GO VIKINGS GO!
In this issue...
- Spring 2021 Return-to-School Update
- Job Opportunity at Voyager Academy
- Final Exam Schedule
- A Super Senior Surprise!
- VA Holiday Gift Card Drive
- Information for students who took the PSAT/NMSQT on 10/29/20
- Buy a Senior Ad in the Yearbook!
- The VAHS Yearbook Needs You
- A newsletter just for Seniors
- FREE TUTORING: National Honor Society Tutors/Viking Buddies Back In Business
- Virtual Driver Education classes information
- Science Olympiad Competition Team – Signup now open
CAMPUS SAFETY
- The SAVE Promise Club Creates Lasting Change That Leads To Safer Schools
COLLEGE, CAREER, & GRADUATION
- Scholarship Opportunities for Seniors
- College Board opportunity Scholarships
- Durham Tech. Information Sessions for Seniors
- How CFNC (College Foundation of N.C.) can help you plan, apply, and pay for college
- Take community college courses at Durham Tech. while at VAHS: How to attend and information.
- Ordering 2021 graduation items like caps and gowns/Class Rings.
STAYING ORGANIZED AND INFORMED
- Stay up-to-the-minute on your child’s progress: become a “parent observer” on his/her Canvas account.
- Students must regularly check their voyager academy email accounts.
- Remote learning tips for parents: how to help your child be successful in a remote learning setting.
- Check out the VAHS counselor’s blog (and subscribe).
- Parents: sign up to receive text messages from the school.
- Other great sources of information for and about VAHS.
- Important dates.
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Spring 2021 Return-to-School Update
Voyager Academy plans to welcome students back to the building in the Spring for in person instruction. We will be using a hybrid model of instruction that mixes in-person instruction and remote instruction. To do this, students have been divided into 3 groups: Cohort A; Cohort B; All Remote. It begins on January 19, after two weeks of all remote instruction (just like that of the Fall). Below is a summary of how it works.
- Monday-Tuesday: Group A is in person, Group B is remote, livestreaming the in person class.
- Thursday-Friday: Group B is in person, Group A is remote, livestreaming the in person class.
- The group of students who chose all remote classes will livestream all in
person classes for the week.
- Wednesday instruction will continue in its Fall 2020 format. Students and staff are not allowed in the building, as it will be closed for cleaning.
All families should have received an email message providing VAHS students’ cohorts, along with many more details. If you have not received this message, please check your spam box. If it is not there, feel free to email us. Thanks!
Job Opportunity at Voyager Academy
Voyager Academy is seeking enthusiastic positive role models to fill open positions in the Before and After school programs for grades K-8. The part-time shifts are Monday-Friday 6:30am-8:30am & 3:00pm-6:00pm beginning mid January 2021. Applicants must be 18years old. You can apply online at https://nc.teachermatch.org/applyteacherjob.do?jobId=485603
For more information contact the Operations Manager, Patrice Johnson at pjohnson@voyageracademy.net.
Final Exam Schedule
The teacher made final exam schedule is as follows:
NC Statewide Exams
A Super Senior Surprise!
The third issue of the Senior Advisory Newsletter went out this week with a special surprise for one of our seniors. Thanks to a new promotion called, "VAHS Super Senior Spotlight", one of our seniors was surprised to find herself showcased during Advisory class on Wednesday. Find out who this week's Super Senior is below! A big Thank you to Ms. Morris for nominating this week's Super Senior!
Click here to see the Senior Advisory Newsletter
and find out who is this week’s Super Senior!
VA Holiday Gift Card Drive
In an effort to spread a little extra holiday cheer, VAHS is collaborating with VAMS and VAES to organize a Holiday Gift Card Drive.
