As you know, COVID-19 has now become part of our vocabulary and it has affected many aspects of our lives, including how we, as parents and families, adjust to an altered way of life.

Voyage Academy will follow its current protocols following Spring Break, and continue its soft closure, as directed by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, until May 1, 2020. We will also continue to consult with state and local health officials and will act accordingly.

As previously indicated in prior emails, Voyage Academy will hold Spring Break Monday, March 30 through Friday, April 3. We want all students, staff and families to enjoy a break from any school work during this time.

Extended Learning Packets, weeks 1-2 may be dropped off in the blue bin outside of the front of the school Friday, March 27th. Please only return completed packets if they have been requested by the teacher.

Blue bins will be labeled K-3, 4-6. Please drop your packet off in the appropriate bin. Drop-off bins will be available between 8:30am-12:30pm. In the future, we will not be turning in physical packets unless otherwise notified by teachers. Packets may be submitted by using the Seesaw app, email, scanning with the Note app (iOS), or sending a photo of completed work to your teacher.

Seesaw will be our preferred platform to submit completed packets. Please watch for an email from your student’s teacher with instructions to set up a Seesaw account and videoconferencing information. Email from teachers will be received after Spring Break.

*Please note – Extended Learning Packets, for weeks 3-4, will now be available Friday, April 3rd. This date has changed from our prior email to allow staff and families to have an enjoyable Spring Break.

On Friday, April 3rd, weeks 3-4 Extended Learning Packets, will also be uploaded to our website (www.voyageacademyutah.org). Feel free to print packets each day, or all at once. Students are also invited to view packets online and complete their work on a separate sheet of paper.

If parents are unable to download packets, a limited number of packets will be printed and available for pickup in labeled plastic bins in front of the school. Pick up times will be staggered to assist with social distancing. Please follow the schedule below:

Extended Learning Packet Pick-up Schedule is assigned by first letter of Last Name:
 A-F: 8:30am
 G-L: 9:00am
 M-Q: 9:30am
 R-U: 10:00am
 V-Z: 10:30am

Beginning Monday April 6th, when picking up meals, you will also be asked to state your student’s name and teacher.

Under State directive, staff members will no longer be able to pass meals directly to individuals. We are now required to have parents open their trunk, step 6 ft away and allow a staff member to deposit meals into the trunk. After the staff member has stepped 6 ft away, parents may close their trunk.

Thank you for your continued support and flexibility. Stay healthy and enjoy Spring Break!

Click here to access Extended Learning Packets. Packets are organized by grade and day. If you have questions, please contact your student's teacher.

The Governor has extended school dismissal through Friday, May 1st, 2020. School dismissal is a continuation of our current instructional model (Extended Learning Packets and virtual teaching).

As a reminder, there is a distinction between School Dismissal and School Closure. A school dismissal means that students would be sent home, but staff will continue to work. A school closure means that all students and staff will be sent home. The earliest we may return to school in the building will be Tuesday, May 5th. This date is subject to change, depending on the State Health Dept recommendations and state issued dismissal mandates.

We will be continuing Extended Learning Packets after Spring Break. We are exploring new ways to effectively communicate and have found ways to improve. Our hope is to make things easier for parents to support their students academically at home.

On Friday, March 27th, please watch for information regarding video chats and phone calls from your student’s teacher.

On Friday, March 27th, Extended Learning Packets will be available for pick-up from Voyage Academy. To assist with social distancing when picking up a packet, please follow the schedule below:

Extended Learning Packet Pick-up Schedule is assigned by first letter of Last Name:
 A-F: 8:30am
 G-L: 9:00am
 M-Q: 9:30am
 R-U: 10:00am
 V-Z: 10:30am

We continue to appreciate your flexibility and support.

“There has been a lot of confusion in the news and social media about school hours and students coming into the school. To clarify, in a letter sent by superintendent Dixon, students will only be allowed in the school by invitation only.”

School campus will remain open for the next two weeks so students can pick up assignments by arrangement only. Please contact the school if you are needing to collect something from inside the school. Some instructors may be available by appointment for brief one-on-one tutoring or to help answer student questions about their assignments.
March 16 and 17 are designated as Professional Learning Days and will be closed to students and families. Beginning March 18, Voyage will be operating under a modified school schedule in conjunction with neighboring school districts. Voyage will also be offering educational services including Individualized Education Plan supports and nutrition services on an as needed basis.

