Fall is in the air and great things are happening at Voyager Academy. We have been polling the students this week to determine what fall activities they like best. Hiking, playing in the leaves and roasting marshmallows are the top three options. I hope you and your family are able to complete one of those activities during this month. The following updates will be helpful for you and your family for the week of Sept. 27 - October 01.
THANK YOU FOR WEARING PURPLE: Each day we encourage students to make someone’s day every day. This past week, YOU all helped us do that by encouraging your student to wear PURPLE in honor and support of Layla Sawyer. Thank y
ou for showing your students, by example, how to be a community that shows love and support. We are Voyager Strong!
CARLINE UPDATE: We’ve seen a big improvement in the carline operation and we appreciate your cooperation with arriving at the designated time, not blocking driveways on the public streets, not parking and idling on the public streets, and being a courteous driver and respecting the School Resource Officer and staff directing traffic. A few quick reminders are below:
The high school parking lot is available in the morning if you would like to avoid the carline and walk your child to school. Please remember that a parent must walk their elementary or middle school student to the building to ensure their safety.
Parents should not pull into a parking spot at the elementary, middle school, or pull into the Hock House driveway to drop off their child. This is unsafe for your child and blocks staff members from parking.
Please drive slowly while on campus to ensure the safety of all.
REPORT CARDS: Voyager Elementary has moved to a quarter system for report cards. This means students will receive 4 report cards throughout the year as we seek to help students become independent, lifelong learners. The first grading period will conclude on October 4 and report cards will be sent home on October 8. We are thrilled that our teaching staff has created a NEW and IMPROVED Report Card to help us improve our communication with parents. Please let us know what you think of the new report card.
FALL FESTIVAL: Mark your calendar NOW for Voyager’s Fall Festival. It is scheduled to take place on October 29 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
STEP IT UP: Step It Up is OVER!! We have made a profit of over $55,000. The middle school and elementary school will be splitting those profits. Thank you so much. Now that the work is done, it is time to celebrate. Our Day of Awesomeness will take place on October 8. Do you want details? Here we go:
K-2 students will celebrate from 8:30 to 10:00
3rd grade students will celebrate from 10:15-11:45
There will be 8 Ninja Warrior Type blow up activities for the students to enjoy, a dance party station, prize station and more.
The prizes that students have earned will be delivered to their classrooms on October 8 (to take home)
All students celebrate and enjoy the fun and games. We are all one community and we all support and care for each other.
Students will wear masks at all times. This event is totally outside.
Now that the work is over, we need your help to pull off the fun. We will need 12 volunteers per play period to help us run the activities and package the prizes. If you would be willing to help us with this event, please click on the link below to sign up for a time to help.
FALL CONFERENCES: Voyager Academy began hosting Fall Conferences on Sept. 24. SCHOOL IS CLOSED FOR STUDENTS ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. Teachers will continue to host fall conferences throughout the week of Sept. 27-October 01.
QUESTIONS STUDENTS ASK MR. MANNING: It has been such a joy to get to know the students during this first grading period. I have been able to host morning meetings in almost all classes and the students have asked me some very interesting questions. I thought I would share just a few with you today:
What is your favorite color Mr. Manning? White is my favorite color. The student then said, “That is not a color!”
Do you have a girlfriend? I have a wife but I still consider her my girlfriend too.
What do you like to do on the weekend? Mr. Manning loves to run. The student then said, “What are you running from?”
VAES BIRTHDAY ROCK: The Voyager Birthday Rock is a BIG success. The students seemed thrilled with it and parents have done an amazing job of showing their creativity. If you are interested in signing up to paint the Voyager Elementary Birthday Rock for your child, please click on the link below for details.
Birthday Rock Details and Sign Up
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNING COVID: Voyager’s amazing school nurse has created a document for all of our families entitled FAQ Concerning Covid. We understand how challenging and stressful this situation has been and we appreciate your support and partnership. I highly encourage you to click on the link below and read the health information so you can stay informed and will better understand the guidelines Voyager is following as we seek to keep all students and staff safe.
