Week 37 Preview: POLs Begin!

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Happy Friday! We are in the final stretch of the school year, and POLs are around the corner.

DVD will follow minimum day schedules Tues, June 3rd – Tues, June 10th. School begins at 8:40am and school ends at 1:45pm every day (INCLUDING FRIDAY JUNE 6th). It is important for students to come to school every day during POLs!

A letter home regarding POL expectations and reminders will be sent to families within the next few days. Click here for the “POL Letter to DVD Families” for important information regarding POLs.

POL Treats for Teachers: Sign Up Here

  • While our students are preparing and presenting the learning they’ve achieved over the semester, our teachers are hard at work viewing and scoring those presentations. For teachers, this also means long days being a part of panels and giving meaningful feedback to students.
  • One way that we show appreciation for our teachers during these long days is keeping them fed and caffeinated. And we would love your help!
  • If you would like to donate snacks like breakfast treats and coffee to our teachers, please use the sign-up below to tell us what you will be dropping off.
  • *Click here to sign up to bring a treat for teachers* during POL week! Thanks!

Here is the Bell Schedule for Weeks 37 & 38 at Da Vinci Design:

End of Semester Announcements:

  • PowerSchool and Canvas access for students/parents will be blocked starting 6/3 to finalize semester grades. The last day for students to check grades before seeing a final grade on report cards will be Monday, June 2nd.
  • Report cards are mailed home on Friday, June 13th.
  • POLs give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills and are an opportunity for students to reflect publicly on their learning. Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear professional attire. Any student with questions or needs regarding professional attire should speak to their counselor ASAP.

10th Grade Design Pathways Selection Resources

Leading up to POLs, 10th grade students have been receiving information about the CTE Pathway Selection process. During POLs, Sophomores will complete a survey selecting their preferences for whether they want to be in the Architecture, Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship, or Fine Arts pathway. This pathway course selection will dictate their schedule for 11th and 12th grade year.
Please look at the resource posted here so that you can help discuss this important decision as a family: Class of 2027 Pathways Selection Slides For Families
The final decision will be made in their Sophomore design class as part of their POLs. ALL Sophomores must complete the Pathways Selection Survey in order to have their preference considered for their 11th grade courses.
For questions, please reach out to your counselor.

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Mon, 6/3 – Tues, 6/10: Presentations of Learning (POLs) – MINIMUM DAYS
  • Wed, June 11th: Last Day of Semester 2 – MINIMUM DAY
  • Thurs, June 12th: DVD Graduation Ceremony at 5pm

Week 36 Preview

Greeting Designers and Design Families,

This week, we celebrated our Seniors in their final Exhibition: Senior Showcase! Congratulations to our Seniors and the Senior Team on a successful Senior Showcase last this week. We are so proud of their hard work and some of the positive impact our student had on the community. We also ended our week with a special Community Dialogue hosted by our QSU in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month coming up in June. The club shared fun student lip-sync performances and a game, along with special messages from student leaders and staff.

In two weeks, students from our Fine Arts pathway and Honors Fundamentals of Design 2 will be presenting their work at a special art show at Indivisible Arts. Please join us on Saturday, June 7th from 4pm to 7pm to celebrate our student artists! More info in the flyer below.

The bell schedule for Week 36 at DVD is here:

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Mon, May 26th: NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day Holiday
  • Mon, 6/3 – Tues, 6/10: Presentations of Learning (POLs) – MINIMUM DAYS
  • Wed, June 11th: Last Day of Semester 2 – MINIMUM DAY
  • Thurs, June 12th: DVD Graduation Ceremony at 5pm

Week 35 Highlight: 6/7 Art Show and QSU Pride Month CD

 

Week 35 Preview: Senior Showcase on Wednesday, May 21st

Greeting Designers and Design Families,

As we near the end of the school year, that means it is time to celebrate our graduating Class of 2025! This week, we celebrated students at Senior Awards Night for their academic and service achievements. Next week, we are celebrating our Class of 2025 for their Senior Project accomplishments at the annual Senior Showcase! Senior Showcase is a special off-campus Exhibition where Seniors display the hard work they have been doing for the last several weeks to use their design skills to have a positive impact on the community. Please join us for Senior Showcase on Wednesday, May 21st from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at WWOO Concrete Outdoor Kitchen. This event is open to the public and all are welcome!

