Voyager Academy High School News, Feb. 23, 2020



 
GO VIKINGS GO!

In this issue..
  • Process for 2020-21 Course Selection Begins Tomorrow (Hard to believe!)
  • Homework for Parents: Activate your Overgrad Account and Collaborate with Your VAHS Student to Plan for Next Year, and Beyond
  • Gearing Up For Bio-Tech!
  • Applications for Spring Break Driver’s Ed is Open
Testing
  • ACT Test Prep Update for Juniors
Viking World Travelers
  • Fall Break 2020, in New York City!
  • Thailand 2020!
Yearbook and Graduation Info.
  • Class of 2020  Cap and Gown Orders
  • Buy a Yearbook before the price goes up!
Viking Volunteerism and Fundraising
  • March Madness Auction and Gala
  • The Voyager Academy Capital Campaign
  • Backpack Buddies: Balanced Meals and Snacks for Students in Need
Student Support, College Prep, and Career Planning (ACT, college and scholarship info., etc.)
  • The 2020 SECU Foundation People Helping People Scholarship!
  • FREE Financial Aid Assistance for College
More...
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) meets Wednesday Mornings
  • The VAHS Counseling Department Blog (website)
  • Be a Smartie and join the PTO ! !
  • PARENTS:  Sign up to receive text messages from the school
  • Important dates


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The Process for the 2020-21 Course Selection and Registration Begins Tomorrow (Feb. 24)
Hard to believe, but VAHS begins the 2020-21 course selection process tomorrow, Monday February 24. 
Please click here for details.

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Homework for Parents: Activate your Overgrad Account and Collaborate with Your VAHS Student to Plan for Next Year, and Beyond
VAHS has been using Overgrad for the past 4 years, and all of our students have active accounts. Overgrad is a college and career readiness platform that enables students and parents to make better educational decisions.  We encourage all parents to create their own accounts, allowing them to partner with their child and monitor their academic progress over time. Please see the following video and click here of for the Parent Letter for Information and instructions.

We will be using the Course Planning feature as Part of the 20/21 course registration process. This is a great way for parents and students to collaborate and plan for next year and beyond!        



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Gearing Up For Bio-Tech!
We are so excited to be offering a new science elective for 2020-2021 here at VAHS! We have scoured the science closet and found tons of equipment we can use for this class that has been donated over the years from our amazing Viking families and community partners. We wanted to take a moment to reach out again as we know we have many parents that have connections beyond our reach in the medical field that can help us with donations of supplies for labs or for opportunities for guest speakers. Please feel free to contact me at chuntington@voyageracademy.net anytime! Also we have started a Donors Choose account for a few items that we are in need of for our new bio-tech lab and we would love for you to share the link.  


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Applications for Spring Break Driver’s Ed is Open
Voyager Academy is offering a driver’s education class during Spring Break.

Interested?


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ACT Test Prep Update for Juniors
During Advisory on 2/3, and 2/24, Juniors will continue with ACT test preparation by  completing "Short Shot" practice sessions. During these sessions, students will take short practice tests, check their answers and analyze their incorrect responses. Practicing the test taking strategies that they learned and recognizing patterns in mistakes will will help students improve their scores. Parents are encouraged to review the ACT Test Prep. data that students have done so far to help their students set and reach their ACT score goals. 


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Fall Break 2020, in New York City!
Open to any HS student and parent.  Join us for the informational meeting on 1/23 (check with Ms. Paradis for details, mparadis@voyageracademy.net)

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Thailand 2020!  
Voyager is going 1/2 way round the world!  You can join the trip. Mr. Mills will be chaperoning a trip to Thailand this summer.  Come find out why he is always talking about it. Are you interested? Please contact Mr. Mills right away, at jmills@voyageracademy.net

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Buy a Yearbook before the price goes up!
The 2020 VAHS Expedition Yearbook is now on sale.  Go to www.jostensyearbooks.com to buy before the price increases.

All purchases should be made at http://www.jostensyearbooks.com

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March Madness Auction and Gala
This year's Auction and Gala is a little over a month away. Thank you Duke Pediatric Dentistry for sponsoring us! 

