Hello Middle School Families,
It’s been great having students on campus. They certainly came ready to work and to follow procedures and protocols. Based on observations, lots of learning was taking place and it appeared that our students were happy to be engaged in the learning process.
News from the Student Services Team
Resources for Talking to Children about Anti-Asian Racism
In light of the recent violence and discrimination against people of Asian descent, the Student Services Team has compiled a list of resources to help parents/guardians talk to children about anti-Asian racism (Resources for Talking to Children about Anti-Asian Racism). If your child needs additional support, please reach out to your child's school counselor and/or the school social worker.
April Student Social
Join the Student Services Team on Wednesday, April 14 for a fun game of 20 Questions. See the flyer for additional information (April Student Social).
Reopening Update and Transition to Plan A (K-5)
We are planning to transition the kindergarten through 5th grade classes from our current hybrid plan to Plan A effective April 12, 2021 to comply with current law and State Board of education policy. Plan A is not currently allowed by law for 6th - 12th grade.
Plan A allows for full capacity with minimal social distancing in grades K-5. We understand that this may change what families want for their children to do as you made your selection earlier this school year. Thanks for completing the survey that was sent regarding Plan A or Remote. Your choice will be for the remainder of the school year. If you didn’t respond, we kept your child in their current cohort or remote.
Blue Signs for Carline - If you have not received a Blue Card, we have plenty so just let me know during morning or afternoon carline. If you do not have your child/children’s carline number, please email gjohnson@voyageracademy.net.
Student Computers We need students to bring their computer to school and take it back home at the end of the day. We also need students to make sure that computers are charged each night. Students who have loaners also need to bring their computer each day and take it home at night for recharging.
If you are in need of a computer, please let us know ASAP so we can ensure we have enough to support our students.
Middle School Happenings - Enjoy news from grade levels:
News from Mrs. Weber and Ms. Green’s 4th Grade
Update from Ms. Green and Mrs. Weber's Zoom classes
We have been so impressed with how well our new remote students have adjusted to their new schedule. Everyone has been working hard, demonstrating Voyager's core values, and eager to participate in class. We have started our studies of Static Electricity. What are the 3 parts of an atom? If you don’t know, ask your 4th graders.
Hello 5th Grade Families
It was great to see some of you at the carline concert Tuesday night! The music was wonderful! I'm so happy families got a chance to see the high school students perform!
The fifth-grade team is preparing for Plan A. If you moved your child from plan A to remote or remote to plan A, they will be receiving a new bell schedule and individual class schedule. Please check your email and their email for these items. Plan A begins April 12.
Next week,the week of March 29, Cohort A comes on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday is a remote learning day for all students and Cohort B comes to school on Thursday. On days students are not in school, they need to Zoom in to participate in live classes. Students need to be on time.
No school Friday, April 2- Friday, April 9th. Enjoy your Spring Break. If you are in Plan A, you will attend in-person instruction 4 days a week (Mon, Tues and Thurs, Fri) starting April 12th.
We are collecting book club books. Students should return their historical fiction books by 3:30 pm Thursday, April 1st. If your child is in Cohort A or B, just send it to school with them. If your child is remote, please drop it off in the blue Rubbermaid container at the back of the school in front of the gym doors. The container will NOT be outside over Spring Break. We look forward to seeing you next week!
News from 8th Grade Team
Science
We are continuing our unit on infectious diseases. Students analyzed case studies to determine whether events were epidemics or pandemics. Our in-person students did an activity to show how quickly diseases can be transmitted. Students are working on a mini-project to design a Most Wanted poster for a pathogen.
Core Connections
Our 8th graders are now rising ninth graders! Please take a moment to review the high school course planning forms as a family. To support their transition, we practiced calculating GPA’s. Then, students selected a college of their choice to look at freshman class profiles. We are continuing with My Story, Our Story, History by reviewing literary terms to prepare for our writing activities later this week in asynchronous learning.
Social Studies
This week we continue to focus on the Reconstruction Era of American History. Lessons combine lecturing, independent study, Flocabulary, analyzing political cartoons and creating a rough draft for the Arpillera project. Students will be assessed on this unit of study next week but not before playing Jeopardy Review!
ELA
We're continuing to use teacher-, peer-, and self-critiques to revise our ode drafts. To sharpen our grammar, students are spending 20 active minutes a day on IXL. Once the argumentative essays that we wrote last quarter are graded, students will have a final opportunity to revise. (Grades will be entered in PowerSchool for 4th quarter.)
MATH
This week in math we have been solving word problems. At the beginning of the week, 8th grade math classes solved solving systems word problems. At the end of the week, we started our Statistics unit. If you haven’t picked up your latest supply packet from the back of the gym, please do so ASAP. The packet includes items needed for this week’s math notes. Math I students have been solving quadratic word problems. We explored quadratic functions through an online graphing calculator. We will continue quadratic functions next week.
