Next Week is SLC Week at Da Vinci Design (10/14-10/17)

Greetings Designers and Design Families!

Next week is SLC week at Da Vinci Design October 14th-17th, 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

Please click here for the parent/guardian expectations and FAQs for Student Led Conferences; in English and en Espanol.

Week 8 Preview: PSAT / SAT Testing & CLD #1

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Next week we are kicking off our very first Community Learning Day (CLD) on Friday, October 11th. 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. If a student signed up for an on-campus learning session, they will receive confirmation of their choice early next week. For more information on CLDs, click the “Coffee with DVD Admin” slides link below.

Also, next week will be having students in all grade levels participate in free PSAT / SAT testing on Thursday, 10/10. Students in Grades 9/10/11 will all take the PSAT, and students in Grade 12 will have the option to take the SAT. Please make sure your student(s) get a good night of sleep and eat a good breakfast before test day to make sure they are ready to test. For questions about PSAT/SAT testing day, please reach out to Asst. Principal Kirk Takeyama: ktakeyama@davincischools.org.

Thank you to the families who joined us for our Coffee with Admin meeting on Wednesday! 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 October 2024Coffee with DVD Admin happens at 8am and 5pm via Zoom on the first Wednesday of every month.

Here is the Week 8 Bell Schedule for DVD:

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Thursday, Oct. 10th: PSAT / SAT Testing Day
  • Friday, Oct. 11th: Community Learning Day
  • Mon, Oct. 14th – Thurs, Oct. 17th: Student Led Conference (SLCs) *MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE*

College Rep Visits (Week 8, 9 & 10): Seniors can sign up via Naviance

  • University of San Francisco – Wed, Oct. 9th
  • Cornell University – Fri, Oct. 11th
  • College for Creative Studies – Fri, Oct. 18th
  • New York University – Tues, Oct. 22nd
  • Syracuse University – Thurs, Oct. 24th

“Coffee with Admin” Zoom for DVD Families Tomorrow at 8am and 5pm

Good Evening DVD Parents and Guardians,

Tomorrow, Wednesday Oct. 2nd, at 8am and 5pm join the DVD admin team for our monthly “Coffee with Admin” chat. Simply log on via Zoom and bring any school-related questions, or just sit back, relax, and hear about school updates. This will be our second Coffee with Admin of the 2024-25 school year. Hope to see you there!

Wed, Oct. 2nd: 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 & Calendar Events 2) Short Term Ind. Study, 3) Community Learning Days (CLDs), 4) Q&A
  • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069

South Bay Families Connected

Did you know that Da Vinci Schools are included among 115 South Bay Families Connected Partner Schools? Through this partnership, our parents and staff have free access to resources and educational events addressing a wide array of youth wellness topics, from healthy tech use to substance use prevention. We invite you to attend any of their upcoming events, including screenings of the new Screenagers film and the fentanyl prevention film “Come Back Home”, as well as the monthly Families Connected Parent Chat support group. Be sure to check-out this month’s Families Connected newsletter and sign-up to gain access to new resources and events each month. For our own unique youth wellness resource page, visit Da Vinci Families Connected. Together as a community, we strive to help our youth thrive.

Sept 2024 Community Dialogue & Week 7 Preview

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

This week, we had our annual DVD Club Fair! On Thursday afternoon, we had over 20 DVD student-run clubs host booths at our club fair to get Design students excited about joining. This year we had a wide variety of clubs to join on a range of topics and which celebrate academics, culture, and fun hobbies. See pictures from our DVD Club Fair below.

We ended our week with our first Community Dialogue assembly (aka: “CD”) of the new school year! At CD, we introduced our Advisory names and mascots, had an “Advisory Olympics” competition, and had our new staff play Blind Musical Chairs. This year, as we focus on increasing school attendance, we are rewarding Advisories with the best attendance each month with exclusive access to watch CD from the SkyBox in the WDV Gym. Congrats to Sr. V and Mr. Schilp’s advisories this month for having the best attendance! It was a great day for building spirit and community at DVD. See pictures from our first CD below.

Lastly, as we head into autumn and cold/flu season, a message from the DV Schools Health Team: Hello Da Vincians! Our health team wants to share out these helpful resources for What to do if your student has cold/flu or COVID symptoms and Guidance for When to Stay Home from School and return to school related to illness. We hope these are supportive guiding docs as we re-enter school settings! Don’t forget to wash your hands!

Here is the Bell Schedule at DVD for Week 7:

DVD Picture Day photos are now ready for review! We are using a new platform to host photos this year that allows for each student to have their own individual gallery and gives them the option to choose the photo they’d like for the yearbook.  Families were emailed directly with information to access the gallery, but you can also access your individual gallery here: https://my.photoday.com/s/staceelianna/davincischools
  1. Navigate to the Da Vinci Design gallery
  2. Enter your student name and their 5-digit ID number
  3. Access your photos and make your selection
The deadline to choose photos for the yearbook is next Friday, September 27th.

