Dear Voyager Community,
Thank you to all students, parents, and staff that completed our Hybrid Return to Learning Survey. Your input will continue to guide our decision making process as we plan for the future. Results of this survey will be shared with the Reopening Task Force next week as we continue to plan for our return in a hybrid educational model. The Voyager team has been preparing for the return of our students to campus and our hybrid education model. Students have been grouped into three cohorts, Cohort A attending in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and remote Wednesday through Friday; Cohort B attending in-person on Thursday and Friday and remote Monday through Wednesday, and Cohort C students will be remote full time. Town Hall meetings are also scheduled in early December for parents to learn more about our Hybrid Reopening Plans.
Principals will be notifying all families about their cohort placement today. The Voyager team has been finalizing the schedules and operations and procedures to ensure a safe learning environment for all. We have also partnered with the Duke ABC Science Collaborative to assist with better understanding how schools can return to in-person instruction safely. One way you can prepare your child to return to school is to model mask wearing and teach your child how masks and social distancing protect us from COVID-19. The video linked below is a great visual representation of how masks prevent the spread of disease.
Mask Video from Duke Science Collaborative
We are also preparing for our upcoming admissions process for the 2021 -2022 school year. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic we will not be hosting on campus tours or information sessions. In order for families to get a full appreciation of a Voyager education and our special community we are creating new promotional materials. A virtual tour of our campus as well as a digital brochure, and promotional video with highlights from our students, parents, and staff are under development. Please select the links below under the heading “Promotional Video and Digital Brochure” if you want to share why you love Voyager with prospective families.
Please know that we are all here to support your child grow and learn. Feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, building administrator, or student support if we can assist your family in any way. Please review the upcoming dates and information below for additional resources. Enjoy the beautiful weekend ahead!
All the best,
Upcoming Calendar Events:
- Nov. 13 - MS Second Quarter Progress Reports
- Nov. 19 - Expo Meeting - 6 PM https://zoom.us/j/
93106273458 - Nov. 20 - Kindness Day Virtual Assembly (elementary)
- Nov. 25-27 – Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 2 - Elementary Town Hall - Reopening Plans Hybrid Model - 5 pm
- Dec. 3- K-3 Dance Party
- Dec. 7 - Middle School Town Hall - Reopening Plans Hybrid Model - 5 pm
- Dec. 8 - High School Town Hall - Reopening Plans Hybrid Model - 5 pm
- Dec. 11 -Winter Virtual Assembly (elementary)
- Dec 14- 18 - Final Exams
Promotional Video and Digital Brochure Links
Parent Link to Survey - If you are interested in helping provide content for our brochure or video, please fill out this form. Click here to fill it out. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION but can answer as many as you would like. We will need survey responses by Friday, November 13 at the latest.
We will not use everything that is submitted but are looking to have a variety of topics to choose from. We also may contact you to see if you would be willing to film a video of one (or more) of your responses.
If your elementary child would like to share with families why they LOVE Voyager, use the Flip Grid links to film a video to answer the questions about Voyager. Click on your child’s grade level link. Reminder- this is an optional activity! Please DO NOT record a video unless you give permission for it to be used in a promotional video for prospective families. Not all videos will be chosen. We will notify you if your video is selected. Click here to give permission for us to use your child’s videos. We will not be able to select your child's video to use if you have not filled out the form.
Elementary Student Links for Promotional Video
Student Video Submission- Due by November 18 (earlier is better)
K- https://flipgrid.com/08b13c72 (Guest password if you don't have a Google or Microsoft Account- Kindergarten)
1- https://flipgrid.com/d117c8d7 (Guest password if you don't have a Google or Microsoft Account- First grade)
2- https://flipgrid.com/07d3b625 (Guest password if you don't have a Google or Microsoft Account- Second grade)
3- https://flipgrid.com/9c4f7b97 (Guest password if you don't have a Google or Microsoft Account- Third grade)
Middle School Student Link to Survey-
If you would like to share with families why you LOVE Voyager, select the link below to fill out the student survey form. Reminder- this is an optional activity!
Click here to share about your experiences at Voyager
We will need survey responses by Friday, November 13 at the latest.
We will also need permission from your parents to use your quotes or video. Please have your parents click here to give parent permission. We will notify your parents if we will use a video from their child.
We will not use everything that is submitted but are looking to have a variety of topics to choose from. We also may contact you to see if you would be willing to film a video of one (or more) of your responses.
High School Student Link to Survey –
If you would like to share with families why you LOVE Voyager, select the link below to fill out the student survey form. Reminder- this is an optional activity!
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION but can answer as many as you would like.
High School Student Survey- Click here to tell us about your experience at Voyager
We will need survey responses by Friday, November 13 at the latest.
We will also need permission from your parents to use your quotes or video. Please have your parents click here to give parent permission. We will notify your parents if we will use a video from their child.
We will not use everything that is submitted but are looking to have a variety of topics to choose from. We also may contact you to see if you would be willing to film a video of one (or more) of your responses.
Reopening Plans – Hybrid Model
Expo Meeting
Thursday, November 19 at 6 p.m.
Please join EXPO for a special guest.
Special Needs Trusts - Preparing for Your Exceptional Child's Future
Gretchen Cleevely of the Brady Cobin Law Group, will hold a Q & A session with EXPO on the topic of establishing a special needs trust to ensure your child’s financial needs are met in the event of your death, how to ensure your child receives Government benefits they are entitled to, and ABLE accounts. Please come prepared with your questions for Gretchen. After the Q & A session, a brief board meeting will follow.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 931 0627 3458
Passcode: 8675309
Stay healthy and safe – Practice the 3 W’s
Staying current on all of the health metrics and data is also part of our ongoing process. As we work together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, please remind your children about the importance of the 3 W’s (Wear, Wait, & Wash). Wear a mask, practice social distancing by waiting and maintaining a 6-foot space between others, and wash hands frequently to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Outlined below are some helpful links and resources if you are interested in learning more about the latest data and recommendations.
K-12 Public Health Guidance Updates
Durham Public Health COVID Dashboard
Food and Nutrition Support for Families
Important Update: Food and nutrition support for families in need has been extended through June. From now until June 30, 2021, Durham County Public Schools will provide free meals to all children aged 18 and under. Drive-through pick up of meals is available weekly from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Pick-up sites are listed here and below. No ID is required to pick up the meals. If you are unable to pick up at the designated time, click here to obtain information on how to have meals delivered to your home.
The students services team has compiled an additional list of resources which can be found here.
Community Partnership with Kate’s Korner for K-5
Kate’s Korner will provide a supervised remote learning space for Voyager Academy Elementary (Kindergarten-3rd grades) and Middle School (4th & 5th grade) students to complete their school work while Voyager is operating in a remote learning environment and parents are working. Additional information regarding Kate’s Korner can be found on their website https://www.kateskornerdurham.
Community Partnership with Student U for Grades 6-12
Student U will provide a supervised remote learning space for families of Voyager Academy Middle School and High School students to complete their Voyager school work in a safe supervised learning center while Voyager is operating in a remote learning environment and parents are working. This community partnership will support struggling Voyager families in need of free child care while they are working during the remote learning environment. Applications for the learning center will be prioritized by Student U for families that qualify for free or reduced lunch, have parents that are essential workers, or have become recently unemployed, are experiencing homelessness, are part of the foster care system, or live in public housing.
Link for Remote Access to the Voyager Library for Elementary Students