If you would like to be a sponsor, or have something to donate, please contact Marina McKenna @voyageracademy.net before March 15th. 

When: Friday, March 27th7PM
Where: Umstead Pines Swim and Golf

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The Voyager Academy Capital Campaign
Thank you to the very generous donors who have given to our capital campaign to purchase school buses for all students. If you haven’t already donated, please consider “Giving to Voyager” for our capital campaign fundraiser. We need activity buses to help transport our kids to all the wonderful events and activities they enjoy such as field trips, sporting events, arts competitions and much more.  Please visit the donations page here: https://www.voyageracademy.net/support-voyager/

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Backpack Buddies: Balanced Meals and Snacks for Students in Need 
VAHS is once again teaming up with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle to offer a BackPack Buddies Program. This program provides a weekend bag filled with balanced meals and snacks for eligible students to take home over the weekend.  The program is free of charge. Permission slips will be distributed to all students who are currently participating in the Voyager Academy free/reduced lunch program. A form is also included below for your convenience. Please contact School Counselor, Jill O'Kane with any questions. 

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The 2020 SECU Foundation People Helping People Scholarship! 
Each year, $10,000.00 scholarships have been awarded to three graduating senior attending North Carolina Charter Schools. These scholarships will be awarded to students attending one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina. Funds are made possible through the contributions to SECU Foundation by members of the State Employees’ Credit Union. One applicant from VAHS will be selected by the VAHS selection committee on 3/12/20 to move on to the next NC Office of Charter Schools Selection Committee. 


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FREE Financial Aid Assistance for College
FAFSA Opened October 1st – File as soon as you can!
If seniors need financial aid to help  pay for college, families must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. Families should fill it out as soon as possible. Federal funding is limited, so experts urge students and families to file their FAFSAs as soon as possible.
There are some great articles posted on the Counseling Department Blog about how to get started on the FAFSA!  

Click here for a flyer with information about where students/families can receive assistance with financial aid/FAFSA completion.
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Class of 2020  Cap and Gown Orders
There are still several seniors who have not yet ordered their caps and gowns. It's important to order as soon as possible in order to receive your garments in time for graduation. Orders can be placed online through the herff jones website: 
https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/school/NC/Voyager%20Academy/32011137000/4252/packages

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Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) meets on Wednesday mornings from 7:30-8:30am in room D124. 
Students do not need to be athletes, nor Christian to attend--All are welcome! :)  Contact Mr. Baker (dbaker@voyageracademy.net) or Mrs. Paradis (mparadis@voyageracademy.net) for more info.   

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VAHS Counseling Department Blog
All parents and students should frequently check and/or subscribe to the VAHS Counseling Department blog (click here)! Here you will find  important information and opportunities for VAHS students. Topics range from specific grade level information to scholarships and other interesting opportunities.   

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Why you might ask?
We need YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It will enrich your experience at Voyager by being involved
You get to meet and socialize with other parents
PTO involvement helps parents be aware of school needs
YOU’LL HAVE FUN!

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PARENTS:  Sign up to receive text messages from VAHS
Even though you may have been subscribed from last year, all must re-subscribe.  This is because some cell phone numbers may no longer belong to last year’s subscribers (as people may change numbers or mobile providers). Click below for subscription instructions for your student’s grade.  





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Important Dates for VAHS


Dates
Events
Feb. 25
ACT Exam (all 11th graders)
Mar. 4
Midterm exams for pds. 1 & 3
Mar. 5
Midterm exams for pds. 2 & 4
Mar. 13
Report cards given to students
Mar. 16
NO CLASSES – Teacher workday
Mar. 17
NO CLASSES – Parent/Teacher conference day
April 8
Project Exhibition Night 5:30-7PM
Apr. 10 – 17
NO CLASSES – Spring Break
May 1
Spring Fling (by the VA PTO)
May 4-15
AP exams
May 18-22
Final exams
May 26
Graduation (time and location TBA)



OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION
FOR AND ABOUT VAHS





VOYAGER VIKING VALUES
CONFIDENCE   - CURIOSITY   - EMPATHY
REFLECTION   - INTEGRITY