event of the year on Saturday, December 5th from 9:30a-11:30a at the Diaper Bank of NC in Hillsborough (437 Dimmocks Mill Road). Students, family, and staff members, ages 4 and up, and all ability levels are invited to come out to help sort, wrap, and pack diapers for those in need! Not only is it A LOT of fun, but it also goes to help families who struggle to afford diapers. If you are able to volunteer your time and service to this great event, please complete this registration link. A waiver (click here) is required for those who have never volunteered at the Diaper Bank of NC before. If you have any questions, contact Dr. Link (919-433-3301 X 146 / mlink@voyageracademy.net). We hope to have a great turnout!
–
Diaper Drive Community Help for Mrs. Punt's Anatomy Class
Mrs. Punt's Anatomy class is asking for your help to donate items to the diaper
bank as a part of our semester long pregnancy project. We need items like different sized diapers from Preemie to size 6, wipes, and formula. (We can also take feminine and adult incontinence products as well.) Please see the attached flyers for more info. We will gather items on Project Day, Nov. 16th, and donate them on December 5th! Thank you for your contribution to our community to care for families in need to support their babies. https://www.ncdiaperbank.org/donate-supplies
–
Give Hope, Save Lives: Join the Voyager Academy HSl Blood Drive (Nov. 23)
Voyager Academy High School is proud to host a Mobile Blood Drive in partnership with The Blood Connection. Every single donation has the power to save lives in our local community, and we need your support to make this event a success!
Event Details:
Date: Monday, November 23, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Voyager Academy High School (4302 Ben Franklin Blvd, Durham, NC 27704)
Donation Type: Whole Blood
Who Can Donate?
Donors must be 16 years of age or older. (Note: 16-year-old donors require a signed parental consent form, which can be found via The Blood Connection Donor Portal). Please remember to eat a healthy meal, drink plenty of water, and bring a valid ID on the day of the drive.
How to Sign Up:
Appointment slots are available every 15 minutes throughout the drive, but spots are limited! Reserve your donation time in advance by signing up on The Blood Connection Schedule Page. https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/314873
Thank you for rolling up your sleeves and helping us make a real difference in our community!
–
PTSO Meeting Coming Up (Nov. 10)
PTSO Meeting Info
Date: Nov. 10
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Via zoom. Here is the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81441328267?pwd=cx5p1VCWp7I1FTni3iAb7HCap8r8Qv.1
–
Afternoon Pick Up Reminder
Please be reminded that all students must be picked up at the student parking lot and not off campus, i.e. the medical park, apartments, or the street. Please help Voyager to be a good neighbor, do not pick up at these locations. Click here to get to the Voyager carline page, which shows the VAHS student pick up map.
–
Please Take Our Annual Culture And Climate Survey
Voyager launched the Panorama Culture and Climate Survey on October 23, 2026 for all students, families, and staff. The survey will remain open until November 9, 2026. Voyager values input from families, students, and staff to learn more about student, family, and staff experiences at our school. Panorama Education sent an anonymous online survey on Friday, October 23, 2026.
All survey responses are confidential. No one at our school will see how individuals respond to the questions. Panorama Education will manage all data collection to ensure confidentiality. Please don’t hesitate to contact Panorama directly at support@panoramaed.com if you have any questions about the survey administration. If you did not receive an email from Panorama Education with your survey link, please complete the google form linked here so that technical support can provide you with assistance. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses to the Culture and Climate Survey.
The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete, and will be an invaluable source of information so that we can continue to build a strong community focused on academic excellence, and the well-being of our students. Measuring and implementing community feedback is part of our Cognia accreditation process, and will help guide our future plans. Please check out the short video below from Voyager students that highlights why your participation in our survey is so important.
–
Clothing Drive
The Community in Motion Club (teacher sponsor, Mr. Ross) needs your help! We are hosting a clothing drive to help Note in the Pocket, so please bring items in to help those in need. We are collecting clothes until November 10. Thank you for your support! For more information, contact
brooklyn.elliot@students.voyageracademy.net, or carson.dodson@students.voyageracademy.net.
–
Free Community College Courses While In HS: Durham Tech CCP Information Sessions
Are you or your student interested in earning college credit while still in high school? 🎓
If you are interested in the Durham Tech Career and College Promise (CCP) program, all students are required to attend a mandatory Information Session. During the session, you will learn about program requirements, eligibility, how to apply, important deadlines, and the next steps for getting started.
Please sign up for an upcoming Information Session using this link:
https://visit.durhamtech.edu/event/477420
Session dates and times:
Oct 30, 2026: 5:30-6:30pm
Nov 5, 2026: 6:00-6:40pm
Click here for a flyer with more details.