NOTE: Please excuse a typo on the letter sent home to families with progress reports stating that Senior Showcase is a morning event; the correct time is 5:30pm-7:30pm.

The Bell Schedule for Week 35 is here:

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Mon, May 19th: Last week of Seminar Classes (P7 & P8)
  • Tues, May 20th: Parent Advisory Committee #7
    • 5pm via Zoom
    • Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) LCAP Annual Feedback Review, 3) 25-26 PAC Preview
    • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
  • Wed, May 21st: Senior Showcase @ WWOO Concrete Outdoor Kitchen
  • Mon, May 26th: NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day Holiday
  • Mon, 6/3 – Tues, 6/10: Presentations of Learning (POLs) – MINIMUM DAYS
  • Wed, June 11th: Last Day of Semester 2 – MINIMUM DAY
  • Thurs, June 12th: DVD Graduation Ceremony at 5pm

Week 34 Highlight: Senior Awards Night

allcove Beach Cities Leadership & Wellness Conference

 

Join young leaders from more than 30 organizations across the South Bay to connect, collaborate and uplift our voices together at our annual South Bay Leadership & Wellness Conference. This event will include conversations about advocacy, mental health, wellness and important topics facing our generation today.

You’ll also have the opportunity to share these priorities with local, state and federal leaders who will join us to kick off the event.

Picture this: young people sharing their concerns, their priorities and the ways we want to care for and support one another towards a healthier future. Through workshops and engaging wellness activities, the Conference is an opportunity to develop and expand your leadership skills and gain innovative tools to engage your peers in conversations that matter to them.

For young people ages 12-25. Free food and prizes are included! Plus, get community service hours.

Please RSVP by Sunday May 18, 2025. Please see attached flyer.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/331cf700fd394f719324314019772d48

South Bay Leadership & Wellness Conference
Saturday, May 31, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

allcove Beach Cities
514 N. Prospect Ave., 4th floor
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Week 34 Preview & Teacher Appreciation Week

Greeting Designers and Design Families,

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! On behalf of the teaching staff from Da Vinci Design, THANK YOU to our students and families for making this such a great week for our amazing staff. Teachers were feeling the love all week via notes, gifts, and SO many treats! We are so lucky to have such a caring community of families and students.

This week we celebrated Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month by ending with a special CD hosted by our AAPI student union. The whole CD was themed after the show “Squad Games”, and student leaders sported special outfits and 3d printed accessories as we hosted a series of games. See photos below!

Today we are mailing home the final round of Progress Reports. Families can expect a progress report in the mail by next week. The purpose of progress reports 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.

Yesterday and today, messaging is being sent to all Da Vinci Schools families informing you of a concerning and dangerous trend called the “Chromebook Challenge”. It is currently circulating on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, and has recently impacted schools across the country—including Da Vinci. Please review these messages, and help us keep our campus safe by talking openly with your child about the dangers of participating in harmful online trends.

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 34 at Da Vinci Design:

Thank you to the families who joined us on Wednesday for our last “Coffee with Admin” meeting of the year! It is great getting the chance to meet with families, hear what is on your mind, and share the great things happening at DVD. If you did not get a chance to meet with us this week, click here for the Coffee with DVD Admin slides from May 2025.

We Want to Hear From You – Take the Da Vinci Family Survey! Look for an email or a text from “Kelvin”. Your voice matters. Your feedback plays a vital role in shaping the learning environment at your child’s school and across our entire organization. The spring survey includes questions about school culture, teaching and learning, student experiences, and overall satisfaction—including how likely you are to recommend Da Vinci to others. Your honest input helps us celebrate what’s working and identify areas where we can improve. Please take the survey by Friday May 21.

