Thank you for a wonderful first week, Voyager families! It was such a joy welcoming our newest group of 5th graders into the Voyager family.
As promised, Monday’s dismissal was a little rocky, but thanks to teamwork from our staff and grace from all of you, we got it down to 19 minutes by Friday!
This week we’re diving into our academic systems, including Intervention Block and MAP Testing. Please be sure to read the school-based updates below to stay in the loop.
Week of August 16The Voyager Weekly Principal’s Update
Upcoming events, campus announcements, and family engagement updates — organized for quick scanning and easy sharing.
On Campus
Campus Announcements
Whole School Announcements
Dismissal
Overall, we are pleased with our dismissal times continuing to drop. Please note that Monday dismissal may continue to be a slower experience due to a shorter transition between VCP’s dismissal and ours. Our request is to please try not to join dismissal until 3:30 so that we do not block VCP’s dismissal and create traffic that slows down our dismissal start time. If you have an appointment that day, we advise trying to get to campus prior to 3:00 and picking up your scholar early.
Please make sure you are picking up your scholar in the correct dismissal line:
- If you have scholars from multiple campuses, enter the Carpool line on Cotton Ln in front of the school at the first entrance.
- If you only have scholar(s) from Voyager, enter the car-rider line at the back of VCP and Voyager at the last entrance on Cotton Ln.
Community Agreements
Complete Your Community Agreements
Please complete our Community Agreements if you haven’t already — your scholar cannot receive a Chromebook until this is signed.
- Go to valorfamilynews.com. Click the tab at the top named “26–27 Summer Communication,” then click “26–27 MS Community Agreements.”
- Read and scroll all the way to the bottom to sign via the PandaDoc link.
Paychecks
- Paychecks will be sent electronically on Fridays at 5:30 PM.
- They will also be sent home on paper on Mondays.
- You may sign electronically or on paper — you do not have to do both.
- Any questions about DeansList? Reach out to Andrew Arp, AP of Culture, at aarp@valorcollegiate.org.
GoGuardian
Step-by-step instructions to access GoGuardian and monitor your student’s Chromebook activity:
- Download App: Search for GoGuardian Parent on iOS or Android and install it.
- Enter School Email: Type the personal email address you have officially on file with your child’s school. If it fails, contact your school administrator to verify which email address is linked.
- Verify Account: Open the email from GoGuardian on your phone, then tap Verify your email or copy-paste the provided verification code into the app.
- Accept Terms: Read through the terms of service, check the agreement box, and tap I agree or Confirm.
Parent Resource Page
Have questions about Voyager’s culture system and behavioral matrix? Check out the parent resource page here.
Prayer
Dhuhr prayer will begin on August 24th! The expectation for Sunrise prayer is that students pray at home before school; your student will need a prayer permission slip to pray during Dhuhr. Request-for-prayer forms have been available through Prides at Kickoff and in Pride Spaces. Questions? Email aarp@valorcollegiate.org.
Academics
- 5th grade & New-to-Valor MAP Testing begins Tuesday, August 18th.
- I-Block start date: 6th–8th grade begins Tuesday, August 18th, and Thursday, August 27th (tentatively, once all MAP testing is complete).
- Chromebook distribution: Monday, August 17th.
- Link to 26–27 Voyager Homework Agenda.
🔄 Ms. Naramore Out August 14th–27th
Ms. Naramore will be on PTO from August 14th–27th. Please know you’re always welcome to reach out, though she may have a slightly delayed response. For immediate assistance, please contact your student’s grade-level point of contact:
- 5th Grade: Diamond Benjamin, dbenjamin@valorcollegiate.org
- 6th Grade: Andrew Arp, aarp@valorcollegiate.org
- 7th Grade: Diamond Benjamin, dbenjamin@valorcollegiate.org
- 8th Grade: Sydney Gardner, sgardner@valorcollegiate.org
🔄 Opportunity to Join the 26–27 AI Community Council!
Are you curious — or concerned — about how AI is shaping life for you and your student? We’re looking for 4 family members to join a small multigenerational team working to learn and share more about the opportunities and risks of integrating AI into Valor, alongside students and staff. Application is here (deadline Aug 17) — you don’t need to be a “tech expert” to apply, and we welcome family members who are skeptical about AI to sign up.
Time commitment: monthly Monday (4:00–5:15 p.m.) meetings at VCP, plus 30 minutes of work between meetings. Questions? Reach out to Daren Dickson at ddickson@valorcollegiate.org.
Students in grades 7–12 interested in the council can apply once they arrive on campus, due by August 24th.
🎉 Invitation to Register: Immersive Futures Event at Valor
What will it mean to be human in a world shaped by AI? Join us for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience designed to help students, families, and Valor staff explore that question together. Through live actors and interactive scenarios, you’ll step into possible futures and experience firsthand both the incredible possibilities and the real risks of a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
This special event, created in partnership with the Rithm Project, is coming to Valor for the first time ever at a school. You’ll leave with new questions, new perspectives, and an opportunity to think together about how we can use AI without losing what matters most: our humanity and our connections to one another.
There are 5 opportunities to participate over three days (Oct 7–9, 2026). Please register using this form, selecting the time you’d like to attend — spots are first come, first served. We highly encourage students and caregivers to register and attend together. Confirmation will be emailed to participants in mid-September.
