Voyager Academy High School News, Sept. 24, 2021

GO VIKINGS GO!


In this issue...

 

  • Make Up Date for Yearbook Pictures for All Grades is 10/4/21
  • Financial Aid for College: FAFSA Day is Back This Year
  • Senior Cap and Gown Orders Due on October 15
  • "Chinese Market" Project Raises Funds for Local Charity
  • Thank You Voyager Academy Middle School!
  • Class of 2022 Individual Senior Meetings With The Counselor
  • The PTO Needs Your Help in the Kitchen: The Hospitality Lunches Are Back!
  • Check Out the New Student Lunch Bunch
  • Teen Services (Book Clubs, Tutoring, Gaming…) at Durham Public Main Library
  • VCF (Viking Christian Fellowship) meets Friday mornings from ~7:30-8:30 in D124
  • VAHS Safety Guidelines for Students and Staff
  • Check out the VAHS Counselor’s Blog (and subscribe)
  • What to Do If You Are Not Receiving Group Emails From Voyager Academy
  • Sign up to receive text messages from the school.
  • Subscribe to the “21-22 VA Parent Calendar” (google calendar)
  • Other great sources of information for and about VAHS.
  • Important dates.

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Make Up Date for Yearbook Pictures for All Grades is 10/4/21

On October 4th, Strawbridge will be at the high school for yearbook make up pictures. This includes the senior tux and drape pictures as well as make ups for grades 9-11. Any high school student who missed pictures the first go round, should plan to attend the make ups.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR AN ORDER FORM.


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Financial Aid for College: FAFSA Day is Back This Year (Oct. 23). It’s FREE

On October 23, campuses across the state will be hosting parking lot drive-in sessions for students and their families who need help with the FAFSA. Below is a link for students to register. Be sure to check back, as every day campuses are signing on to host FAFSA Day events. You will find more information on http://CFNC.org/pay (click here) by early October.

Please complete and submit the form below to indicate your interest in receiving Financial Aid information or help in completing the FAFSA form on October 23, 2021 (FAFSA Day).  This is a FREE service; there is no fee or service charge.

You may ask for and receive FAFSA help or Financial Aid help from any college, whether or not you plan to attend that particular school.

FAFSA Day Form:
https://register.etransfer.com/cgi-bin/acct/OI1AG3TER4/displayForm.pl?dir=LYGYCCAN_2021


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Senior Cap and Gown Orders Due on October 15

Seniors who did not submit paper orders for their graduation items on Monday 9/10, can now order from the Herff Jones website: 
https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/home

There are a variety of choices and products available, including class rings and graduation announcements. Please review the options and place your orders  by October 15.


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"Chinese Market" Project Raises Funds for Local Charity

The Honors Chinese 3 class recently ran a "Chinese Market" project where some students functioned as "Sellers" who could only speak Chinese, and other students worked as "Translators" for anyone who wanted to stop by to buy something. Bargaining/haggling over prices was encouraged, as is common place in real Chinese markets. It gave all the students great practice with both the clothing vocabulary, and the buying and selling vocabulary they've been studying. It also appeared to be great fun for all the students and teachers who came in to participate during lunch. All of the items for sale were donated from within the Voyager community, and all proceeds from the project will be donated to Durham Rescue Mission. After running the "Chinese Market" Project for two days at lunch, the Chinese 3 class raised $238 for the local charity, and the 4 boxes of unsold donations will also be given to the Rescue Mission. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this project!





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Thank You Voyager Academy Middle School!

The VAHS Service Club would like to thank those of you Voyager Academy middle schoolers who participated in the Console Cleanout to help Light the Night (a Leukemia and Lymphoma research organization).  The Middle School donated $497 dollars to help fund the research!  That was amazing!  Thank you so much for your generosity!


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Class of 2022 Individual Senior Meetings With The Counselor

Congratulations to the VAHS class of 2022!  Senior Planning Meetings are well under way, and all seniors are encouraged to sign up to meet with Ms. O'Kane to plan for graduation and post high school plans. Seniors can use the link below or contact Ms. O'Kane to arrange a meeting. Seniors should also be sure to keep checking the VAHS Counseling Blog and their email  for updates and important news.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c44a5a62aa5f58-senior


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The PTO Needs Your Help in the Kitchen: The Hospitality Lunches Are Back!

The PTO is bringing back our hospitality lunches! Our first one is scheduled for 9/27! Ricci McKenna is the Chair of our  Hospitality Committee at the high school. 

Info here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D45ACAF2AA4F58-vahs3

Please sign up and if you want to volunteer to help with this committee let us know! You can reach us at pto@voyageracademy.net.


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Check out the New Student Lunch Bunch

Calling all new students to VAHS!