Join the HS Chorus or HS Band
ATTN: 8th grade families! Registration for 2021-22 is just around the corner!! Want to be part of a nationally recognized choral & band program at Voyager High School? JOIN CHORUS OR BAND! No experience necessary! NEW STUDENTS WELCOME! More info in the videos below. Contact the directors with more questions:
Jenny Hobgood (Chorus) jhobgood@voyageracademy.net
Max Puhala (Band) mpuhala@voyageracademy.net
Join Voyager Band! https://youtu.be/QdUoc5L_Tvs
Voyager Chorus wants YOU in 2021-22! https://youtu.be/0YKdEAf6eI4
CLUB HUB - Service Club with Mr. Eisenson and Mrs. Johnson
What fun we are having! For our first project, we are going to support the children at UNC Children’s Hospital. Our plan is to collect school supplies. We need pencils, notebook paper, markers, crayons, etc. The supplies need to be new. We will share a date with you next week.
What Do I Do If My Student Has Been Exposed To Someone with Covid: If a 4-8 grade student has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID, please call the school or email Mrs. Johnso and we will talk you through the details of how long you may need to quarantine. Please complete the Greenlight App, because it will automatically give you a date where you will be allowed to return to school.
Before and After School Care:
Before and After school care (BASC) program enrollment is happening now. BASC will open on March 16th for Middle/High school students. To ensure we are properly staffed for students to ratios we will use the following.
The enrollment deadline for the March 16th start date is March 5th.
The enrollment deadline for future weeks will be two weeks in advance. If you register on March 16th, your students start date will be March 29th.
BASC Programs will be available only on days that your child is scheduled to be at Voyager Academy:
Early Care: Middle School ---6:45am – 8:15am
After Care: Middle School ---3:15pm – 6:00pm
Voyager Academy BASC knows what it takes to keep children safe, so you can feel sound in registering your child. We pay attention to every detail both big and small in training staff for COVID-19 restrictions and protocols. All students must be pre-registered in order to attend The BASC program. Parents use the Charter Pay online billing system for program registration. If you need help with your username or password, please visit https://charterpay.org/login/recovery. Once you register for the program you will receive our complete Parent Handbook. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me directly at pjohnson@voyageracademy.net.
Lunch Information:
Parents, you can order your child's lunch, pay at the time of order, and we will deliver your students lunch to their classroom. Lunch orders must be placed at least one week in advance. For instance, March 1st lunch order should be placed before February 22nd. You also have the option to purchase lunch for the entire month. Payment options are by debit/credit card or ACH bank draft. Order Lunch online at CharterPay.org.
K & W Cafeteria will provide lunch on Monday for Cohort A & Thursday for Cohort B.
Chick-Fil-A will provide lunch onTuesday for Cohort A & Friday for Cohort B.
All meals will be delivered in hot and cold containers to maintain food safety guidelines.
Drinks are not provided with lunch.
Middle school students will eat outside if weather is appropriate and in their classrooms if weather does not permit to go outside.
Students also have the option to bring their own lunch to school. Students that pack their own lunch will not have access to microwaves.
If you have any questions about before and after school registration or lunch ordering please feel free to reach out to Patrice Johnson, Operations Manager at pjohnson@voyageracademy.net. Technical and account issues should be directed to support@charterpay.org.
YEARBOOK
Yes, we are going to have a YEARBOOK. Just a reminder that Ms. Pam needs pictures.
To upload pictures you will need this URL plicbooks.com/go/wNRyg.
We would like a portrait picture but also some fun shots to add to the pages. Make sure when you download, pick your student's grade level and add the name of the student. Thank you in advance for your help.
Student Pictures - Yes, we will have individual student pictures. Be on the lookout for more information.
Links to resources to support all learners
The websites highlighted in this list offer an opportunity for you to delve into topics that students might be interested in.
K-5 Virtual Enrichment and Extension Resources
6-8 Virtual Enrichment and Extension Resources
UPCOMIMG SOCIAL EVENTS For STUDENTS
Sponsored by our Counselors
Thursday, April 15, 2021: 20 Questions
Thursday, May 6, 2021: Family Dance Party
Thursday, April 20, 2021: Diversity & Inclusion
(click here for a .pdf version)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Does my child need to wear a mask to school each day? Yes, please provide at least two masks per day in case the mask breaks during the day.
Can my child wear a gaiter mask? No, gaiter masks do not provide as much protection as a cloth, tight fitting mask and they are not acceptable for school.
Can I drop off my middle school student at the elementary school during morning drop off? No, only elementary students may enter the elementary building.
Should my child bring a water bottle to school? Yes, we are asking for each student to bring a water bottle to school each day if they want water. Our water fountains are not available. Our water filling stations are available. Please make sure the student’s name is on the water bottle.
Do I need to utilize Greenlight? If your child is coming to in person learning, we will need you to use the Greenlight. Parents will need to show that the student has been cleared based on Greenlight each morning before entering the building. This will happen in the car line before the student is allowed to enter the building. If a parent has not completed the health screening (on Greenlight) before arriving at school, it will slow down the process of getting students admitted into the building. Thank you for completing this each morning. We will also take the temperature of each child each morning.
