Dear Voyager Community,
I am so grateful to be part of such a caring school community. Our students, staff, and families have joined together to honor the memory of Laura McGhinnis and support her family during this very difficult time. Thank you to all the families that have contributed and made donations for the McGhinnis family.
September sunshine has also brightened our campus. Students and staff continue to work hard on all learning goals for the first quarter. This week the Middle School had the pleasure of inducting 29 students into the National Junior Honor Society. These students were recognized for their scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. We are so very of these students for all their dedication and achievements.
Ms. Weber’s math students were actively engaged in their math lessons this week and demonstrated that math can be fun!
The Voyager high school students in the Occupational Course of Study program had the opportunity to visit Brookdale Center and participate in a celebration with their residents. The students handed out snacks, candy, and poured drinks while talking with the residents about topics ranging from politics to baseball. The students of the OCS program represented Voyager in a positive way, and were asked if we could come back in a few weeks. Our class is looking forward to the opportunity to interact with the elderly residents, as the students truly enjoyed the experience.
The elementary school was also filled with excitement and learning. A special grandparent / special friend day celebration was held to share their learning. Ms.Spankie’s 3rd grade class was classifying animals as cold blooded or warm blooded and illustrating their examples as shown below.
The Middle School and Elementary School Step It Up Fundraiser was a huge success! Thank you to all the families that contributed and helped Voyager raise over $50,000 to support our educational programs and facilities. We appreciate all of you for your assistance! The Day of Awesomeness for the kids to celebrate the success will be held on October 7, 2022.
Please remember that we are all here to support your child grow, learn, and find their passion. Feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, building administrator, or student support if we can assist your family in any way. Check out the upcoming events and all the updates below from our School Nurse, Student Support Team, Operations Manager, and Athletic Director below.
And don’t forget, Fall Festival will be held tonight at 5:30 pm. I look forward to seeing everyone tonight.
All the best,
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
9/16 – Fall Festival
9/19-20 Biology NC Check-ins
9/20 – PTSO Meeting
9/21-22 - ELL Testing
9/21 – Remote Learning Day (asynchronous) HS ONLY
9/22 – Remote Learning Day (asynchronous) ES/MS
9/22 – Board Meeting – MS Art Room
9/23 – Parent Teacher Conferences
9/26 – 9/30 – Scholastic Book Fair
9/28 – Senior Parent Info Session
9/29--EXPO Parent night meeting (virtual)
10/5-6 HS Mid-terms
10/07- Day of Awesomeness for K-8
10/10 – 10/14 – School Closed for Fall Break
10/18 – PTSO Meeting
10/25 PSAT
10/27 – Board Meeting MS Art Room
Let’s Share our Hearts Voyager!!
Here is the link:https://gofund.me/0f58b6aa
Join us for a full family night of FUN!!!
Come out and cheer on our Viking Cheerleaders!
Come support the Voyager Middle School Cheerleaders and get discounted tickets to the Duke vs. NC A&T football game!
The girls will be performing during the 2nd quarter of the Duke home game on Saturday, September 17th at 6pm for Cheerleader Day!
If you or your family would like to purchase game tickets for $15 each please see the link below or the attached flyer with QR code. We would LOVE to see as many Voyager families there as possible.
Purchase Tickets HERE
WEEKLY NURSES UPDATE:
NATIONAL CONCUSSION AWARENESS DAY is September 16, 2022
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells. Concussions are serious. Medical providers may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, the effects of a concussion can be serious.
HERE ARE 11 FAST FACTS FOR CONCUSSION AWARENESS
1. The signs of a concussion aren’t always obvious. They can include unusual symptoms like sadness, repeating questions, tingling and trouble falling asleep.
2. Even a mild concussion should be evaluated by a doctor. Get in to see your child’s pediatrician or primary care doctor as soon as possible. When a concussion is severe or symptoms won’t go away, a specialist may be needed.
3. More than 85% of concussions heal fine, but only if managed correctly in the first days to weeks following the injury.
4. Symptoms may take up to a day to appear after an incident.
5. A concussion doesn’t always cause unconsciousness.
6. The most important thing to do if someone is injured during a sports activity is to immediately stop playing. They need to avoid any further hits, jolts, shakes or bumps to the head or spine.
7. Whether it’s embarrassment or the pressure to keep playing, a young athlete may not admit they had a concussion. Encourage them to come forward if they have an injury, or if they notice a teammate is injured.
