Hi Middle School Families,
Wow, another great week at the Middle School! The students and the staff enjoyed our Fall Spirit Week sponsored by our Student Council. Pajama Day is always a hit, Twin Day was fun as Mr. Mitchell and I were twins, Wacky Tacky is always enjoyed and Throwback Thursday was lots of fun. Favorite Team is left so we will see the various teams our students support.
FALL BREAK: Voyager Academy will be closed for students and staff for fall break October 10-14.
Several of you have asked about sports. If you are interested in attending a Cross Country meet, or a girls’ tennis match, or boys’ soccer game or the girls’ volleyball team in action please check the Athletic Schedule on the website. We also had our baseball interest meeting this past Wednesday.
Several of our students have asked if we are going to have girls/boys basketball along with boys baseball. Yes! Stay tuned to more information.
The week of Oct. 3 is the last day of the First Quarter. Students need to have all work completed and turned in this week (week of Oct. 3). Teachers may have more specific guidelines for the week of Oct. 3 as they also have to submit grades so report cards can be generated. Report cards will be emailed to you after Fall Break. HOPEFULLY all work has been completed and submitted to the teachers.
Oct. 7 was our Day of Awesomeness and yes it was AWESOME! The students enjoyed the music, the shaved ice, and the various climbables, slideables, jumping jacks along with others. A huge THANK YOU to our parents who supported our students and were outside helping as needed.
We also thank our parents who brought food for our Luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 6. All of the food was delicious. We also appreciate all of the parents who monitored the classrooms while the teachers enjoyed lunch.
WEEKLY NURSES UPDATE:
As many families might be aware, the 2022-2023 Sick Policy is a little different this year compared to last year. As we head into the Fall season and we can anticipate an increase in various illnesses, it is important to remember that while some requirements for students returning to school after symptoms of illness HAVE changed, some have not. Here are some important reminders:
If your student tests positive for COVID - please let the school know as soon as possible so that we can provide you with their correct return to school date and masking guidance. ANY person that tests positive is still REQUIRED to follow the CDC guidelines for their 5-day isolation period and 10-day masking period when they return to school. This is a Durham Department of Public Health protocol and is NOT optional. Open, transparent communication between families and the school when their student tests positive for COVID helps keep everyone informed and able to make smart decisions that keep students, teachers, and staff healthy and safe.
Nobody likes to be at school/work when they are sick. If your child is feeling unwell, please keep them home from school until they are feeling better. Please reach out to your child’s teachers so that they can assist with any assignments that may be able to be completed at home and links for daily attendance. Please refer to the Voyager Sick Policy for other recommendations for students with symptoms.
Fever (100.4F and above), vomiting and/or diarrhea still REQUIRE that a student stay home from school for a minimum of 36 hours. A student may return to school once they have been symptom free without medication for at least 36 hours.
Anytime someone has a known exposure to COVID, it is a good idea to wear a mask while at school and extracurricular activities for 10 days after the exposure. Testing on day 5 is highly recommended. Voyager remains a mask-friendly environment and offers both weekly screening testing AND post-exposure rapid antigen testing by request. Email Mrs. Skoff (cskoff@voyageracademy.net) for more information on these testing services.
Anytime someone has symptoms of illness it is a good idea to test for COVID-19. A PCR test is considered the diagnostic gold standard for COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests are also great resources to test for COVID-19 infection and are readily available in the community. If using rapid antigen tests, make sure that you follow the directions outlined by the manufacturer (usually included inside or printed on the box) and remember you might need to test every day or every other day for a few days to ensure the test result’s accuracy.
You can access a copy of the 2022-2023 Voyager Academy Sick Child Policy on our website here: https://www.voyageracademy.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Voyager-Academy-Sick-Policy-2022-2023-UPDATED-8.4.22.pdf
Below are links for locations that offer FREE at-home rapid tests as well as PCR testing locations in our community:
Free At-home Test Pick-Up Locations: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/PickUpTests
Free On-Site Testing Locations: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/testing/find-my-testing-place/no-cost-community-testing-events
Retail COVID-19 Testing Locations: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/testing-treatment/find-covid-19-tests/find-covid-19-testing-site
Everyone following these guidelines helps keep our students, teachers, and staff healthy and protects our in-person learning environment. Thank you for your understanding and support.
CARLINE CHANGES: Thanks to those of you who are following our carline request. We appreciate you and are hoping our request helps our carline. We are still asking Voyager families NOT to arrive on campus before 3:10 for the afternoon car line. We have many cars that arrive 1 hour before the car line begins and are lined up on Ben Franklin. This causes concern for us as we still have students walking around campus. The traffic also makes it difficult for emergency vehicles and delivery drivers to arrive on our campus. Cones are being placed at the entrance of the middle school entrance drive until 3:10. Please do not move the cones. The SRO has been instructed not to allow cars sit and wait on Ben Franklin before the 3:10 time. We truly feel this will help keep our campus safer and more accessible. This will also give families much time back as they are not sitting and waiting for the car line to begin. THANKS to all who are helping us as we try to make carline safer.
NC Science, Reading and Math Check Ins will be the week of Oct. 24 for grades 4-8. More dates to come!
YEARBOOK - we are excited that Mrs. Farrish and her yearbook team are already in the process of creating the 2022 yearbook. Students are working with Mrs. Farrish!!!!!
IT’s Time to ORDER NOW!
Order you 2022-2023 Yearbook Now
Voyager Yearbook Price $30.00
Deadline April 1, 2023
Book Price After April 1 is $35.00
Your Online Code is YB108404
Our Yearbook Club Members are Sarah, Max, Elyse, Caitlin, Cindy, Brandon Reagan, Amina, Jurnee, Bernadie, Mena, Bella, Soleil, Sean, Christina, Hayley, Whitney, and Morgan. Great team!!!!!!
Playground Update - We are excited that we have our 4 new basketball goals and new basketballs and our new 8 swings are a hit! 4-Square will be painted on the sidewalk and Hop-Scotch will also be added to the sidewalk. Our new equipment is terrific and it is because of you and the donations you made to our Step It Up fundraiser. Our Step It Up campaign was awesome and because of all of you, we will be able to purchase many items to support our students and teachers.
The 22-23 Voyager Parent Activities calendar lists all programs and activities so all families have access to the events and programs offered on campus. The calendar is posted on the school website.
To subscribe to 22-23 VA Parent Calendar
View 22-23 VA Parent Calendar on Voyager Website under the Calendar tab
Select the plus sign at the bottom right of the calendar to add to your Google calendar
This will open your Google calendar
Select other calendars, add calendar
Select subscribe to calendar
Once subscribed, Voyager events will populate on your Google calendar
Attendance and Tardies:
Just a reminder that students need to be in the classroom before 8:15 so they are not marked tardies. At 8:15 your student/child will need to enter through the front door and will need to get a tardy pass to take to the homeroom teacher.
We are having way too many tardies. Please make sure you know the Tardy Policy. A student is tardy if he or she is not in class by 8:15.
Tardy Letters have been emailed or mailed to several. We will continue to follow the process that is stated in the Parent Student Handbook.
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
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.
Gwen Johnson MS Principal 919-433-3301 or gjohnson@voyageracademy.net