Hi all,
Wow, it’s here! Fall Break is here and I think ALL of us are ready for the break. I hope all of you are able to spend quality family time and that our students have the opportunity to relax and have fun!
As we begin Quarter 2, we are going to have positive expectations for our students and we know they can rise to the challenge. If students are not following procedures and completing assignments, we will be in touch with you!
What a busy week it has been. You can see below how many different Check Ins we administered this week. We have a few to administer after Fall Break.
4th Grade Check Ins Oct. 5 ELA Oct. 6 Math
5th Grade Check Ins Oct. 7 ELA Oct. 21 Math Oct. 22 Science
6th Grade Check Ins Oct. 21 ELA Oct. 22 Math
7th Grade Check Ins Oct. 6 ELA Oct. 7 Math
8th Grade Check Ins Oct. 5 Science Oct. 6 ELA Oct. 7 Math
We had hoped to provide Make-Up sessions but we have decided we are not going to provide Make-UPs this first round of Check Ins as we do not have spaces nor staff to administer make-ups tomorrow due to the number of make ups needed.
Even though we asked that phones stay at home or that phones are turned off and in the student’s bookbag, we had three cell phones ring during the testing administration. If this happens during our May End of Grade tests, we would have a misadministration and possibly have to retake.
STEP IT UP:
STEP IT UP: Our new date for the DAY OF AWESOMENESS is set for Thursday, October 28th. The grade level times are the same. We had a great list of volunteers to help us out and now we need to get volunteers again for our new date. If you are able to help us on October 28th, please click on the link below and sign up. We need you to pull off this event.
STEP IT UP PRIZES: Our Day of Awesomeness was moved to October 28, but our student prizes were delivered to classrooms on Friday and sent home with students. If you have any questions about the prizes, please let me know. If your child earned a Pelican Snowball or a chance to spin the money will, those prizes will be granted during the new Day of Awesomeness. All other prizes have been sent home. Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for working so hard to help us raise funds for our school. We will begin making some improvements , with our fundraising money, after fall break.
Dear Voyager Families,
Please join us Friday, October 29th 6-8:30pm for our ALL SCHOOL FALL FESTIVAL!
Parents, teachers and students are working together to bring you a special night of family fun. Enjoy food trucks, vendors, games, silent auction items, a photo booth, bouncy houses, live music and emergency vehicles for kids to explore! Save the date- Come join the fun!
Dear Viking Parents: Voyager Academy is participating in the American Red Cross high school program. Through participating in this program, we will give students extra community service opportunities that could help save lives! In response to the need for blood in our community and the desire to help our students participate in more community service activities, I am asking for your support and participation in our upcoming blood drive. Besides encouraging your son or daughter (if they’re eligible) to donate blood at our upcoming blood drive on Friday October 22nd from 8am – 2pm in the High School Parking Lot, we are inviting you to donate blood, as well.
Even if you cannot donate blood, you can still help by encouraging your student to donate. To be eligible to donate, you must be healthy, at least 16 years old (with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have given blood in the past 56 days. It must be 112 days from the date of your last double red cell donation. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
I think you will agree that this is a wonderful community service opportunity for all of us, and I ask for your full support. If helping your community is not enough to entice you, all donors will be given a digital $5 e-gift card to a merchant of choice!
You can schedule an appointment today to donate blood by contacting Lauren King at lking@students.voyageracademy.net. For questions about donor eligibility, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS. Thank you in advance for your support.
Sign-Up Link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time (Simply go to this link and type in “Voyager” to schedule your appointment today!)
Lauren King, Voyager High School Blood Drive Advisor
PTO Board Member, Tiffany Hendrickson, brought an idea to the PTO Board that we thought would benefit many Voyager families. The PTO would like to host a pop-up apparel and costume swap. Many families have old Voyager Apparel that their kids have outgrown and costumes that have been worn once.
This would be a free event where one does not have to provide an item in order to pick up one, as we understand that the cost of apparel and costumes is cost prohibitive.
We will house a drop off station at the middle school. This would look like three big labeled boxes where people can place their donated items. Once the collection period is over ,PTO will collect and sort.
Other event logistics:
· Date: 10/24/2021 from 1p-4p this is a Sunday
· We will ask all items to be washed before donation, we will not accept damaged (holes, stains, etc) items
· PTO will sort through items the evening before on 10/23
· Families can ride up and shop under the MS carline awning (this would help in case it rained).
· No one would be going inside of the facilities.
Collection would take place 10/18-10/22
From Mrs. Farrish, our Counselor:
October is World Bullying Prevention Month and the theme is "Stomp Out Bullying". Students will be shown a video created by our Student Services Intern Samantha Gaines called "What Students Should Know About Bullying". There will also be two large Choose Kindness: Your Words Matter posters for students to leave encouraging and positive messages for others to read.
Middle School Spirit Week: October 25-29
10/25- Pajama Day (pajamas should be school appropriate)
10/26- Crazy Sock Day
10/27- Blue Day (Wear blue to show solidarity/unity)
10/28- Hat Day
10/29- Holiday Day (Dress like your favorite holiday)
From Monique Link, our Social Worker
The Voyager Student Support Services Team is interested in learning more about our parent's/guardian's needs, desires, and interests for the 2021-2022 school year. We invite you to complete a short survey that will help us to identify and provide support and programming just for parents/guardians! All responses will be collected anonymously. The survey will be open through October the 8th and is available at: https://forms.gle/y7ZW9PQCjeeaNxkf6
A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at your school on 10/22/2021 to photograph your Fall MAKE UP pictures.
This Strawbridge link above will allow parents to sign up to receive updates via email regarding their child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.
Thank you for your assistance in helping us deliver a smooth school picture experience! We look forward to seeing you soon.
Thank you,
Strawbridge Studios, Inc.
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)
Important Dates
Tuesday, Oct. 5 Second quarter begins
Friday, Oct. 8 Report Cards will be emailed to you.
Monday, Oct. 11 - Friday, Oct. 15 Fall Break!!!!
Thursday, Oct. 14 Parent Resource Session, 4:00-6:00
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, students on the girls’ volleyball 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.
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!
We had several students come to school this week and they were sick when they arrived. We immediately called parents to come pick up the child/children as we do not need extra germs in our building. Please do not send your child to school when they are not feeling well!!!!!
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