8. For 24-48 hours after a concussion, your child needs mental rest. They should limit activities like television, texting, social media, reading, driving, doing homework, social interaction and attending loud events.
9. When it comes to returning to sports, symptoms must be resolved first. Athletes should get medical clearance from a doctor before they get back in the game.
10. One concussion is rough enough, but research has shown that repeated jars to the head can have lasting effects on the brain. And, if a second concussion is sustained before the first concussion heals, they are at risk for a life-threatening condition called Second Impact Syndrome.
11. The brain of a young person is still developing. That means a head injury that isn’t treated could derail their brain from developing properly, leading to long-term problems.
COVID-19 COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION WEEKLY UPDATE:
The health and safety of our students, teachers, staff, and volunteers are our top priorities. Voyager Academy is following the CDC COVID-19 Community Level guidance. We sincerely appreciate your consideration.
• Our CDC COVID-19 Community Level is: MEDIUM
• **Masks are encouraged indoors if you or a loved one are at risk of severe illness**
• If you have symptoms of illness, COVID-19 testing is highly recommended
National Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15th – October 15th, 2022 This month is dedicated to recognize, honor, and celebrate, the achievements and contributions of Hispanic/Hispanic-American champions who have inspired others to achieve success and progress. This is also a great time to learn about the rich histories and cultures of the Hispanic populations.
Learn More At:
https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
FREE EVENT at the NC Museum of Art
Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas
Important Dates in September:
20th – International Week of Deaf People:
Learn More At: https://wfdeaf.org/iwdeaf2022/
Voyager Academy Food Pantry - Donations Requested: Last year, with the help of many generous and considerate donors, the Student Support Services Team was able to create and open Voyager's Food Pantry in order to support students who have ongoing food insecurities. While we do have some funds remaining from those thoughtful donations, we do not have enough to sustain the Pantry for the entirety of this academic year; thus, the Student Support Services Team is respectfully requesting donations to continue to support and sustain our Food Pantry for our students who experience this hardship. Non-perishable food donations and/or donations of gift cards to grocery stores are GREATLY appreciated! Any contribution size or amount is truly impactful and absolutely makes a difference! For questions or to provide a donation, please contact Dr. Monique Link, School Social Worker at 919-433-3301 X 146 / mlink@voyageracademy.net
Thank you SO much for considering this request to the benefit of our students!
September is National Suicide Prevention Month: If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental or behavioral health, or to understand the risk and warning signs commonly associated with suicide, please reach out for assistance. You may contact the national 9-8-8 hotline for help, or at Voyager, please contact a member of the
Student Support Services Team:
Mrs. Melissa Meckes - Elementary School
Mrs. Tonya Farrish - Middle School
Ms. Savannah Purdy - Middle/High Schools
Ms. Jill O'Kane - High School
Dr. Monique Link - K-12
Nurse Chelsea Skoff - K-12
We welcome everyone to wear purple and turquoise throughout the month to symbolize awareness and prevention efforts that are ongoing across the nation!
Technology Director-https://voyageracademy.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=47
Before/After Care Group Leader-https://voyageracademy.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=29
Before/After Care Supervisor of Group Leaders: https://voyageracademy.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=28
We would love for you to come and join our Voyager Family!!
Before & After Updates
Before Care is Open for Registration all grades. Please email Careprogram@voyageracademy.net to register.
There are currently no openings in after care at the ES. We will continue to reevaluate space availability based on staffing.
After School Enrichment Programs
Fall Session September 12th - December 12th ( No classes week of Oct. 10th, Nov. 11th, & week of Nov. 21st)
Registration for Enrichment Programs is now closed. Classes begin on Monday September 12th. Hip Hop Dance, Yoga, Gaming & Coding for Kids, Piano, Guitar & Ukulele, Robotics, Basketball, Craft Club and Soccer Shots are the sessions being offered this fall. The course information will be emailed to families this weekend.
If you need assistance or would like to offer a course, please email enrichments@voyageracademy.net.
School Lunch
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
MILK SELECTION
Entree' (meal)- Milk is included with every "MEAL PURCHASE" except the Veggie Plate. You select the milk option (White or Chocolate) when you add the milk to the cart. Do not select milk from the A la Carte menu.
A la Carte - These items are priced separately. They are not a part of the Entree purchase. They are not Free and Reduced eligible. You will be charged for each a la carte item ordered. If you ordered an Entree', you do not need to order vegetables under a la carte or milk.