We are collecting gift cards of a minimum of $20 and cash of any amount from now through December 17th. Here are the ways that you can give to a VAHS family in need:
(1) Mail a gift card or cash to VAHS:
Voyager Academy High School
c/o Jill O'Kane:Holiday Gift Card Drive
4302 Ben Franklin Blvd
Durham NC 27704
(2) Drop off a gift card or cash at VAHS December 14-17 (in an envelope labeled "Holiday Gift Card Drive")
(3) Email an electronic gift card to the High School Counselor
Suggested retailers: Walmart, Target, Amazon
Information for students who took the PSAT/NMSQT on 10/29/20
Congratulations to the students who took the PSAT/NMSQT®! You’ve completed a big step on your journey to college. Now is the time to make the most of your scores and effort. Please read this Letter/Invite to learn how to make the most of your scores.
Buy a Senior Ad in the Yearbook!
Yearbook recognition ads are a great way for parents, families and friends to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. In addition, revenues from recognition ads help our school to create a better yearbook. To purchase your ad online, follow the instructions on the form below.
Jostens is managing your school's yearbook ad sales so please do not contact or send materials to the school. Please take into account our school's ad content guidelines on the bottom of this form during the creation of your ad online. All ad orders must be placed online by 12/31/2020. Please click here for a flyer with all the details.
Use this link to send us your PICTURES!
A newsletter just for Seniors
Hey seniors, check out the Senior Advisory Digest. Get information that is especially important to Seniors. Top story this week: See how the class of 2021 broke the VAHS record of early application submissions.
Click here to get to the Senior Advisory Digest
FREE TUTORING: National Honor Society Tutors/Viking Buddies Back In Business
The NHS is excited to be "virtually" back in full swing this year (although we miss seeing each other in person) and going strong! We are starting to plan some events for the upcoming school year. The NHS is most excited to have the tutoring/buddy program back up and running. We have sent out links to your child's teachers for them to request tutors. But in addition, this year we are also providing a link for parents to request tutors for their children!
We all know that these are trying times and we are glad to be able to help with anything from homework to studying for a test. Maybe your student could just benefit from talking to a peer and would like to sign up for a Viking Buddy to talk to through the day, who can give some tips on time management or test taking strategies.
Please click here to request tutoring from NHS!
Virtual Driver Education classes information
JDSC continues to offer private, virtual Driver Education classes. There are two more classes this year. To sign your student up for the classes, they must:
Be 14.5-yrs. of age
30-hr. classroom - virtual guidelines as set to NC standards
Take and pass the required DMV vision check (dates will be sent for vision checks)
6-hrs. Behind the wheel driving
Attend all the Zoom classes for the virtual class.
All classes are virtual, module based. Students meet with the instructor each class date, for an hour Zoom class and students continue working on the 11 Modules. The modules include quizzes, tests, and the final exam.
The class instructor contacts the registered students with all the links and details for the 10-day course.
To register for the course, read and complete the information and contract: https://jdscarolinas.com/private-instruction-for-teens/
Please contact JDSC with any questions: jdsvanceboro@gmail.com - or 252.244.1220
Classes begin on December 14th
Science Olympiad Competition Team – Signup Now Open
Voyager’s Science Olympiad teams compete in science related events against other schools. We begin preparing in the fall and compete in the spring. Examples of event topics include: forensics, cryptanalysis, astronomy, virtual builds in CAD, oceanography, circuits, fossils, genetics, engineering and geologic mapping to name a few! If you are interested in science, this is the team for YOU! More information about the team can be found in this PRESENTATION. If you are interested in joining the team, please fill out this INTEREST FORM so that we can send you the team signup when it opens. For questions, please email Kristin Jantz at scienceolympiadteam@voyageracademy.net
The SAVE Promise Club Creates Lasting Change That Leads To Safer Schools
As a follow up to the SAY Something Anonymous Reporting System training that occured in Advisory, VAHS is organizing the 20/21 SAVE Promise Club. Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise Club is the student leadership initiative of Sandy Hook Promise. The aim is to empower student leaders to take an active role in increasing school safety and preventing different forms of violence in schools and communities. All students who would like participate are encouraged to complete the 20/21 SAVE Promise Club Interest Form located below and on the HS website.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIZ4jtorZfnZVX0aLIbt-bCgBYHZn2Lpj1G5Q9mj_s4RvCuw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Scholarship Opportunities for Seniors
See below some great scholarship opportunities. Deadline for these is March 1, 2021
Achievement Scholarship for Refugees & Immigrants of Wake County, Up to $16,000
Benjamin F. Ward Scholarship, $10,000
Elizabeth Marie Roberts Scholarship, $8,000
Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $80,000
GSK Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $20,000
Jason and Jessica Evans Memorial Scholarship, $4,000
Jay Spence Memorial Scholarship, $8,000
Joseph Nystrom Working Student Scholarship, Up to $16,000
Juanita McNeil West End Scholarship, $2,000
NC American Indian Fund Scholarship, $1,000
Richard Whitted Scholarship, $1,000
Triangle Scholarship Fund, $10,000
Umesh and Usha Gulati Scholarship, $2,500
Van and Luella Thomas Family Scholarship, $1,000
William L. Wall Family Scholarship, $4,000
Click here for more information, and to see how to apply.