Go Lynx
Athletics & Upcoming Events
Monday, Aug 17
- NCP Football players dismiss with carpool and will be escorted by Mrs. Gardner to VCP study hall before their bus departure at 3:50 PM, Monday–Friday.
- MS Cross Country Tryouts: 4:15–5:30 PM at Whitfield Park. Transportation is not provided.
- MS Volleyball: players dismiss at “release all” and go to Athletic buses to be transported to Hillcrest Church for practice.
Tuesday, Aug 18
- HS Volleyball Home vs. Franklin: JV 4:30 PM / Varsity 5:30 PM — wear your USA gear for USA themed game night!
- HS Girls Soccer vs. USN: 5:30 PM at KIPP Global.
Wednesday, Aug 19
- MS Cross Country will practice at the VCP indoor track, escorted by Ms. Fisher & Mr. Eckenrode.
Thursday, Aug 20
- HS Volleyball Home vs. MLK: JV 4:30 PM / Varsity 5:30 PM — Theme: White Out.
- HS Girls Soccer vs. James Lawson: 6:30 PM at Nashville Collegiate Prep.
- MS Cross Country meet at Vaughn’s Gap — bus leaves at 3:25 PM.
Friday, Aug 21
- HS Volleyball travels to Alabama for tournament.
- MS Volleyball Home vs. Harpeth Hall: 4:30 & 5:30 PM.
- MS Cross Country will practice at the VCP indoor track, escorted by Ms. Fisher & Mr. Eckenrode.
🔄 Middle School Baseball Tryouts
Saturday, September 12
6th Grade: 9:00–10:15 a.m. · 7th–8th Grade: 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Nashville Collegiate Prep Baseball Field — 14446 Old Hickory Blvd, Antioch, TN 37013
We partner with Nashville Collegiate Prep for Middle School Baseball. If possible, we’ll create a 6th grade team separate from our 7th/8th grade team. If you’re interested in trying out, please fill out this form.
Community
Celebrations & Community Connection
As our middle school community continues to learn and grow together during Intersectionality Awareness Month, we remain grounded in our diverse-by-design commitment. We love highlighting local opportunities that uplift, connect, and empower our scholars and families both inside and outside the classroom. Here are a few great ways to engage across the Nashville area this month:
- National Black Business Month: August is a fantastic time to celebrate local Black entrepreneurs! Check out Black Owned Nashville to support and uplift diverse businesses across our city.
- CreArte Fest (Ages 7–15) — Last Call: Help your scholar share their voice and honor their cultural heritage through original artwork! Submissions celebrating global traditions are due Wednesday, August 19th. Register here.
- Hispanic Family Foundation Job & Legal Fair: Hosted in a welcoming environment at Plaza Mariachi, this community event connects attendees with employment opportunities, legal guidance, and valuable local organizations serving Nashville.
Saturday, August 22, 1:00–5:00 PM — Plaza Mariachi, 3955 Nolensville Pike, Nashville. - Wilson County Fair / TN State Fair: Looking for a fun family outing? Enjoy rides, agricultural exhibits, and local traditions through Saturday, August 22nd.
- Families for Safe Streets Nashville / Familias para Calles Seguras: Join Walk Bike Nashville for an empowering, bilingual virtual meeting advocating for safer streets and neighborhood walking routes for our scholars.
Tuesday, August 25, 6:00–7:00 PM — online via Zoom.
Whether exploring career pathways, advocating for safe neighborhoods, or celebrating local traditions, we thrive when our families are connected!
Valor Family Group
Family Engagement Announcements
💙 Thank You, Welcome Breakfast Families!
Thank you to all of our families who joined us for our Welcome Breakfast! We were excited to welcome 75+ families and start the school year together with connection, community, and partnership.
Couldn’t make it? No worries — linked is the slide deck we reviewed with everything we discussed, plus a little more information to help you stay connected and informed. Please feel free to sign up or reach out with any questions.
We’re grateful to have you as part of the Valor community and look forward to a wonderful school year together!
Fine Arts, Clubs & Enrichment
Valor Theatre & FACE Announcements
Valor Theatre Announcements
Valor Theatre is excited to announce our HS Fall Season and auditions! Please see our 26–27 Valor Theatre One-Pager for more information and important links.
- SIX auditions have concluded, but Sound of Murder auditions are next Wednesday! (Open to 8th–12th grade students)
- The Wizard of Oz (our MS Musical) will hold auditions in mid-November, with the show the weekend of March 4th–7th. More details coming in September!
Questions? Reach out directly to our Director of Fine Arts & Enrichment, Jacob Waid, at jwaid@valorcollegiate.org.
FACE: Fine Arts, Clubs & Enrichment
Registration for after-school clubs is open! 😄 You can view the list of clubs being offered this year and sign up by visiting valorface.com/middle-school. Clubs begin September 8, 2026.
📸 Join Yearbook!
Leave no community member behind — do you love Canva, taking photos, and being creative? Join the Yearbook team! Sign up at valorface.com — it’s free.
❗ Late Scholar Pick-Up
If you arrive after dismissal ends, your scholar will be at Voyager. Please remember to bring an ID — for your scholar’s safety, we cannot release them into the care of an adult without verifying identity. You will be charged $1 per minute your scholar is in our care, in accordance with our Late Pickup Procedures & Fees Policy. If you need assistance, contact face@valorcollegiate.org.