Da Vinci Design

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

We’re back and headed into the last stretch of the school year! Can you believe it? This week, we kicked off testing season with CAASPP ELA (11th grade) and MAP testing (10th/9th grades). Next week, our 9th grade will participate in Physical Fitness Testing and 11th grade will continue with CAASPP Math. Thank you families for making sure that students come to school, on time, ready for these events.

Additionally, we wrapped up this week with our sports-themed Community Dialogue in the gym and had so much fun! We played games, announced our monthly All-Star students, and we announced the winning advisory of our March Tech Madness competition. March Tech Madness was a tournament to see which advisory could consistently keep lowering their screen time on their phones, week after week, for the month of March. Congratulations to Ms. Guilkey-Santos’s advisory!

Because of CAASPP testing, 11th grade will be following a slightly modified schedule next week. Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 31:

Senior Activities: Class of 2024

As we get closer to the end of the school year, we are gearing up for Senior events that celebrate our graduating Class of 2024!

Calendar Dates for Senior Events:

• Prom: Friday, May 3rd, 2024 (@ Wallis Annenberg Hall, USC)
• Grad Nite: Friday, May 31st, 2024 (@ Disneyland & CA Adventure)
• Graduation: Thursday, June 6th, 2024 – 1pm ceremony start (@ WDV Gym, 201 N. Douglas)

*For questions about Senior Activities, including Prom or Graduation, please see reach out to Asst. Principal Kirk Takeyama, ktakeyama@davincischools.org*

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Mon, Apr. 15th: Optional SAT Test Day (by sign up only)
• Mon, Apr. 15th + Tues, Apr. 16th: Physical Fitness Testing (9th Grade)
• Wed, Apr. 17th + Thurs, Apr. 18th: CAASPP State Testing: Math (11th Grade)
• Fri, Apr. 19th: DVD Senior Beach Day
• Wed, Apr. 24th: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #4:
  • *5pm via Zoom*
  • Agenda: 1) Public Comment, 2) LCAP: Goal 5 Review, 3) Meeting Reflections
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Fri, April 26th: Round 2 Progress Reports Sent Home

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Wishing you all a safe, restful and fun Spring Break! Tomorrow, our campus is closed in honor of the Cesar Chavez holiday. Our campus is closed next week (4/1-4/5) for Spring Break.

We will return for classes on Monday, April 8th. See you then!

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Fri, Mar. 29th – Cesar Chavez Holiday (No School)
• Mon, Apr. 1st – Fri, Apr. 5th: Spring Break (No School)
• Mon, April 8th: Return from Spring Break
• Wed, April 10th: Coffee w/ Admin
  • All parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team
  • 8am or 5pm, via Zoom
  • Agenda: TBD
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Wed, Apr. 10th + Thurs, Apr. 11th: CAASPP State Testing: English (11th Grade) and MAP Testing (9th/10th)
• Mon, Apr 15th: Optional SAT Test Day (by sign up only)
• Wed, Apr. 17th + Thurs, Apr. 18th: CAASPP State Testing: Math (11th Grade)

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Congratulations to all of our 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students and teachers on such an awesome, smooth Exhibition Night experience last night! Students were on their A-game, the work was full of depth and connection, and the energy on campus was electric. Thank you families and DVD community for showing up and sharing all of your support! See photos below from Spring 2024 Exhibition Night!

See the bell schedule for Week 29 here:

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Mon, Mar. 25th: 9th Grade college field trip
• Wed, Mar. 27th: 10th Grade college field trip
• Fri, Mar. 29th – Cesar Chavez Holiday (No School)
• Mon, Apr. 1st – Fri, Apr. 5th: Spring Break (No School)
• Mon, April 8th: Return from Spring Break
• Wed, Apr. 10th + Thurs, Apr. 11th: CAASPP State Testing: English (11th Grade) and MAP Testing (9th/10th)
• Mon, Apr 15th: Optional SAT Test Day
  • Deadline to sign up for SAT day: Wednesday, March 27th
• Wed, Apr. 17th + Thurs, Apr. 18th: CAASPP State Testing: Math (11th Grade)

Week 28 Campus Highlight: Exhibition Night!

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

This week is Exhibition Night! Exhibition Night is happening at the Da Vinci Design campus from 5:30pm-7:30pm on Thursday, March 21st. Students have been working for weeks and months in preparation to display all of their hard work. Families, friends and neighbors are all welcome. Please come and be ready to see some mind-blowing projects!

