Today is a great day at Voyager Academy. Our students have settled in at school and are beginning to understand it is our job to TEACH and it is their job to LEARN. We are so excited that everyone is trying so hard to do their job well. The following announcements will be helpful for you and your family for the week of Sept. 13-17.
STEP IT UP: Step It Up will end on September 16. Thank you , thank you , thank you for your support and assistance with this fundraiser. Because of your hard work, Voyager Academy K-8 has made a profit of $40,000. We will be able to use these funds to make some great improvements at Voyager. What improvements? New swings, a new keyboard for our music room, a sensory walk for all students, updated technology within the building and so much more!
Thank you to all of you who have already sent your 10 or more texts or emails to help us raise funds for our school. We have given away two mini fridge prizes this past week. The gifts went to an excited first grader and the second gift went to an excited second grader. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH! The students are so excited about the fundraiser and our Day of Awesomeness that will be celebrated on October 8th. If you have any questions about this fundraiser, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Manning or review the details listed below:
How can you help Voyager? Click on the link below. It will take you to our school’s fundraiser website where you can set up your child’s Personal Donation page and invite your friends and family to join our efforts by sending them a donation invitation.
www.stepitupkids.com/VoyagerAcadMS
This entire fundraiser can be completed in TEN MINUTES OR LESS. Please send out TEN or MORE donation invitations via your Personal Donation Page. PS: Attached is the Golden Ticket Packet that was sent home with your student today and general fundraiser information. Check it out! Questions about how to complete your Golden Ticket?
Click here: www.pop4kids.com/golden-ticket-how-to
READING WITH GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY: We hope you all enjoyed our Reading with Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Ask your child to tell you all about the event. It was our goal to create a wonderful memory for your family. The students performed an amazing song entitled, “I Think You’re Wonderful”. I encourage you to take a moment and listen to this masterpiece.
FALL CONFERENCES: Voyager Academy will be hosting Fall Conferences on and around Sept. 24. Be looking for details from your child’s teacher to sign up for this event.
SEPTEMBER FIRE DRILL: VAES will host our September fire drill on September 15, 2021.
CARLINE UPDATE: For the safety of all, we must ask for parents to NOT get out of the car during car line to move items or buckle in students. If you need to buckle your student into the car seat, please carefully pull over to the side (near the loading zone) and buckle your student in at that time. Thank you for understanding that we need to work together to keep our students, staff, and parents safe.
FALL PHOTOS SEPTEMBER 21: Strawbridge studios will be at Voyager on Tuesday, Sept. 21 to take fall photos. Details about this program will be sent home to you in the near future. Go ahead and plan what you want to wear on this special day!
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.
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.
REMIND APP: You can now sign up to receive text messages from VAES through the REMIND app. Even if you have signed up before you will need to subscribe again with your updated grade level and phone number. How do you sign up?
Texting from your cell phone:
Kindergarten Parents: In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vakinder22
First Grade Parents: In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vafirst
Second Grade Parents: In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vasecond22
Third Grade Parents: In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vathird22
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.