Please join us every Wednesday during lunch in B118 to  get connected with other students and have some fun. This is a chance to make new friends and learn everything that you need to know about VAHS. There are a lot of new students, and we want to welcome you and get to know you!  

(Click here for printable version)


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Teen Services at Durham Public Main Library

Book Clubs, Tutoring, a Gaming Center, and more are all available for teens.  The Durham County Main Library is now open and everyone is welcome to come visit! Below
are some of our programs and services. Don't miss the Young Adult Career Expo in October!  (see VAHS Counselor Ms. O’Kane for more info.)

(Click here for printable version)


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VCF (Viking Christian Fellowship) meets Friday mornings from ~7:30-8:30 in D124

Viking Christian Fellowship (VCF) meets Friday mornings before school from 7:30-8:30am in room D124 (Mrs. Paradis's room). All are welcome!


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VAHS Safety Guidelines for Students and Staff

  1. It is important that students begin school each day with a mask that fits them properly.  Please make sure your child has a mask that will stay  over their nose.  This is our number one safety feature.

  2. When we returned in April of last year, we had specific directions for lunch. We will continue to reinforce the fact that students will have 14 minutes to eat lunch and then their masks will go back on. If students do not finish their lunch in that amount of time, we will have the students who need more time to sit at a table while the other students can talk as they will have on their mask.  

  3. Students will be asked to keep their masks on for outdoor lunch if and when they cannot be at least 6 feet apart.  

  4. Students need to continue to wash hands and use hand sanitizer when needed. 

  5. If students have any symptoms of sickness, the student should remain home until they have no symptoms. Please do not send a child to school if he or she has a fever. 

  6. Our school nurse and managing director are keeping a very close eye on the ever changing safety guidelines for schools.  We will keep you updated as information is shared with us.

  7. If we have a student who tests positive for Covid, that student will be asked to isolate for 10 days before returning to school.  Voyager will send out a health email that tells families we had a positive case within our school community.    Positive cases are reported to the health department.  Students who are exposed to a positive Covid individual within their home, should report that to the building principal as soon as possible.  That student will be asked to quarantine based on the most recent guidelines.  All cases will be followed by the school nurse.   If a student  begins to show any Covid symptoms then that student would need to quarantine.  Thank you for working with us as we seek to keep every student and every staff member as safe as possible.  I understand we may not like the various guidelines, but I think we can all agree we need to do everything possible to keep our Voyager family healthy. 


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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


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What to Do If You Are Not Receiving Group Emails From Voyager Academy
Please click here if you are not receiving group emails from Voyager Academy. This is a form, on which you can provide us your email address. 


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PARENTS and STUDENTS:  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). Click below for subscription instructions, sorted by student’s graduation year.  


PARENTS

Texting from your cell phone…

 

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 @df2ah6

 

For parents of class of 2025:

In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahsp25


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STUDENTS

Texting from your cell phone…

 

For the class of 2022:

In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahss22

 

For the class of 2023:

In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahss23

 

For the class of 2024:

In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahss24

 

For the class of 2025:

In the “To” section of the text, please type 81010 and in the message section please type @vahss25


Subscribe to the 21-22 VA Parent Calendar

You can view this calendar in two ways:

 

1. You can subscribe to the 21-22 VA Parent Calendar, so that it merges with yours. Here are the instructions:

Go to your google calendar

Go to settings, the little gear in the upper right corner-----> 

Settings

Add calendar

Subscribe to calendar

In the “Add Calendar” field, paste the following:

c_rf81ppekino4980nbie6tkvggs@group.calendar.google.com

 

OR

 

2. You can simply view it on our website, by going to https://www.voyageracademy.net/calendar/.

You can also add it from there, by clicking on the “+” sign at the bottom right of the calendar..  


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OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR AND ABOUT VAHS
Voyager Academy Academic Calendar

The Voyager Academy High School Website

The VAHS Counselor’s Blog


Important Dates


Dates

Events

Sept. 30 - Oct. 4

Midterm exams

Oct. 4

Make up pictures for Yearbook (all grades)

Oct. 4 - 8

SPIRIT WEEK ! !

Oct. 5

Report Cards go out

Oct. 11-15

NO CLASSES – Fall Break

Oct. 15

Senior Cap and Gown Orders Due

Oct. 23

FAFSA Day: Applying financial aid for college (see above)

Nov. 2

Pre-ACT/CRAA (required for all 10th graders)

Nov. 22

Project Exhibition Night

Dec. 13 - 17

Final Exams



VOYAGER VIKING VALUES

CONFIDENCE   -   CURIOSITY   -   EMPATHY

REFLECTION   -   INTEGRITY