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Fri, May 9th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
  • Wed, May 14th: Senior Awards Night
  • Mon, May 19th: Last week of Seminar Classes (P7 & P8)
  • Wed, May 21st: Senior Showcase
  • Monday, May 26th: NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day Holiday

Week 33 Highlight: AAPISU Community Dialogue

Coffee w/ Admin Today at 8am and 5pm

Good Morning DVD Parents and Guardians,

Today, Wednesday May 7th (at 8am and 5pm) join the DVD admin team for our final “Coffee with Admin” chat of the year. Simply log on via Zoom and bring any school-related questions, or just sit back, relax, and hear about school updates. Hope to see you there!

Wed, May 7th: Coffee w/ Admin

  • All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
  • 8am or 5pm, via Zoom
  • Agenda: 1) Campus Updates & Highlights, 2) Upcoming Calendar Events, 3) Summer and 25-26 Updates, 4) Q&A
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069

Week 33 Preview: Teacher Appreciation Week!

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Teacher Appreciation Week is right around the corner — May 5th–May 9th, 2025 — and we’re excited to celebrate our incredible staff! We’d love your help in making the week extra special by providing some treats or words of appreciation  for our staff to enjoy. If you’re interested and willing, please use the links below to support Staff Appreciation Week.

  • If you are willing to write notes of appreciation Your kind words mean so much to our team! NOTES HERE
  • If you’d like to bring a treat, please sign up below to drop off goodies on select mornings during the week of May 5–9. TREATS HERE

NOTE: Please label all items “For DVD Teacher Appreciation” and deliver them to the first-floor reception area. We’ll make sure they make it up to the fourth floor for our staff to enjoy!

Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 33 at DVD:

With the end of the semester and POLs approaching soon, it is time for our last round of progress reports. Progress reports are being mailed home next week on May 9th. The purpose of progress reports 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.

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Mon, 5/5 – Fri, 5/9: Teacher Appreciation Week!
    • If you are willing to write notes of appreciation your kind words mean so much to our team: NOTES HERE
    • If you’d like to bring a treat, please sign up below to drop off goodies on select mornings during the week of May 5–9: TREATS HERE
  • Mon, 5/5 – Fri, 5/9: Asian American Pacific Islander Spirit Week, CD on Fri 5/9
  • Mon, 5/5 – Fri, 5/9: Make-up CAASPP Testing
  • Wed, May 7th: Coffee w/ Admin
    • All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
    • 8am or 5pm, via Zoom
    • Agenda: 1) Campus Updates & Highlights, 2) Upcoming Calendar Events, 3) End Of Year Updates, 4) Q&A
    • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
  • Fri, May 9th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
  • Wed, May 14th: Senior Awards Night
  • Mon, May 19th: Last week of Seminar Classes (P7 & P8)
  • Wed, May 21st: Senior Showcase
  • Monday, May 26th: NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day Holiday

LifeLaunch Virtual Info Session May 7th!

Did you know Da Vinci is launching a new adult program in Fall 2025, called LifeLaunch, designed for graduating seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in Healthcare or Aviation?

Students will gain valuable skills, certifications and licenses, earn college credits through El Camino College, and receive personalized career planning and coaching — all while staying connected to their community at Da Vinci Schools, at no cost to students and families.

LifeLaunch Virtual Info Session – Join Us!

When: May 7, 2025 | 6:00-7:00 pm

Where: Via Zoom

Submit a LifeLaunch Interest Form today to stay on top of the latest news!

Questions? Contact Ebony Bobadilla at ebobadilla@davincischool.org.

Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Communications Granted Full, Six-Year Accreditation by WASC

We are thrilled to announce that both Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Communications have been awarded six-year accreditations—the highest level possible—by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). This recognition reaffirms Da Vinci’s unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality education and promoting long-term success for all students.