College Board opportunity Scholarships
A Clearer Path to College for All Students...
Applying to college is a complicated process, so the College Board has created a program that guides students through it. This scholarship program is open to all students and it doesn't require an essay, application, or minimum GPA. Instead, it rewards efforts and initiative. Students complete key steps al ong the path to college for a chance to earn scholarships. Watch a short video ans see the resources with details below to get started! https://youtu.be/2CPku32bj5I
Click here for more information.
Durham Tech. Information Sessions for Seniors
Any senior who is interested in learning about the programs and application process at Durham Technical Community College is invited to attend one of two upcoming meetings with Adam Desantis, the Durham Tech. Liaison for VAHS. The first session on 12/2 is for seniors who plan to apply for fall 2021, and the second session is for seniors who may be interested. Please see this flyer to sign up to attend one of these sessions.
How CFNC (College Foundation of N.C.) can help you plan, apply, and pay for college
Any student or parent who missed the live CFNC webinar is invited to view the recorded version: https://youtu.be/hq1XpNAuH9I
Additional resources include these two new "how-to" videos.
1. How to Create Your CFNC account - https://youtu.be/S0L0_OeM67E
2. How to Use CFNC Career Tools - https://youtu.be/jKlk17y53J0
Take community college courses at Durham Tech. while at VAHS:
How to attend an information session..
Information Sessions are now available to Juniors and seniors who are interested in taking dual enrollment courses at Durham Tech. Community College during the second semester. Attending a virtual information session is the first step in this enrollment process. Please visit
https://www.durhamtech.edu/dual-enrollment to find out more and register for an Information session. Also, see the slides below to meet the Durham Tech. College liaison with Durham Tech. at Voyager.
High School Class Rings and Graduation Products
Herff Jones is your one-stop shop to designing your high school class ring and graduation caps, gowns, gifts and accessories. Click here to go to place an order on the Herff Jones site.
Stay Up-to-the-Minute on Your Child’s Progress: 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.
Students Must Regularly Check Their Voyager Academy Email Accounts
Voyager Academy High School strives to make all students career and college ready. Good email communication skills are essential for a student to experience that success.
Parents, please remind your students to check their VAHS student emails often. This account is set up so that the staff can readily communicate with the students through a secure server. Also please remind your students to use their VAHS email account when emailing teachers as many times their personal emails do not contain their names or are inappropriate and we do not know who is contacting us in regards to an assignment or question.
Remote Learning Tips for Parents: How to Help Your Child be Successful in a Remote Learning Setting (see full article here)
Create a learning space for your child.
Make a schedule and stick to it.
Reduce distractions.
Use a calendar and color-code it. Use an electronic calendar if possible, like Google, or Canvas.
Stay in touch with your child's teacher.
Get plenty of exercise.
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
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). See subscription instructions below, sorted by student’s graduation year.
For parents of class of 2021:
In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahsp21
For parents of class of 2022:
In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahsp22
For parents of class of 2023:
In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahsp23
For parents of class of 2024:
In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahsp24
OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION
FOR AND ABOUT VAHS
Voyager Academy Academic Calendar
The Voyager Academy High School Website
The Voyager Academy Athletics Website
Important Dates