Last week on Friday, March 18th, we welcomed back DVD alumni for an special day of connection and community on our campus. It was so special to hear what our graduates as far back as 2013 (our first graduating class!) have accomplished since graduating, and how DVD helped set them up for success. Thank you to all of our alumni who were able to attend, and to our Alumni Coordinator Pam Baker for setting up this great event. See photos below! Are you a DVD alum and want to know more about upcoming alumni events? Email DVD Alumni Coordinator Pam Baker at pbaker@davincischools.org for info.

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 28:

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Wed, March 20th: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #3:
  • *5pm via Zoom*
  • Agenda: 1) Public Comment, 2) WASC Introduction, 3) LCAP: Goal 3 + 4 Review, 4) Meeting Reflections
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Thursday, Mar. 21st, 5:30pm-7:30pm: Exhibition Night! (9th/10th/11th Grades)
• Fri, Mar. 29th – Cesar Chavez Holiday (No School)
• Mon, Apr. 1st – Fri, Apr. 5th: Spring Break (No School)
• Mon, April 8th: Return from Spring Break
• Wed, Apr. 10th + Thurs, Apr. 11th: CAASPP State Testing: English (11th Grade) and MAP Testing (9th/10th)
• Wed, Apr. 17th + Thurs, Apr. 18th: CAASPP State Testing: Math (11th Grade)

Week 27 Campus Highlight: Alumni Day!

 

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

In honor of NCAA March Madness, Da Vinci Design is hosting March TECH Madness this month! This is a friendly competition where all students and teachers will track their screen time every week during the month of March. The advisory classes which has the lowest screen time each week will move forward in a tournament bracket, until we have one advisory that is our grand champion! Today we celebrated with a Sports Jersey spirit day. See photos from our March Madness spirit day below! 

Next week is SLC week! Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC this semester with a parent / guardian present. SLCs happen in-person and on campus. Having a family member present is an important part of the process. Thank you for doing your part and showing up for your child for their SLC! See grade level resources below.

This week, Da Vinci Schools administration also focused on outreach to our DV parent/guardian community regarding some concerning trends in how our teens engage on social media. We sent out a letter regarding social media to all DV families with resources for parents. At DVD this week, we also made social media the focus of our monthly “Coffee with Admin” Q&A session. Click here for the March Coffee with Admin slides, or use the DVD Parent Info Sessions & Coffee with Admin Slides link under the “Resources” column on the blog to find more information.

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 27: DVD SLC Week:

Student Led Conferences (SLCs): Grade Level Resources

• 9th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link
• 10th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Sign-Up Link (via Sign Up Genius)
• 11th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link
• 12th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link | RSVP Link

Please see the letter to families here for more details about SLCs. This letter was sent home with progress reports, and has helpful reminders about SLCs for parents/guardians.

Schedule reminder: We have minimum days Mon-Thurs (3/11-3/14) during SLC week. Students will be released at 1:45pm. Friday (3/15) will be a Professional Development day for teachers and school will not be in session.

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Mon, Mar. 11th – Thurs, Mar. 14th: Student Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Fri, Mar. 15th – Professional Development Day (No School)
• Wed, March 20th: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #3:
  • 8am or 5pm, via Zoom (in person not available this month)
  • Agenda: 1) Public Comment, 2) WASC Introduction, 3) LCAP: Goal 3 + 4 Review, 4) Meeting Reflections
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Thursday, Mar. 21st: Exhibition Night! (9th/10th/11th Grades)

Week 26 Campus Highlight: Sports Jersey Spirit Day

Happy Friday Designers and Design Families,

We wrapped up this week with a community dialogue celebrating the start of Women’s History Month! We celebrated with events like a performance from our cheer team and fun games, including a women’s history trivia game for our staff who got a face full of pie for wrong answers. All in good fun! See photos from our Women’s History Month CD below.

SLC week at Da Vinci Design is coming soon! SLCs are an important time when parents and teachers come together for a meeting led by the student. It is a time to highlight a student’s strengths and hard work, to encourage students to set new goals, and to ask guiding questions so students can take ownership of their learning. Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC this semester. SLCs will happen in-person. SLC schedules and overviews below!

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 26-27 at Da Vinci Design:

Student Led Conferences (SLCs): Grade Level Resources

Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC this semester with a parent / guardian present. SLCs happen in-person and on campus. Having a family member present is an important part of the process. Thank you for doing your part and showing up for your child for their SLC!