Last year, Da Vinci Connect and Da Vinci RISE also earned full six-year accreditations. Next week, WASC will be visiting Da Vinci Science as part of its ongoing accreditation process.

WASC accreditation is a voluntary process through which schools demonstrate that they meet rigorous standards of educational quality and excellence. This well-respected accreditation can impact important factors such as credit transferability, eligibility for federal financial aid, and overall institutional credibility.

The Commission granted accreditation for Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Communications through June 30, 2031. Each school underwent a rigorous evaluation process that included a comprehensive self-study, peer review, and the successful completion of an on-site, three-day accreditation visit by a team of experienced educators.

“We are incredibly proud of Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Communications for earning this highest level of accreditation,” said Dr. Matthew Wunder, Da Vinci’s CEO/Superintendent. “This achievement reflects the dedication of so many team members who contributed to this outstanding result and who work every day to ensure the quality and impact of Da Vinci’s programs and services.”

“I wish to extend my deep appreciation to all the staff, faculty, and student leaders at Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Communications, and especially to the Da Vinci leaders who led the WASC accreditation process, including DVD Principal Russell Stoll, DVC Principal Erin D’Souza, and Michelle Rainey, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction,” Dr. Wunder continued.

Visiting team members identified the following strengths about Da Vinci Design, including:

  • Da Vinci Design has a welcoming environment that gives access to opportunity through real world experiences, industry collaborations, and a focus on collaboration and presentation skills.
  • Project-Based Learning engages students and connects them to real-world ideas and the outside community.
  • DVD students feel prepared for adulthood.
  • Da Vinci Design is fostering a culture of inclusivity, providing robust counseling support, implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports and restorative practices, and high behavioral and academic expectations for all students.
  • All staff genuinely care about students and students feel the support.
  • Presentations of Learning and other performance-based assessments allow for students to be self-reflecting learners and provide a real world element of professionalism.
  • Staff are passionate about the ability to be creative and innovative in their instruction.

Visiting team members identified the following strengths about Da Vinci Communications, including:

  • DVC provides a safe, inclusive environment that offers an opportunity for students to engage in a diverse, rigorous curriculum designed to help them succeed in life beyond high school.
  • DVC’s culture prioritizes student well-being, academic success, collaboration, and respect to create a positive learning experience for all and make it a happy place.
  • DVC has positive, supportive student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions that support student success.
  • The staff at DVC is diverse, welcoming and collaborative.
  • DVC does an outstanding job communicating to its families.
  • Students feel that DVC is a safe environment where teachers really care about their success.
  • Project-Based Learning creates meaningful, real world-learning experiences that engage students and prepare them for post-secondary success.

We are so proud of our school communities!

Staff Appreciation Week

Dear DVD Families,

Teacher Appreciation Week is right around the corner — May 5th–May 9th, 2025 — and we’re excited to celebrate our incredible staff!


We’d love your help in making the week extra special by providing some treats or words of appreciation  for our staff to enjoy.

If you’re interested and willing, please use the links below to support Staff Appreciation Week.

  • If you are willing to write notes of appreciation Your kind words mean so much to our team!
  • If you’d like to bring a treat, please sign up below to drop off goodies on select mornings during the week of May 6–10.


Please label all items “For DVD Teacher Appreciation” and deliver them to the first-floor reception area. We’ll make sure they make it up to the fourth floor for our staff to enjoy!

Here are some of our staff’s favorite treats:

  • 🥯 Bagels/breads
  • 🍩 Donuts
  • 🍪 Cookies/Brownies/Pastries/muffins
  • 🍎 Fruit
  • 💧 Sparkling Waters
  • ☕ Coffee
  • 🍟 Chips/pretzels/popcorn

Thank you for helping us celebrate and show our staff how much they mean to our community! Your support truly makes a difference.

With appreciation,


The DVD Admin Team

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