Da Vinci Design

Design Families!

Next week is SLC week at Da Vinci Design October 13th-16th, and we are excited to have you on campus with us! 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 with a parent/guardian present this semester. SLCs will happen in-person. See below for SLC schedules and details presented by each grade level teaching team.

Reminders for families arriving for SLCs:

• Families can find parking anywhere in the lot north of 201 N. Douglas St.
• Please check-in on the 1st floor upon arriving to get a name tag and find which classroom to report to
• Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled time to allow time to check-in

Student Led Conferences (SLCs): Grade Level Resources

9th Grade Team Resource:Grade 9 SLC Overview Fall 2025

10th Grade Team Resource: Grade 10 SLC Overview Fall 25

11th Grade Team Resource:Grade 11 SLC Overview Fall 25

12th Grade Team Resource: Grade 12 SLC Overview Fall 25

Please use the above resources to look at the sign up information. We are excited to see you next week!

Dear Da Vinci Design Families,

We wrapped up another exciting week at DVD!

LSU Spirit Week & Community Dialogue
Our LSU Spirit Week and Community Dialogue were a huge success—thank you to everyone who joined in building school pride and student participation.

Coffee with Admin
We loved connecting with families at Coffee with Admin this week. It was such a great turnout, and we’re looking forward to seeing you again at our next Coffee on Wednesday, November 5th.

Upcoming: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
Beginning the week of October 13th, we will be hosting our Fall Student-Led Conferences (SLCs). We are excited to welcome families on campus for these important conversations.

SLCs are a powerful opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, highlight their strengths, set goals, and take ownership of their growth. Each student is expected to lead an SLC with a parent/guardian present this semester. All conferences will take place in person.

Please see the Parent SLC Letter SLC Parent Letter.docx

Thank you, as always, for your partnership in supporting our Designers. We can’t wait to see you on campus during SLC week October 13th-16th

Week 8 Bell Schedule:

Attention DVD Senior Parents!

Da Vinci Design and Magdalena Garcia of Circles and Bridges invite you to a Senior Parent Circle Up! Come join fellow DVD senior parents as you navigate this exciting final year! Get the support you need to help your student and yourself to the finish line!

Design Families!

Coffee with Admin October 1st 8:00am and 5:00pm VIA Zoom!

Please join us for an informal gathering with the administrative team. This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and hear updates. Please see the link below to log on!

Dear Da Vinci Design Families,

It was another successful week here at Da Vinci Design! We are proud of the energy, engagement, and spirit our students continue to bring to campus each day.

Here’s a wrap up from Week 6!

Community Learning Day (CLD)
On Tuesday, we held our Community Learning Day (CLD). These days are designed to provide students with opportunities to either participate in meaningful learning experiences here on campus or engage in “leave to learn” activities off campus. Whether through workshops, guest speakers, or community-based experiences, CLDs allow students to connect their learning to the world around them and deepen their understanding as Designers.

Club Fair
We also had an exciting Club Fair this week! Students had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of clubs and sign up for activities that match their interests and passions. From creative outlets to service opportunities, clubs give our Designers a chance to connect with peers and grow outside of the classroom.

Looking Ahead

• Coffee with Admin October 1st 8am & 5pm Via Zoom – Please join us on Wednesday for an informal gathering with the administrative team. This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and hear updates.

• School Holiday Thursday October 2nd Yom Kippur – A reminder that school will be closed on Thursday. We hope everyone enjoys the extra time with family as we head into a new month.

• LSU Spirit Week & CD Friday October 3rd

• Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) – Mark your calendars! SLCs will take place the week of October 13th. These conferences provide students the opportunity to reflect on their learning, share their growth, and set goals moving forward. More details will be shared soon.

Week 7 Schedule:

Thank you, families, for your continued support in helping us build a thriving Designer community. We look forward to another great week ahead!

The 2026-2027 FAFSA is now open!

The Department of Education (ED) officially launched the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2026–27 academic year a week early. The launch came after a successful beta testing period in August.   Students and families can complete the form now, giving them earlier access to financial aid information. Please note that some challenges have been found for mixed-status families.  The ED has not yet provided a permanent solution to identity verification issues, which continues to pose a challenge for these families when attempting to file the FAFSA and privacy concerns.

The 2026–27 CADAA opens October 1:
The California Dream Act Application (CADAA) opens on October 1. The CADAA is available to eligible undocumented Californians and mixed status families. While the CADAA provides access to state and institutional aid, students who file only the CADAA are not eligible for federal financial aid dollars.

The 2026-2027 CSS Profile opens October 1:

The CSS Profile is an online application used by mostly private colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid.  The UCs and CSUs do not use the CSS Profile. Here is list ofcolleges that use the CSS Profile.

If you have any questions please contact your/your students counselor.

Pam Baker: Last names A-GL pbaker@davincischools.org

Nicole Tafoya: Last names Go-O ntafoya@davincischools.org

Omar Sanchez: Last Names P-Z osanchez@davincischools.org

Design Families!

Thank you to all the Design families who showed up to Back to School Night this week. It was a great turnout and we have you to thank for it! We appreciate your involvement in your student’s education!

Next week we are kicking off our very first Community Learning Day (CLD) of the school year on Tuesday, September 23rd. This is an opportunity for students to come together for an on-campus learning experience with friends from other campuses; or to take advantage of a “leave to learn” activity off campus. All parents will be receiving a permission slip and a agreement form to sign in order to give students the option to learn off-campus that day.

Also next week, DVD is hosting our annual DVD Club Fair! At the end of the day on Friday, 9/26, student club leaders will set up booths and introduce their clubs. This is a great opportunity for students to find a club to join as well as meet other students that share their interests. This year we have a wide variety of clubs to join on a range of topics and which celebrate academics, culture, and fun hobbies. Clubs can also be great way for students to collaborate on ways to complete service learning with other students in a club setting.

Progress reports are being mailed home September 26th. 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.

If you do not receive a progress report in the mail by Friday, 10/3, please reach out by calling Da Vinci Design at 310-725-5800, or send an email Office Manager Maria Beltran at mbeltran@davincischools.org to request a digital progress report for your child.

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 6 at DVD:

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

• Tuesday September 23rd CLD Day
• Friday, Sept. 26th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
• Friday, Sept. 26th: DV Club & Service Learning Fair
• Wednesday, Oct. 1st: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
• Thursday, Oct. 2nd: NO SCHOOL

Our next blog post will feature highlights from our first CD of the year that took place Friday September 19th!

Design Family! We have a busy week! Happy Week 5!

We have our Back to School Night THIS Thursday September 18th. Back to School Night is a great opportunity to hear about classes, make connections with your students teachers, and tour classrooms at DVD. Each grade level will begin with an assembly in the Blackbox Theater from their grade-level teams, and then head up to the fourth floor to meet and greet teachers in the classrooms. Please note the presentation for the 9th and 10th grade is at 5:30pm and the presentation for the 11th and 12th grade families is at 6:00pm. See the schedule below for more information!

Also please note: DVD 12th Grade College & Career Family Information Night!!! This Thursday 9/18 at 5:00pm in the Da Vinci Skybox above the gym, the DVD Counseling Team will be discussing all things College & Career for SENIORS!!! This event is before Senior Back to School Night!