• 9th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link
• 10th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Sign-Up Link (via Sign Up Genius)
• 11th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link
• 12th Grade SLC Resources: Overview Letter | Schedule Link | RSVP Link

Please see the letter to families here for more details about SLCs. This letter was sent home with progress reports, and has helpful reminders about SLCs for parents/guardians.

Schedule reminder: We have minimum days Mon-Thurs (3/11-3/14) during SLC week. Students will be released at 1:45pm. Friday (3/15) will be a Professional Development day for teachers and school will not be in session.

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Wed, March 6th : Coffee w/ Admin:
  • 8am or 5pm, via Zoom (in person not available this month)
  • Agenda: 1) Campus Updates & Highlights 2) Upcoming Calendar Events
    3) Teens on Social Media: Tips and Resources for Parents 4) Q&A
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Mon, Mar. 11th – Thurs, Mar. 14th: Student Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Thursday, Mar. 21st: Exhibition Night! (9th/10th/11th Grades)

Week 25 Highlight: Women’s History Month CD

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

This short week has been another exciting week at Da Vinci Design! Our 11th graders toured local colleges to get them thinking about colleges they might apply to in the Fall. Our 9th graders had a work day focused on their game designs for their Spring Exhibition. And our 10th graders had a very special field trip to The Great Wall of Los Angeles and LACMA. In the morning 10th grade students worked with Judy Baca’s non-profit SPARC doing a historical scavenger hunt while they walked the Great Wall of Los Angeles painted by Judy Baca in 1974 along the Tujunga greenbelt. After the Great Wall, students traveled to LACMA where they met with Judy Baca, her mural team and the SPARC team. Students had the opportunity to learn history of the Great Wall not readily found online and ask Judy Questions directly. See photos of the 10th grade field trip below!

Progress reports are being mailed home today, February 23rd. The purpose of this is to give families the opportunity to have a snapshot of student progress, and to be able to have a conversation at home with students about how to stay successful in school. This information will also be used by teachers and counselors in their plans to support all students. Please follow up with your child’s teachers directly with any questions about assignments or grades.

SLC week at Da Vinci Design is coming soon! SLCs are an important time when parents and teachers come together for a meeting led by the student. It is a time to highlight a student’s strengths and hard work, to encourage students to set new goals, and to ask guiding questions so students can take ownership of their learning. Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC this semester. SLCs will happen in-person. SLC schedules and overviews will be released early next week – stay tuned!

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 25 at Da Vinci Design:

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Friday, March 1st: Community Dialogue (CD) honoring Women’s History Month
• Mon, Mar. 11th – Thurs, Mar. 14th: Student Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Thursday, Mar. 21st: Exhibition Night! (9th/10th/11th Grades)

Week 24 Campus Highlight: 10th Grade Art Field Trip

Greetings Designers and Design Families!

Wishing you all a safe, fun and restful holiday weekend ahead! School will not be in session on Monday, February 19th in honor of President’s Day Holiday; school will resume on Tuesday, February 20th with an all periods schedule day.

This week was spirit week! We wore pink on Wednesday (Valentine’s Day) and handed out valentine’s grams, got comfy on Thursday, and wrapped up with Twins Day. See some of our favorite twins in the pics below!

Next week, we are looking forward to lots of fun activities! Our 11th grade students are going on college field trips on Tuesday, our 10th graders are going on a field trip to the “Great Wall of LA” mural also on Tuesday, and then we have a our Spring Dance on Friday!

Here is the Week 24 Bell Schedule for DVD:

Upcoming Events and Other Key Dates:

• Mon, Feb. 19th: NO SCHOOL – PRESIDENTS DAY HOLIDAY
• Tues, Feb. 20th: 11th grade College Field Trip / 10th grade field trip to SPARC
• Wed, Feb. 21st: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #2
  • 5pm-6pm in-person OR via Zoom
  • Agenda: 1) Public Comment, 2) School Safety Plan Review, 3) LCAP: Goal 2 Review, 4) Meeting Reflections
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
• Fri, Feb. 23rd: Progress Reports Sent Home
• Fri, Feb. 23rd 6pm-9pm: Spring Dance *NEW DATE*
• Mon, Mar. 11th – Thurs, Mar. 14th: Student Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Thursday, Mar. 21st: Exhibition Night! (9th/10th/11th Grades)

Week 23 Campus Highlight: Twin Day!