From the Voyager Academy Managing Director, May 19, 2023

 Viking Weekly News

May 19, 2023


Dear Voyager Community,


The campus has been buzzing all week with learning, end of year testing, athletics, and end of year celebrations. Our 8th graders enjoyed dancing the night away at Black Horse Run on Saturday night to celebrate their 8th Grade Formal.

 

Registration and Re-enrollment for 2023 -2024 School Year

The re-enrollment process for returning families opened on May 1st so that all current families can complete their updated registration and beginning of the year paperwork. This is a critical process to ensure we have all seats filled on the first day of school. We currently have 1054 students registered. Thank you to our families that completed the required updates in the School Mint system.  The deadline to complete the 23-24 paperwork for returning families is May 19, 2023. Mary Beth Hawkins will be contacting families that have not completed the required documentation to follow up.

Please contact your building principal immediately if your plans to return to Voyager for the 23-24 school year have changed so that we can ensure we have all seats filled on the first day of school. Please know that our school funding is based on attendance starting on the first day of school, August 9, 2023.

Athletics Update – Go Vikings Go

Women's soccer beat Union High 9-0. They will host Vance Charter Monday at 6pm. 


The high school men’s and women’s track team will be competing for state championships on Friday, May 19th at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.  Events will start at 10am. 


The baseball team will host East Wake Academy in the 4th round of the NCHSAA state tournament on Friday, May 19th at 6pm at the Durham Athletic Park. The winner of this game will advance to a 3-game regional championship series.  


Way to go Vikings!! The 22-23 school year has been quite successful for our student-athletes. A summary of the current middle and high school results are listed below:


  • 14 combined Championships (and counting)

  • 7 runner-up finishes

  • 60 All-Conference Athlete Selections

  • 6 TNAC Players of the Year in their respective sports

  • 4 TNAC Coach’s of the Year

The high school spring athletic awards banquet has been moved to Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

DEI Read Aloud

The DEI committee hosted their final Read-in of the year at the elementary school on May 18th to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month. I enjoyed reading to Ms. Morgan’s 2nd graders along with many other administrators and parent volunteers. Thank you to all who planned and supported our diversity initiative.

PTSO and Parent Thank You

Thank you to all the families that have made our PTSO strong this year. We’ve had tremendous support and appreciate all the special treats and events held throughout the year to help build community connections. We are also very grateful for the monthly meals that are delivered to each of our schools to nourish and appreciate our staff.

Culture and Climate Survey Results

Thank you to all the families that completed the culture and climate survey this spring. We had a great response rate from our students, staff, and parents compared to national statistics seen by Panorama. We appreciate you sharing your opinions so that we can continue to foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment that meets the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students.  Summarized below are the response rates:

  • 946/1037 Students - 91.2%

  • 150/153 Teachers & Staff - 98%

  • 668/1973 Family  - 33.9%

The results have been shared during meetings with the Board as well as all staff. The leadership team will further review the data this summer and identify action steps to focus on for next year. Please know that we are able to utilize the Panorama platform to view results by school, by grade, and by various demographic factors. We are also planning to measure results on an ongoing basis and will be conducting additional surveys next year to monitor our ongoing progress. Linked below for your reference are the detailed survey Spring 2023 reports that highlight the results by topic along with the question detail for all responses.

It’s hard to believe that next week is the last week of school. Please remember that Wednesday, May 24, 2023 is an early dismissal for all (ES – 11:15, MS – 11:45, HS – 12:15). There is no aftercare on Wednesday.  Check out the upcoming end of year celebratory events and all the updates below from our School Nurse, Student Support Team, Operations Manager, and Athletic Director below.

 All the best,

Upcoming Dates:

5/22-24 - HS EOCs

5/23 - High School Athletic Awards 

5/23 - ES EOY Celebration

5/24 - MS 8th Grade Celebration, 8:45, gym

5/25 - HS Graduation

WEEKLY NURSES UPDATE:

Summer break may be just around the corner, but August will be here before we know it! The Summer Health Checklist for Students & Parents below helps to ensure that students have everything they need to start the 2023-2024 school year.

  • If your student is entering 7th grade, ensure they have received their Meningitis and Tdap vaccines before August 9th, 2023

  • If your student is entering 12th grade, ensure they have received their Meningitis booster vaccine before August 9th, 2023

  • If your student uses an Epi-Pen and/or an inhaler, ensure that you have a completed Medication Authorization form signed by a healthcare provider and a Health Action Plan ready for the 2023-2024 school year. Keep reading to find the link to the NEW 2023-2024 Medication Authorization form.