ACCREDITATION UPDATE: Voyager Academy is a fully accredited school. Every five years the school goes through a re-accreditation process. That process will take place this year during the month of November. We are thrilled to be able to share all the great things Voyager Academy does to create amazing, life-long, independent learners.
VOYAGER LUNCH UPDATE: The Titan Family Portal and LINQ Online Ordering system work together like a checking/ debit card account. All student lunch accounts must be preloaded with funds for ordering. Parents then order lunches for students based on the funds availability in their Titan account. Families who have a negative balance on the account will no longer be permitted to order lunch online. Please be sure to send your student(s) to school with lunch if no meal was ordered. If your student's lunch account currently has a negative balance, we please ask that you pay this balance as soon as possible by either form of payment:
Online at https://family.titank12.com There is a $2.80 flat fee charged by the bank per deposit online. (Example: $100 deposit + $2.80 fee = $102.80)
A check/ money order made payable to Voyager Academy. Please include your child's name and id# on the memo line. You can also use this pre-printed form.
Lunch menus are published for the month of October. The lunch ordering rule is a week in advance. If you need assistance email foodnutritionservices@voyageracademy.net
LINQ ONLINE ORDERING - View and order student/staff meals. Website: https://family.onlineordering.linq.com
TITAN FAMILY PORTAL -Pay your school fees, manage your students accounts and apply for free and reduced meals. Website: https://family.titank12.com
FALL BREAK IS COMING: October 11-15. Make plans now to enjoy this season with your family.
QUARANTINE GUIDELINES: Listed below are the guidelines we have been given as they are related to quarantine:
When your children need to stay home to learn, always contact me and your child's teacher.
The teacher will provide remote assignments for your student. As long as the student is doing some work at home and you complete the attendance link provided below they will be counted present. The link to complete your child’s attendance is HERE
Because your student has been directly exposed to someone, outside of school, who has tested positive for COVID, your student needs to quarantine for 10 days. They may return to school after the 10 days of quarantine have been completed AND have no symptoms from the time of exposure.
The 10 day quarantine protocol is not school days, it also includes the weekend. For example, if your child was exposed on Aug. 9, they can return to school on Aug. 20 (10 days).
Please keep me, your child’s teacher, and our school nurse, Mrs. Skoff updated on your child’s symptoms and/or test results.
See below for details for siblings where ONE tests positive, another tests NEGATIVE. Or for students and a parent tests positive, but student tests NEGATIVE.
Your positive student will need to complete a 10 day quarantine and may return to school after those 10 days so long as they are fever free for 24 hours and their symptoms are improving. With regard to siblings - as of now, IF you are able to isolate the positive child from the family, eat in separate spaces, wear masks in the home, use separate bathrooms, etc the negative child may return at the end of the positive child’s 10 day quarantine IF you were able to ensure the above protective measures were taken in the home.
The negative child(ren) would need to have NO symptoms and obtain a COVID test NO SOONER THAN 5 days following their last exposure to the positive sibling. So, if you used Monday as Day 1, they could test after Friday. If that test is negative AND you have been able to keep the positive student isolated the entire time, then the negative siblings could go back to school after the positive child's 10 day quarantine is over. We would request that you provide us documentation of their negative PCR tests before the children return. IF any of your other children develop symptoms at any point, they should get tested. If they then test positive they would then just complete a 10-day quarantine from the onset of symptoms.
These are the recommendations that the Durham Health Department has provided us as of today. They will continue to assess and monitor the situation and may update their guidelines. We will make changes to our protocols here at Voyager if that happens.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY CHILD HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID?
Contact Mr. Manning and your child's teacher
Mr. Manning or the school nurse will contact the family and talk you through the quarantine/isolation process.
Students may still work from home during this quarantine period. The teacher will provide assignments for the student and the parent will need to complete a daily on-line attendance.