Top row are the Entrees (meals) that come with milk included.
Bottom row are a la carte items (veggie plate & milk only without a meal). They are ordered seperately from a meal and charged to the students account.
TITAN SCHOOL STORE
Pay your school fees, manage your students accounts, and apply for free and reduced meals. Use the chart below as a guide for where to pay your fees or deposit money for lunch.
Deposits - The "one time" and "recurring payment" feature is ONLY for lunch accounts.
Assigned Fees- They are automatically assigned to the student it applies to, but you still have to select the item, complete any required fields and then add to your cart. Then you check out to make payment.
Transaction History -You can view payments & transactions.
Meal Application Status -You can check on the status by selecting the meal application in the menu to the left. Meal application status, if processed, is on the home screen.
Support Desk - If you have trouble logging into your account or have questions, call or email the Titan Support team. Support is available from 7 AM to 7 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, to answer your family portal questions at (844) 467 4700, option 2.
Refunds are issued at the school level.
Middle School Sports Roundup
Soccer (4-1): The boys soccer team continues to win after dropping their first match of the season as they currently are 4-1 on the season and are vying for the #1 position in the conference. The boys played on September 8th at Roxboro Community School and came up with a huge 4-2 win! The boys team followed that up with another conference win on Monday as they travelled to Henderson Collegiate and won 9-6. It was a great game as everyone played and there were big contributions from the 6th graders!
On Thursday the team travelled to non-conference opponent Research Triangle Charter School and won 5-0
Volleyball (2-3): The volleyball team travelled to Henderson Collegiate on Friday, September 9th and left with a big 2-0 win on the road. Everyone on the team played and there was a lot of great energy and support!
The team was back on home on Wednesday as they hosted Vance Charter. The team put forth great effort but ultimately fell to the visiting Knights 2-0.
Cross Country: The middle school cross country team has been having a great time and continues to grow in size! The team has competed in two races so far this season. The first at Excelsior Classical Academy and the second over at Roxboro Community School. Coach Husk took this amazing photo of the girls team below at Excelsior Academy
Middle School Athletic Events September 19th – 25th
High School Sports Roundup
Men’s & Women’s Cross Country: Continues to run well as they remain focused on getting back to the state championships. On Tuesday, the team travelled to Roxboro Community School where the men’s team finished in first place. Glenn Stiles was the first runner from Voyager to cross the finish line, coming in second overall.
The women’s team took second place as Eloise Leonard was the first Voyager runner to cross and completed the race as the second overall finisher. The men’s and women’s team looks to take it up a notch as they travel to the Wake Med Athletic Complex on Friday to compete in the large scale Adidas Cross Country Challenge.
Soccer (4-1-2, 3-0): The men’s soccer team won their conference match up last Thursday at Roxboro Community School 3-0. Caleb Bennett (’23), Jesutowo Olaomosu (’24), and Caden Densmore (’25), all had goals for the Vikings. Noah Bennett (’25) and Will Baker (’25) combined for 3 saves to earn the shared shutout.
The men’s team was scheduled to play at Henderson Collegiate this past Monday, but was rained out after heavy storms went through Henderson.
Tennis (4-3, 3-0) The tennis team split their two matches recently to move to 4-3 overall on the season. On September 8th the team travelled to the Granville Athletic Park where they played Vance Charter School. The Vikings won easily, 9-0, as they remained undefeated in conference play.
On Thursday the team dropped a non-conference match as they travelled up the road to play Durham School of the Arts, losing 7-2.
JV Volleyball (1-2, 0-1): The JV team notched their first win of the season as they beat Durham School of the Arts on the road, 2-0. JV picked back up on conference play this past Wednesday as they hosted Vance Charter. Unfortunately, the team fell to the visiting Knights 2-0
Volleyball (3-4, 1-3) The women’s volleyball had a tough week as they dropped all three of their matches. On September 7th the team travelled to Roxboro Community School where they played tough but ultimately fell 3-1. The team was back on the road this past Monday as they travelled to Durham School of the Arts for a non-conference match, losing 3-0.
The Vikings were finally back at home this past Wednesday as they hosted Vance Charter. The team had great energy and played well as they took the first set, but too many mistakes hurt the team late in the match as they fell to the visiting Knights, 3-1.
High School Athletic Events September 19th – 25th
Have a great weekend!