Happy Holidays to all Voyager Academy Elementary Families. We hope you have had a wonderful week of learning and exploration. We also wish you and your family a magical and peaceful holiday season. Listed below are some important updates for you and your family for the week of December 14-18:
WINTER BREAK: VAES will be on winter break beginning at 11:15 am on December 18 through Jan. 3. Remote learning will begin for all students on January 4, 2021. We are planning to stay in our remote learning cycle through January 15. On January 19, 2021 our in-person learning is scheduled to begin with cohort A being in the building. Cohort B will attend in-person instruction on January 21-22.
EARLY DISMISSAL: VAES students and staff are scheduled for an early dismissal on December 18, 2020. School will be dismissed for students at 11:15 am.
BEFORE AND AFTER CARE INFORMATION/LUNCH INFORMATION: Please be on the lookout for information related to before care, after care and school lunches. This information will be coming to all families from the main school office. If your family is going to utilize before care, after care or school lunch, you will need to create a Charter Pay Account. If you have any questions about these programs please reach out to Patrice Johnson at pjohnson@voyageracademy.net.
HYBRID PROCEDURES MANUAL: Attached is the Hybrid Procedures Manual for our January return. We are currently planning to begin our in-person instruction on January 19th. Cohort A will attend on the 19th. All students will learn from home on Jan. 20th and then Cohort B will attend school on Jan. 21 and 22.
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS NEEDED: As we prepare for our January return to school, we need to increase our substitute teacher list. If you are a Voyager parent and you would be willing to discuss subbing for the elementary school, please email our assistant Principal, Ms. Graves at jgraves@voyageracademy.net. We need YOU to make our reopening plan a reality.
HOLIDAY/WINTER CHEER: Parents... Do you want to show your love and appreciation to the VAES Staff this holiday season? We are asking for a few simple donations to "warm them up" for the winter break! You can donate a holiday coffee mug and some packets of hot chocolate, tea, coffee mixes, and any other items to add in a mug! We will put these together and give one to each teacher and staff member at the Elementary School. Donations are being accepted now. Please place your mug in a bin outside by the front entrance. Email Karen Hofmann, khofmann@voyageracademy.net with any questions.
DO YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS? Warmest wishes and thanks to all of you for being a part of our Voyager family this year. It has been a tough year for all of us. In an effort to spread a little extra holiday cheer Voyager Elementary is going to partake in a gift card drive. We will be collecting gift cards of a minimum of $20 and cash of any amount now through December 17th. Here are the ways you can give to a family in need:
(1) Mail a gift card or cash to VAES (Voyager Academy Elementary; c/o Melissa Meckes; 4210 Ben Franklin Blvd.; Durham, NC 27704)
(2) Drop off a gift card or cash to VAES December 14-17 (in an envelope labeled "Holiday Gift Card Drive")
(3) Email an electronic gift card to the school counselor, Melissa Meckes (mmeckes@voyageracademy.net)
Suggested retailers: Walmart, Target, Amazon
Please contact Melissa Meckes (mmeckes@voyageracademy) with any questions.
Sincerely,
VAES Student Services
SANITIZER DRIVE? VAES is working on trying to obtain a good amount of hand sanitizer for our January reopening plan. Mrs. Daly, a Voyager parent, has offered to try and organize a parent group to obtain a bulk order of sanitizer. If you are willing to partner with Mrs. Daly and help Voyager purchase some hand sanitizer, please email Mrs. Daly at joeandsuz105@gmail.com
THANK YOU MRS. DALY AND ALL VOYAGER PARENTS!
TOY DRIVE: The National Junior Honor Society at the Middle School is sponsoring a Toy Drive to help support the Durham Rescue Mission. The Durham Rescue Mission is in need of 15,000 toys for children this year.
If you would like to participate in the Toy Drive, you may drop off new, unwrapped toys outside of the glass doors at the Middle School. Staff will ensure all toys are brought inside the building.
We will be collecting toys on December 14 and 15 between 9:00-3:00. Toys will be delivered to the Rescue Mission on December 16.
If you have any questions, please contact Melodie Green (mgreen@voyageracademy.net) or Andrea Weber (aweber@voyageracademy.net)