• School building hours
Office hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We strongly encourage students to learn at home during the two-week dismissal utilizing the instructional resources that will be provided by their teacher. Students will be welcome in the building by invitation only or with a prescheduled appointment.

• Remote Learning and Digital Instruction
Delivery of learning to students will begin Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Teachers will deliver instruction through extended learning packets, weekly check-ins, online learning resources and/or possibly other platforms such as Google or email. A survey will be sent home via email on Monday to explore access to internet and technology in the home setting. Please complete the survey as soon as possible to assist us in administering effective remote learning.
Extended Learning Packets will be uploaded on Voyage Academy’s website under the Student Tab by March 18. Parents can click on the student’s grades tab to download the packet. If parents are unable to download packets, a limited number of packets will be printed and available for pickup in labeled plastic bins in front of the school. Pick up times will be staggered to assist with social distancing. Please follow the schedule below:

o Extended Learning Packet Pick-up Schedule is assigned by first letter of Last Name:
 A-F: 8:30am
 G-L: 9:00am
 M-Q: 9:30am
 R-U: 10:00am
 V-Z: 10:30am

There may be instances where students need to come to the school for instructional assistance. Please contact your student’s teacher to schedule an appointment during office hours. Enrichment learning activities and opportunities to catch up can be part of the learning opportunities.

• School breakfast and lunch
Beginning Wednesday, March 18, a “Grab and Go” breakfast and lunch will be distributed at the south end of Voyage’s parking lot. Breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m-9:00 a.m. Lunch will be served from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. Students will need to use their student ID or provide their first and last name to purchase a meal. Students on free and reduced meals will remain as normal.

• Events
To be in compliance with social distancing, events will be cancelled until further notice. This includes field work, choir practice, choir concert, maturation, art gallery walk, celebrations of learning, community circles, assemblies, activities, and student council meetings.

• Spring Break
Spring Break will continue as previously scheduled March 30 through April 3.

• Individualized Educational Plan
IEP appointments will continue, but will be adjusted to fit within the building schedule. The special education department will be contacting families to schedule appointments to offer IEP service hours.

• Counseling Services
Counselor may be available for students who need help or are struggling by appointment only.

Parents and family members, we are living in unprecedented times. While we have prepared to deliver education in different ways, we did not expect the abrupt dismissal of schools to test that preparation. We are up to the challenge and will do all we can to make sure that our children have the resources they need to continue in their learning. The COVID-19 virus is proving to be a serious concern. We support our Governor and health department leaders in their efforts at social distancing in the prevention of a viral spread and ask for your continued support and collaboration as we battle this threat to our school and community. We sincerely support your understanding and flexibility. This is an ever-changing situation and what we know now, might not be the same as what we know tomorrow. We will do our best to make sure parents have all the information that we have in a timely manner.

Many of you are aware of international news surrounding the Coronavirus and recent announcements from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) expressing expectations that in the next several weeks, we can expect to see more cases here in our country. We wanted to make you aware of what efforts we are making as a school, in conjunction and with direction from the Health Department, to help prevent the spread of disease and keep our students and staff healthy.

The Utah Department of Health has indicated that symptoms of novel Coronavirus are similar to what someone may experience as the result of seasonal illnesses that routinely spread in the community around this time of year – namely a fever, cough, or shortness of breath. These symptoms on their own are not worrisome and should not cause alarm.

Voyage Academy is continuously monitoring the situation. Up-to-date information can be found on the Utah Department of Health website and the CDC website which can be accessed by clicking here. We are in close communication with the Health Department to monitor if, where, and when cases show up in the County. Health Department personnel are also working with individuals who have made international travel. If or when there are cases in our community, we will work under the direction of the Health Department to help prevent the spread of disease. Plans and procedures are being reviewed and updated to address this matter.

In the meantime, we would encourage all families to review basic principles of hygiene that are most impactful in helping to reduce the spread of disease, most importantly proper hand washing. The CDC has released information to help keep everyone healthy. Additionally, Voyage will be extra vigilant in working with families of students who demonstrate signs of any illness and would remind parents to please not send sick students to school.

We will continue to communicate with our families any updates and information as this situation progresses. Thanks for your support as we work to keep our students and staff healthy and learning.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality wants to inform residents that their public water supply is safe. In the case of quarantine outbreak related to coronavirus, public drinking water systems are designed to continuously deliver safe drinking water.

For more information from the CDC regarding the Coronavirus, please click here.