Upcoming Events and Key Dates:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 2nd: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
    • All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
    • Agenda: 1) Campus Updates & Highlights, 2) Upcoming Calendar Events, 3) Community Learning Days (CLD) & Short Term Independent Study, 4) Q&A
    • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/8331212069
  • Friday, Oct. 4th: NO SCHOOL
  • Friday, Oct. 11th: Community Learning Day
  • Mon, Oct. 14th – Thurs, Oct. 17th: Student Led Conference (SLCs)

College Rep Visits (Week 7, 8 & 9): Seniors can sign up via Naviance

  • University of California Irvine – Mon, Sept. 30th
  • Boston University – Wed, Oct. 2nd
  • University of San Francisco – Wed, Oct. 9th
  • Cornell University – Fri, Oct. 11th
  • College for Creative Studies – Fri, Oct. 18th

Campus Highlight: DVD Club Fair 2024

Campus Highlight: DVD Community Dialogue (Sept 2024)

Student Board Applications – Deadline Tonight at 11:59pm

Do you want to make a difference at Da Vinci Schools? Do you want a seat at the table? Consider becoming a student board advisor or coordinator and make your voice heard!

Student board advisors present monthly to the Da Vinci Schools Board of Trustees and you will provide perspective, insights and regular school updates.
Your participation gives current and future students a voice for years to come. Click here to apply!
Student board advisors:
Two positions open from each of the following schools (a total of 10 positions)
  • DV Communications
  • DV Connect TK-8
  • DV Connect High
  • DV Design
  • DV Science
Student board coordinators:
  • Two (2) positions open
  • Can be from any school and assists student board members in preparing for meetings
You may submit applications for both coordinator and advisor roles. For more information and details, please speak with your school’s principal.
*Please note: Students can only access the application using their DV email*
All student board advisors and coordinators meet on the first Monday of the month with Dr. Matt Wunder, CEO of Da Vinci Schools, to discuss students’ daily experiences at school. After the first few meetings with the CEO, the rest will be student-led. The first board presentation will be November 20th.

 

Week 6 Preview

Greetings Designers and Design Families,

Next week, DVD is hosting our annual DVD Club Fair! At the end of the day on Thursday, 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. See the full list of clubs this year (so far) below!

DVD Picture Day photos are now ready for review! We are using a new platform to host photos this year that allows for each student to have their own individual gallery and gives them the option to choose the photo they’d like for the yearbook.  Families were emailed directly with information to access the gallery, but you can also access your individual gallery here: https://my.photoday.com/s/staceelianna/davincischools
  1. Navigate to the Da Vinci Design gallery
  2. Enter your student name and their 5-digit ID number
  3. Access your photos and make your selection
The deadline to choose photos for the yearbook is next Friday, September 27th. This will give students who take make-up portraits next week on Tuesday, Sept. 24th the option to select their photo as well. If you have any questions regarding photos, please email photographer Stacee Lianna directly at stacee@staceelianna.com for support.

Progress reports are being mailed home today, September 20th. 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, 9/27, 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:

  • Friday, Sept. 20th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
  • Tuesday, Sept. 24th: Make Up Picture Day at DVD
  • Thursday, Sept. 26th: DV Club & Service Learning Fair
  • Wednesday, Oct. 2nd: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
  • Friday, Oct. 4th: NO SCHOOL
  • Friday, Oct. 11th: Community Learning Day
  • Mon, Oct. 14th – Thurs, Oct. 17th: Student Led Conference (SLCs)

College Rep Visits (Week 6 & 7): Seniors can sign up via Naviance

  • University of California Irvine – Mon, Sept. 30th
  • Boston University – Wed, Oct. 2nd

DVD Club Fair List (Fall 2024):

  • Art Through Community Service
  • Asian American Pacific Islander Student Union
  • Black Student Union
  • The Cipher Society
  • Clear the Coast
  • Climate Action Team
  • Crafts for a Cause
  • DnD Club
  • Entomology Club
  • Junior Committee
  • Key Club
  • Latinx Student Union
  • National Honors Society
  • Neurodiversity Committee
  • Queer Student Union
  • The Paranormal Club
  • Students Against Genocide
  • Student Ambassador Club
  • AllCove Beach Cities (Booth)

AllCove Mental Health & Wellness resources

 

Attached please find the event and workshop calendar for AllCove, a robust community center right here in the South Bay. AllCove offers:

  • Mental health.
  • Physical health.
  • Substance use.
  • Peer support.
  • Family support.
  • Supported education and employment.

Below are some events that might be of interest to you and your student:

Holistic:

AllCove Open House – Saturday, October 5th

Clothing Upcycle Event, Thursday, October 17th from 4:30 – 6:00pm

Social Emotional:

Healthy Relationships Workshop – Saturday, October 12th, 19th and 26th – 12 – 1:30p

Gender Identity Dialogue – Tuesday, October 1, 15, 29 – 5 – 6:00pm

College:

Finding your Voice in College Essays – Wednesday, October 9th, 16th from 4:30 – 6:00pm

First Generation College Bound – Tuesday, October 22nd, 5 – 6pm

 

Call for more information:

allcove Beach Cities

(310) 374-5706

Wellness Screener and OPT OUT

Dear DVD Families,

The number of youth nationally experiencing anxiety and depression has risen 30% in recent years according to U.S. Health and Human Services. In an effort to be more proactive in supporting students’ mental health, a wellness screener will be given on September 16th and September 18th to all students during advisory at Da Vinci Design HS to identify students who may need support. Results from the screener will be used by the counselors to offer students interventions such as coping skills groups, counselor check ins, and referrals for therapy.

Scores will not be shared with students or parents/guardians. Parent/guardian consent is required if a student is referred to receive counseling services delivered by Antioch or Luminarias therapists. If you would like your student to OPT-OUT and NOT PARTICIPATE in the screener, please fill out the form by Monday, September 16th.

Be Well,
DVD Counselors

OPT OUT FORM

 

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