  • When AT ALL POSSIBLE, students should take medication at home. However, if your child will need to take a long-term daily medication at school, please ensure that you have a completed 2023-2024 Medication Authorization form signed by their healthcare provider, a pharmacy prescription medication bottle labeled with your student’s name, name and dose of the medication, and administration instructions, and enough doses for the first 3 weeks of school. 

  • Project ACT provides free at-home COVID tests to all North Carolina residents. Supplies are limited, so order now for your personal use this summer and to have on hand should you need them for students’ return to school in August. Ordering will be available through June 30, 2023 or until supplies run out through this link: https://www.accesscovidtests.org/

A few reminders:

  • When at all possible, students should take their medication at home. Certain circumstances may require that a student need to take medication during the school day. But for safety purposes, we ask that families do their best to coordinate administering medication at home.  We also ask that parents limit sending in over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or Advil for infrequent or “as needed” symptoms such as minor pain or mild headaches unless advised to do so by a healthcare provider.

  • Voyager Academy cannot administer ANY medications to students unless there is a completed Medication Authorization form signed by their healthcare provider. “Medications” include both prescription AND any over-the-counter medications, ointments, vitamins, and essential oils. Even if your student had medications and/or a health plan on file last year, students will need new documentation signed by their healthcare provider for each new school year. The link to the new form can be found here: 2023-2024 VA Medication Authorization Form

  • Please plan to bring in your student’s medication and paperwork together in a large ziplock baggie labeled with their name and grade during the first week of school. There will be drop-off locations in each building. More information will be provided before the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

It has been an honor and privilege caring for your students this school year. I wish students and their families a happy, healthy and safe summer! See you in August!

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: LOW 

  • Masks are welcome but are not currently required

  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including recommended booster doses

  • Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19

  • Follow recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19

Free Expungement Clinic: The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice – NC Chapter, Legal Aid of NC, and the Durham PROUD Program are pleased to host a FREE expungement clinic.

Date: Saturday, May 20th, 2023

Location: NCCU Criminal Justice Building – 1801 Fayetteville St, Durham, 27707

Time: 10a-12p

Learn: What is expungement; expungement criteria; what crimes can be expunged; driver license restoration

About NABCJ: The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice seeks to focus attention on relevant legislation, law enforcement, prosecution, and defense-related needs & practices, with an emphasis on law enforcement, courts, corrections, and the prevention of crime.

Operation Fan Heat Relief: As temperatures begin rising, the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Aging and Adult Services is partnering with the NC Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to distribute fans to eligible recipients through Operation Fan Heat Relief. People 60 and older, as well as adults with disabilities, are eligible to sign up for assistance May 1 – Oct. 31 at local aging agencies across the state. If you believe that you or someone that you know may be eligible, click here to find a local provider in your area!

May is Mental Health Month: As noted by Mental Health America, “Our surroundings play a significant role in shaping our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and overall health.” Check out the information, resources, and tools available to support and inform mental health wellness and stability:

Don’t forget… Anyone can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

Student Support Services Newsletter: Our second edition of “Connections” - your new, quarterly Student Support Services Newsletter is now available! Connections will provide parents and caregivers with relevant content designed to support all school-aged children and families. Please check out our second edition and feel free to complete a short survey to let the Student Support Services Team know how we can improve Connections or if we met your needs in a satisfactorily manner! We enjoy serving you and your feedback is important to us!

May is also Asian Pacific American/Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Celebrate, learn about, and recognize the historical and cultural contributions of those who identify as Asian American Pacific Islander. For more information on events, articles, documentaries, and historical facts, check out the links below!

Chowan University Academic Summer Campapalooza: Campapalooza is a 5-day academic summer camp (June 18th-23rd) for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. They will live on campus, have their meals in the University cafeteria, and spend their days engaged in exciting academic activities with our University Faculty! This is designed for those students who want the college experience while taking a deep dive into a specific content area. 

Information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_hv_Qa4YHT9htcb5-5UVh99aWFfE-yOnNS_osvXxDXtCZsQ/viewform  

Registration and Payment: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_Jlbu_G_BkYkal7XICX1jm-DV5-6oX3clcf2Z637ubvaF7w/viewform

Quick Lunch Reminder !! 

  Please check your students Titan meal account to ensure there is NO negative balances shown. We have quite a few accounts holding negative balances. These accounts need to be rectified to ensure your student is able to order lunch for the 23-24 school year. I appreciate the attention to this matter. If you have any specific questions or concerns please reach out to me at the contact information below. 

Taylor Thomas 

School Nutrition Manager 

919-433-3301 ext.158

tthomas@voyageracademy.net 





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