Do I need a car line sign? Yes, you will receive a Blue car line sign. We will give you the sign on Day 1. If you do not have your carline number, please contact Mrs. Johnson.
Will the staff heat lunches? We are not able to heat student lunches during this school year because of COVID restrictions.
How do I get my carline number? You need to email Mrs. Johnson at gjohnson@voyageracademy.net. We will provide you with a carline sign on the first day you come through carline.
What do I do if a neighbor drops my kid off at school and they do not have access to my Greenlight? Please take a screenshot of your Greenlight and share it with the person who is bringing your child to school.
Where do I drop off my Middle Schooler in the morning? Middle School students are dropped off at the back of the school. Middle School students may not enter the building until 7:45 UNLESS they are attending Before School Care. If your child is attending Before School Care, you need to contact Patrice Johnson at pjohnson@voyageracadem.net.
Lunches - Students need to bring their lunch or you can order your child’s lunch through CharterPayOnline. We will not have extra lunches so please send lunch with your child.
Hybrid Policies and Procedures This link gives you access to the Hybrid Plans and Procedure Manual.
Car Line Here We Come! Voyager Academy car line will begin promptly at 7:45 am. As we prepare to receive students as safely and as quickly as possible, please help our staff by completing the following:
Make sure Greenlight is complete and you are ready to show the PASS/Clear to the Voyager staff member. If you hae not completed Greenlight we will need for that car to pull to the side until we can get the student checked in. Directions and a step by step video of how to install Greenlight App is listed below.
Voyager Greenlight Directions Video
Greenlight Directions Video #2
As you are waiting in the carline, please turn down the car heat and make sure your student is not totally bundled up or when we complete the temperature check, it will read HIGH.
Staff members will NOT be able to unbuckle students from their seatbelt. Parents will need to have students ready to exit the car when they pull up to their drop-off zone.
Please make sure every person inside the car is wearing a mask as you complete morning and afternoon carline. This will help keep everyone safe. This also includes the adults in the car.
Each student should have a CAR LINE NUMBER and a bright blue to make it easy for you to find. This card must be displayed on the sun visor of your car. This is the only way we have of calling your student down to the carline (each afternoon). If for some reason, you do not have your Blue CAR LINE SIGN , please have your numbers ready.
Greenlight : It is imperative that all Voyager families set up the Greenlight. Please set up your Greenlight account today and complete the survey daily for each child even while your children are learning remotely. We will use this data and input to ensure we are ready for reopening safely. The links to set up your account are below.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!
PLEASE SET UP YOUR GREENLIGHT ACCOUNT!
YOU WILL NEED IT FOR CARLINE!!!!!
Greenlight - Health Screenings - Speed up Carline
We have partnered with Duke and Greenlight Ed to complete our daily health screening so we can monitor the overall health of our school community. Please set up your Greenlight account today and complete the survey daily for each child even while your children are learning remotely. We will use this data and input to ensure we are ready for reopening safely. The links to set up your account are below.
ACTION NEEDED: Directions/links to set up your Greenlight Account
Setting up your account is simple. Select the link below and enter the email address you use to receive Voyager newsletters.
Middle School- activate account here: https://glit.me/go/voyager-middle
Account set up questions should be directed to help@greenlightready.com
The app is not yet in the app store so you can't just download it at this time. The developer is currently waiting for approval from Apple. Once you set up your account you can send the link https://app.greenlightready.com/ to your phone. Additional resources are below to assist with setting up your phones for easy access to our Greenlight health screening.
Middle School- activate account here: https://glit.me/go/voyager-middle
Here is a link to a video that walks through registering for Greenlight:
Greenlight Video from Claire –instructions to add Greenlight to your home screen on your phone
For iPhone users:
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/add-a-web-link-to-home-screen-iphone-ipad/
For Android users:
https://www.howtogeek.com/667938/how-to-add-a-website-to-your-android-home-screen/
Questions regarding setting up your account should be directed to help@greenlightready.com. Once your account is set up you can also use their chat feature,
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. Apply to Student H Here
Stay healthy and safe – Practice the 3 W’s: 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. Masks will need to be worn except when eating lunch.
REMIND Text: Thanks to those of you who signed up!
4th Grade-In the“To” section of the text type 81010 and in the message type @6agbha.
5th Grade-In the“To” section of the text type 81010 and in the message type @eh9f6kb.
6th Grade -In the“To” section of the text type 81010 and in the message type @beeh8h.
7th Grade - In the“To” section of the text type 81010 and in the message type @cak43k.
8th Grade -In the”To” section of the text type 81010 and in the message type @8cg9ch
Thanks for all the support you have provided the Middle School. We are
thankful to have you on this most unusual journey that we are on!
If you need anything, please email or call !
Just remember ---YOU are “simply the BEST!”
Gwen Johnson
gjohnson@voyageracademy.net
Principal, Voyager Middle School
919-433-3301 ext. 101