Hi all,
We’ve had a great week at the middle school! Our students are beginning to get back in the groove of school. Yes, it has taken some time as staying at home had some of our students thinking they were still at home. Thanks for your continued support of our teachers and our students!
I will ask that you remind your children/young adults to leave their phones at home or if they have to bring it to school, leave the phone in their bookbag. Some of our students continue to think they can use their phones to text friends during the day. Their job is to learn as our teachers are providing great instruction. I created an FAQ document for parents with quick references for many of the COVID protocol/guidelines questions we keep getting asked.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our School Nurse, Chelsea Skoff, created a document that has been added to our website. I’m including this document as I found it to be very informative and helpful!
Here is the link: COVID-19 Guidelines FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Carline
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 school, 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.
It is also unsafe for you to park across the street and send your children across the street unsupervised.
· Please drive slowly while on campus to ensure the safety of all.
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THANKS for your CARLINE Support!!!!
Please Help Us Gather Information to share with the Accreditation Team!
Family input is an important part of the process to assess how well we are doing with engaging families and building a strong school community. Please complete the two Cognia created surveys that are needed as part of the review process. One survey will measure family engagement and the other survey measures culture and climate for our school. Student, teacher, and staff surveys are also being shared to gather additional input into the process. Please complete the family engagement and culture and climate surveys by September 30, 2021. We are striving for 100% family participation. The surveys are linked below for your convenience.
Family Surveys (please complete both short surveys)
STEP IT UP:
Our Day of Awesomeness will take place on October 8. Here are the details for the Day of Awesomeness!
K-2 students will celebrate from 8:30 to 10:00
3-5 grade students will celebrate from 10:15-11:45
6-8 grade students will celebrate from 12:00-1:30
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 may 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.
Hopefully you will be able to help us on Oct. 8 by being a volunteer. See info below.
Now that the work is over, we need your help to pull off the fun. We will need 12 to 15 volunteers per 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.
Lunch Program
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
Patrice Johnson, Operations Manager
Before/After Care, Enrichments, & Food/Nutrition Services
Voyager Academy
101 Hock Parc
Durham, NC 27704
Phone 919-433-3301 ext. 243
pjohnson@voyageracademy.net
PRE-PAID MEAL ACCOUNT PAYMENT
Please Print Clearly
School ________________________________________________ Date:______/______/_______
Student Name: _____________ ID#: ________Teacher:__________________ Amount: _____________
Student Name: ____________ ID #: ______Teacher:__________________ Amount: _____________
Student Name: ____________ ID #: ______ Teacher:___________________Amount: _____________
Student Name: ______________ID #: ____ Teacher:___________________Amount: _____________
Please write additional students on back if necessary
Please make checks payable to Voyager Academy and WRITE STUDENT’S Name & Student ID # ON CHECK. Do not staple the check. Seal Envelope and return to School Front Office.
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. This is the year for Voyager’s School Accreditation. We are in the process of preparing our documentation for the team from COGNIA who will interview staff, parents, administrators, and students. The team interviews will be virtual as well as their visit. Each school will select representatives to meet with the team. The Accreditation Visit is November 17-19. The Accreditation Team has a different agenda for each day.
Sports Are In Full Speed: At this time of year we have students running Cross Country, students on the Boys’ Soccer Team, students on the Girls’ Tennis Team, and our Girls who are Cheerleaders. We are very proud of all of our athletes as they have been very successful but most importantly have shown great sportsmanship and are supportive of each other. Our students continue to make me proud as they represent Voyager so well!
Last week I failed to mention our girls’ Volleyball team- my apology to our awesome girls and to our terrific coach. Our girls’ volleyball team is putting forth lots of time and effort at practice and using that same energy and effort during games. Great job to our girls for their play and their sportsmanship!!!!!!!
PURPLE OUT:
Wow, what a showing of support of Layla, her mom, and Ms. McGhinnis. From what I hear all of the wearing of purple made Layla smile and had her feeling like a princess so I would say “mission accomplished”. Thanks to all of you! Voyager families are so thoughtful of others and I truly appreciate each of you!
CONFERENCE DAY:
Wow, how awesome Conference Day was!!!! Thanks for meeting with your child’s teachers so we are all on the same page and can ensure learning is at it’s best and putting forth their best effort each and every day is a must.
Make Up Pictures
A few of you have asked about Make-Up Pictures. Our Mak- Up day is October 22. As we get closer to October 22, Ms. Pam will send a picture envelope home with the students who were absent on Picture Day.
Substitutes and Bus Drivers
If you are interested in being a substitute, we need you! In order to be able to sub, we would need you to complete a background check and have a Drug Screening. Information is located on the Voyager website. We also will have a small training to give you some additional information. All 3 schools need substitutes as we pull subs from the same list. If you enjoy working with children/students, we need YOU!
If you are interested in Driving a Bus, we need you! We need drivers for our Activity Buses so we can use the buses for a field trip or our athletes may possibly use to travel to away games. In order to drive you would need a CDL license along with completing a Background Check and completing a Drug Screening. If you are interested, information is on our Voyager website.
QUARANTINE GUIDELINES: Listed below are the guidelines we have been given as they are related to quarantine:
When your children need to stay home, always contact me and your child's teacher.
The teacher will provide assignments for your student. When quarantining, if the student is doing some work at home and you complete the attendance link provided below students 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.
Please do not send your child to school if your child is not feeling well, has a fever, has a sore throat, or if you know he/she is sick. That puts our students who are at school at risk of getting germs and becoming sick. We are doing our part to stay healthy and well and need all of you to do the same. THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE KEEPING THEM HOME!
Teachers will provide work for those at home if your child is well enough to complete their work.
Need Information:
As always if you have questions or have concerns or have suggestions feel free to contact me at gjohnson@voyageracademy.net. I am happy to help you or if I don’t know the answer, I will find out for you!
Thanks for your continued support and enjoy the weekend!
Gwen
Gwen Johnson
Middle School Principal
gjohnson@voyageracademy.net