GO VIKINGS GO!
In this issue...
- The Young Photographer Challenge: Charity Competition
- Duke Children’s Hospital Needs Our Help!
- Graduation Will Be At The Carolina Theater This May
- Interested in Taking FREE Durham Tech. Classes While At VAHS? The LAST Information Session for Second Semester is Scheduled for Monday Nov. 15, 2021
- Free Tutoring From The National Honor Society!
- National Junior Honor Society Toy Drive
- PTO Meeting and Fundraiser
- ISO Exterior Paint Needed By The VAHS Art Department
- Senior Cap and Gown Orders
- Hey Senior Parents! It’s Senior Ad Time (For the Yearbook)!
- Class of 2022 Individual Senior Meetings With The Counselor
- VCF (Viking Christian Fellowship) meets Friday mornings from ~7:30-8:30 in D124
- 6 Great Options For Finding Scholarships
- 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.
- VAHS Safety Guidelines for Students and Staff
- Important dates.
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The Young Photographer Challenge: Charity Competition
Studies show that 60% of young people feel unable to cope with stress induced by the pressure to succeed. Research also shows that the visualisation of a tranquil place can help reduce stress, anxiety and fear.
In honor of this, and stress awareness week, we invite students aged 12-18 to enter our competition, The Young Photographer Challenge. Students should submit a photograph of their 'peaceful place' along with a title and short explanation. Creativity is highly encouraged!
The competition is free to enter and for each entry we shall make a donation to Stem4, a youth mental health charity. The deadline for entries is Tuesday 23rd of November.
Please click here for a flyer with many more details.
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Duke Children’s Hospital Needs Our Help!
We have a VAHS student who volunteers at the Duke Children’s Hospital, who has let us know that they are in need of some school supplies. Each school is being asked to provide different items. The high school is being asked to donate Amazon gift cards or cash, to help buy any other supplies that are needed, and that are not being requested from the elementary and middle school. Please give donations to Mrs. Hendricks at the front desk. Please turn in all supplies by November 19. Go Vikings Go!
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Graduation Will Be At The Carolina Theater This May
Thank you so much to seniors and their parents/guardians for their participation in the graduation venue survey. Graduation will take place this year at the Carolina Theatre. It will be on May 26th, Thursday at 5:00pm. Currently, the Carolina Theatre is observing COVID rules requiring either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test (within 72 hours). Hopefully, this will change as it is seven months away. More details will be provided as we get closer to the big day.
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Interested in Taking FREE Durham Tech. Classes While At VAHS? The LAST Information Session for Second Semester is Scheduled for Monday Nov. 15, 2021.
Current Juniors or Seniors who would like to take dual enrollment courses through the Durham Tech. Career and College Promise during the spring of 2022 need to register to attend an Information Session. Use the link below to sign up to attend this virtual Information Session. This is the last Information Session for Spring 2022 enrollment.
https://www.durhamtech.edu/dual-enrollment/ccp-information-sessions
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Free Tutoring From The National Honor Society!
The Buddy Program Is BACK!!! The NHS is excited to let parents and students of all Voyager schools know that the Buddy Program is up and running. We offer tutoring services for all ages in person or via Zoom. Please use the link below to sign up for tutoring and we will get you connected with a NHS member in the area needed.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6jWqwE5RpjuSo0fhtuBq82jlmPxuNL4Xs39deNfmiKnb0Og/viewform
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National Junior Honor Society Toy Drive
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PTO Meeting and Fundraiser
There will be a PTO General Body Meeting, November 16th 7pm, on zoom. Meeting will be recorded. Please mark your calendar now and try to attend. Here is the zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84442668391?pwd=aWNaWW5ObFc5T0dIQnY5dUJTMDlZQT09
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.com
If 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 regard to collection for your room and disbursement. What a great way to honor our staff during this special time of the year.
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ISO Exterior Paint Needed By The VAHS Art Department
Dear Voyager Community, the high school art program is looking for cans of exterior paint that you may want to donate for a project we are working on for the elementary school. If you have cans of USABLE exterior paint, consider dropping them off next week at the high school front office. THANKS!
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Senior Cap and Gown Orders
There are still several families who have yet to order their 2022 graduation products. Please be sure to order your items through the Herff Jones website as soon as possible if you have not already done so. https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/school/NC/Voyager%2BAcademy/32011137000/4252/home?gradYear=2022
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Hey Senior Parents! It’s Senior Ad Time (For the Yearbook)!
Yearbook recognition ads are a great way for parents, families, and friends to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. In addition, revenues from recognition ads help our school to create a better yearbook.
Order here: https://sites.google.com/voyageracademy.net/vahs-yearbook-2021/home
(All ad orders must be placed online by 12/31/2021)
Click here for a flyer with info. on how to order.
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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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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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COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID INFO.
6 Great Options For Finding Scholarships
Students and parents are encouraged to check out the attached list of websites for scholarship platforms that are available. All seniors were invited by Ms. O'Kane to sign up for Going Merry (https://www.goingmerry.com) -- it’s free! Going Merry has thousands of national, regional, and local scholarships. There are also opportunities for every grade level, from freshmen to seniors.
Click here for more details about 6 Great Options for Finding Scholarships
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OTHER GREAT WAYS TO STAY INFORMED
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
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Important Dates
VAHS COVID Safety Guidelines for Students and Staff
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.
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.
Students will be asked to keep their masks on for outdoor lunch if and when they cannot be at least 6 feet apart.
Students need to continue to wash hands and use hand sanitizer when needed.
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.
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.
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.