HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY: On behalf of the faculty of Voyager Academy, we wanted to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Remember Voyager Academy is closed all next week --Nov. 22-26 for staff and students.
TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE NEEDED: We are in need of assistance from volunteers to aid in the support of technology in our schools by checking with teachers on technology issues, distributing equipment, and communicating with the Technology Director. No computer experience is required, training and support will be provided. If you are interested in helping our school in this area, please email our Technology Director, Tony Smith at tony.smith@voyageracademy.net
MESSAGE FROM MRS. WILDER, OUR LEGO TEACHER: Happy Thanksgiving! I just wanted to tell you that I am so thankful for each of your children. What a blessing it is to get to spend time with them each week. I hope that your children have been sharing what they are learning during our class. One of the many things they have learned to build is a place setting at the table. While learning about this they were able to practice using directional words such as left, right, up down, between, beside, etc. It was great seeing them really practice and process hearing the directions then trying them. Let your child help you set the table and give them an opportunity to share what they are thankful for. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. I give thanks for you all.
LET’S STAY CONNECTED: Let’s stay connected! Scroll on over to our Voyager Academy website to see all the updates and additions. Be sure to follow, friend, like and subscribe to all our Social Media accounts! #GoVikingsGo #VoyagerVikings
VOYAGER MIDDLE SCHOOL TOY DRIVE: The NJHS will be hosting a Toy Drive for the Durham Rescue Mission like we did last year. Last year's drive was so successful we wanted to bless more children in Durham again this year. Toys must be new and unwrapped. DRM will accept all toys but are in greatest need of toys for children ages 8-12.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD: Voyager Science Olympiad Competition Teams
If you are interested in joining our science olympiad competition teams this year, please fill out this INTEREST FORM. We will have a zoom info meeting next Wednesday, Nov 17th at 7pm. Meeting details will be sent to those who fill out the interest form. Our teams prepare to compete in STEM related events at the Science Olympiad tournaments in the spring.
PTO UPDATES: The New Cheddar Up Link is now Open- Streamlining the staff gift process- One of the PTOs goals is to streamline the teacher gift collection process to make sure all staff receive a token of our appreciation during the upcoming season (and end of year). Parent donations are completely voluntary. This Cheddar Up will make it easy to give a gift and divide it among your child's teachers! Check it out: https://voyager-staff-holiday-gift.cheddarup.comIf you are a room parent, please reach out to PTO Board member Tiffany Henrikson at tiffie130@yahoo.com and she will outline how she will work with you with regards to collection for your room and disbursement. What a great way to honor our staff during this special time of the year.
WHAT IS AMAZON SMILE? AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop with AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Voyager Academy Inc.
SENSORY WALK: We are thrilled to announce the sensory walk has been started and it looks amazing. A huge THANK YOU goes out to the Voyager High School Art Department. We are purchasing the supplies needed but they are completing all the creative work. We LOVE IT!!!
THIRD GRADE PROJECT CELEBRATION: The 3rd grade classes completed their first PBL Celebration on Friday, Nov. 19. The students created islands (as they learned about community and landforms) and then they had to try and sell their islands to their special guests. This is learning at its finest. A 3rd grade student told me that PBL days are the best days of the year!!
VOYAGER LUNCH UPDATE: The Linq system is updated each Friday with your Titan account balance. Accounts with a negative balance on their Titan Family Portal account will not be permitted to order lunch online in the LINQ system. Meals ordered will be cancelled, if payment or arrangements have not been made. If you need assistance with paying off your account balance, please contact the Finance Departm at ext. 107 to make arrangements. Please be sure to send your student(s) to school with lunch, if no meal was ordered. You can pay on your balance using either form of payment below:
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 December. Be sure to select your milk preference. Milk is included with each meal at no additional cost. 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
IS YOUR CHILD READY TO RETURN TO SCHOOL AFTER A COLD? OR ALLERGIES? A TEST IS BEST! Parents, please remember that our current Sick Child Policy REQUIRES that if a student stays home from school with ANY symptoms of illness - such as cough, sore throat, headache, fever, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea - that they MUST obtain a PCR COVID test with a negative result or have a note from their doctor before they are able to return to school. Even if the symptoms are mild - or they just appear to be a cold or allergies. We apologize for the inconvenience, but at this point in time we cannot allow children to return to school without a negative COVID test. This policy helps keep students, teachers, and the Voyager community safe. For convenience, there is a PCR testing facility right down the street from Voyager that offers free, no-appointment required COVID testing.
NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS: TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS AT DPAC. Proceeds from this show will benefit Voyager K-12 Arts Programs. Click on the link below for more details.
SHOW WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 11, 2022 - 7:30 PM
ACCREDITATION UPDATE: Thank you to our parents and students for partnering with us during our Cognia Accreditation Review. We had a wonderful time this week highlighting Voyager Academy to a group of NC educators.
CHICK-FIL- A READING CHALLENGE: We love Chick-Fil-A (on Roxboro Rd) and how they support our school community. Stay tuned for details about how Voyager Elementary will be partnering with Chick-Fil-A to promote the value of reading. We will explain this new program in November and begin on December 1.
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.
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.