Contact: Arielle Beamon
Email: beamona@durhamtech.edu
–
Show Your Viking Spirit This Fall, Get Some Viking Gear
It’s time to gear up for fall and show your Viking spirit! The PTSO Fall Apparel Pre-Order Sale runs now through Thursday, September 24th. Visit the PTSO website for full details and to place your order: sites.google.com/view/voyagerptso
Pre-order and new-inventory apparel will be available for pickup at the *Fall Festival* on October 31st.
Thank you for supporting our school and PTSO! We can’t wait to see our Vikings showing their spirit this fall!
–
Simplifying Your Senior's Path to College with NC College Connect
We are excited to share a new state initiative that simplifies the college application process for our high school seniors: NC College Connect. On Monday, September 14, students will view an informational presentation during Advisory class detailing how this program works.
What is NC College Connect?
https://www.cfnc.org/education-professionals/nc-college-connect-ed/
NC College Connect offers direct admission to participating North Carolina colleges and universities without required essays, recommendation letters, or standard application fees.
NC Community Colleges: Every graduating senior on track to earn a diploma receives direct admission to their local NC community college.
4-Year Universities: Students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher, who completed a fourth-level math, automatically qualify for direct admission to a customized list of 4-year public and independent universities.
Next Steps for Families…
Verify CFNC Credentials: Ensure your student logs into CFNC.org to check that their name, birthdate, and student ID match their official school record (Infinite Campus) before eligibility data is pulled on September 9.
Review Offers Starting Sept. 15: Direct admission offers will be visible in students' CFNC accounts beginning September 15. Official offer letters will also be mailed home.
Claim Your Spot: Students can log into NCCollegeConnect.org to explore their matched schools and submit a short interest form. Direct admission offers are non-binding.
Click here for a flyer with all details.
–
Build Essential Life Skills: Register for LIFE Skills’ Free Fall Program
Registration is now open for LIFE Skills Foundation’s Fall 2026 Independent Living Skills Program! Designed for youth ages 15–21, this free 10-week course provides practical tools to help young adults navigate adulthood with confidence.
Dates: Thursdays, Sept 17 – Nov 19, 2026 (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)
Location: Echo NC, 404 Hunt St., Suite 500, Durham, NC
Topics: Financial capability, job readiness, health, nutrition, and communication skills.
Perk: Attendees who complete at least 8 sessions receive a $50 Visa Gift Card and a Certificate of Completion!
To sign up, complete the online registration form. For questions, contact Chyna Davis at chyna@lifeskillsfound.org or (919) 907-8418, or visit www.lifeskillsfound.org
–
Free Parent Workshops: Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College
As we settle into the new school year, we want to share some upcoming opportunities to help your family navigate the college funding process with clarity and confidence.
The College Funding Coach (click here) offers valuable workshops and webinars designed to guide families through financial aid rules, smart funding strategies, and long-term planning. Whether your student is just starting high school or getting ready to apply, these sessions offer practical, actionable insights.
2026 Tuition Cents Series:
September 17: FAFSA 2026: What You Need to Know Before Filing
October 15: Demystifying the CSS Profile: What High-Cost Schools Really Ask
November 19: How to Find Scholarships That Your Child Can Actually Win!
December 17: How High-Income Families Can Pay for College and Retire Comfortably
–
If you missed the Senior Year Essentials Meeting (Here is the presentation)
Click here for the presentation
–
How To Stay Up-To-The-Minute With Your Student’s Grades: Become a “Parent Observer” on His/Her Canvas Account
Click here to become an “Observer” in your child’s Canvas account. Once there, you can set it up to receive notifications about upcoming assignments, and grades just entered, keeping you updated on progress, daily.
–
Stay Connected with Our Voyager Community Calendar
Stay in the loop with our Community Calendar (https://www.voyageracademy.net/calendar/), your go-to spot for upcoming events, activities, important dates, and more. Bookmark it and check back often so you don’t miss what’s happening across our Voyager community!
–
Bring Your Laptop!
Hey Voyager Vikings, remember that Voyager Academy is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school. All students are required to bring their own device to school each day. Please click here for the Voyager Academy BYOD policy. (Also found in the Voyager Academy Student/Parent Handbook).
–
How To Purchase Viking Gear
How to purchase Viking Gear!
https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/WNh8rYGBbD
–
Other Useful Sources of Information
The Voyager Academy High School Website
One of the first places to check for basic information about VAHS is the VAHS website. Among the information you can find there are calendars and schedules, student clubs and organizations, faculty directory, the counseling page, special bulletins, etc. Here is the VAHS website:
http://voyageracademy.net/vahs
--
VAHS Counseling Department Blog
Please be sure to check the VAHS Counseling Department blog frequently. The blog provides news, information, and opportunities for VAHS students and parents all in one convenient location. Topics range from Career/College Counseling and Application Support to Summer Programs and Opportunities. Check it out!
CLICK HERE FOR THE VAHS COUNSELING DEPT. BLOG
–
Voyager Academy Student/Parent Handbook
–
Important Dates