Next week is SLC week at Da Vinci Design October 12th-15th, 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
We wrapped up another great week at Da Vinci Design! Week 7 was filled with community, connection, and some great moments with our students. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for continuing to make Design such a special place.
A special shoutout to our seniors for two successful events this past week! Our Multicultural Food Fest was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and foods represented within our community. We also had a successful Feeling Well Friday, giving our seniors another opportunity to connect, recharge, and focus on wellness. Thank you to everyone who helped make both events happen!
Chat With Admin – Wednesday, October 7
Our next Chat With Admin is this Wednesday, October 7 5pm. This is an opportunity for families to connect with our administrative team, hear updates about what’s happening at Design, ask questions, and stay connected to our school community.
We hope you can join us!
Here is the Zoom Information:
Topic: Chat With Admin
Time: Oct 7, 2026 05:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
A reminder that Friday, October 9 is a Professional Development Day for our staff. There will be NO SCHOOL for students.
Our staff will spend the day learning, collaborating, and continuing the work of strengthening teaching and learning across Design.
Student-Led Conferences Are Coming!
We are already looking ahead to Week 9 and Student-Led Conferences (SLCs), beginning the week of October 12!
SLCs are an important opportunity for students to take ownership of their learning, reflect on their progress, celebrate their growth, and share their goals with their families.
SLC schedules and documents will be posted on the Blog later this week, so please keep an eye out for that information as you prepare for conferences.
Important Dates at a Glance
Wednesday, October 7 – Chat With Admin
Wednesday, October 7- Senior Sunrise
Friday, October 9 – Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Week of October 12 – Student-Led Conferences begin!
Week of October 12- LSU Spirit Week
October 12- Parent Advisory Committee Meeting 5pm Via Zoom
October 15- California Great Shakeout
October 16- LSU CD
Bell Schedule for Week 8
Thank you again for a successful Week 7! We are proud of the energy and community we continue to see across our campus and are excited for everything ahead.
Are you interested in getting more involved at Da Vinci Design and helping shape our school community? We invite all interested parents and guardians to join us for our first Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting!
📅 Monday, October 12
⏰ 5:00 PM
💻 Location: Zoom
What is the Parent Advisory Committee?
Our Parent Advisory Committee is an opportunity for families to connect with school leadership, share ideas, provide feedback, and have a voice in our school community. During our meetings, we’ll discuss school goals, student achievement, school culture, upcoming initiatives, and ways we can continue improving the Design experience for ALL students.
Whether you’re looking to get more involved or simply want to learn more about what’s happening at Design, we’d love to have you join us!
Your voice matters, and we want to hear from you!
We hope to see you on October 12!
Here is the Zoom Link!
Topic: PAC Zoom Link
Time: Oct 12, 2026 05:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Calling all 12th Grade families! Join us for our upcoming DVD Family Community Group: Senior Edition: Helping Your Child Launch with Confidence!
As senior year gets underway, there is a lot to navigate as students prepare for life after high school. This virtual gathering is an opportunity for senior families to connect, ask questions, and learn how to best support their student through this exciting transition.
Wednesday, September 30
7:00–8:00 PM
Zoom
Scan the QR code on the flyer to RSVP and join us!
We hope to see our senior families there as we work together to help the Class of 2027 launch with confidence!
Here we go Week 7! And somehow, we are already heading into October! It’s hard to believe how quickly the first several weeks of the school year have gone.
Before we jump into the week ahead, we want to give a BIG thank you to our entire Design community for another successful week! Week 6 was full of learning, connection, and school spirit, and we appreciate our students and staff for continuing to show up and make Design such a special place.
We also want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who helped make last week’s Club Fair a success! It was awesome seeing our students explore different clubs, connect with one another, and find new ways to get involved on campus. Thank you to our student leaders, club advisors, and everyone who helped bring the energy!
Lockdown Drill – Wednesday
This Wednesday, we will be conducting a Lockdown Drill on campus. Drills are an important part of our ongoing commitment to campus safety and preparedness. Students will receive directions from their teachers and staff, and we appreciate everyone taking the drill seriously and following instructions throughout the process.
Honors Decisions – Friday
A reminder that Honors decisions will be shared this Friday. We know many of our students have been working hard during these first several weeks and are looking forward to receiving their Honors placement decisions. Keep showing up, putting in the work, and finishing the week strong!
October Is Here!
This week also marks the beginning of October! A new month is a great opportunity to check in on goals, celebrate the progress we’ve made so far, and think about how we want to continue growing as we move further into the semester.
Bell Schedule for this Week:
Upcoming Dates:
September 30th: Lockdown Drill
October 7th: Chat with Admin 5pm Via Zoom
October 9th: Professional Development Day No Students
We wanted to make you aware of a slight adjustment to our bell schedule for tomorrow, Friday, September 25. This change will help us better coordinate our shared campus spaces and ensure a smoother experience for our students.
Please take a moment to review the updated Friday bell schedule below:
We appreciate everyone’s flexibility and understanding with this small adjustment. Please make sure your student is aware of the updated schedule before arriving tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued support, and we’re looking forward to a great Friday at DVD!
Designers, we’re heading into Week 6, and there’s a lot happening this week at DVD!
First, A huge thank you to our Leadership students for kicking off our first CD of the year! We appreciate the energy, creativity, and school spirit you brought to our community. It was a great way to bring our Designers together and start building even more connection across campus. Thank you, Leadership, for setting the tone for a great year ahead!
Tomorrow is Career Learning Day (CLD), giving students an opportunity to step outside of their regular schedule and engage in experiences that help them think about their interests, future pathways, and the world beyond high school. We’re excited for our students to learn, explore, and make connections!
Then on Friday, it’s Club Fair! Club Fair is a great opportunity to find something you’re interested in, try something new, and get more connected to our DVD community. Whether you’re into art, culture, gaming, service, leadership—or something completely different—there’s a place for you. Find your people and get involved!
Also happening Friday: Progress Reports! Six weeks in is a great time to check in on your progress. Take a look at where you’re doing well, where you may need to make some adjustments, and what support you need moving forward. Remember—progress reports are a checkpoint, not the finish line!
As we continue to Build What Lasts, keep showing up, getting involved, asking for help when you need it, and taking ownership of your experience.
– ALL dual enrollment/college courses taken during high school MUST be reported to the UC application. You must report courses even if you receive a D or F.
– You must also report courses that were later repeated.
– UC will factor eligible dual enrollment courses into the UC GPA if they meet UC A–G criteria and are completed from the summer after 9th grade through the summer after 11th grade.
– UC-transferable college courses receive an extra GPA point, up to the UC eight-semester maximum.
– Do not omit a course because of a low grade or because it was repeated.
– When completing the UC application, report the complete and accurate college-course history.
Bottom line the UC shared last week: If your student took a college/dual enrollment course while in high school, report it — including D’s, F’s, and courses that were later repeated as they are checking transcripts against the clearing house. They will/have rescinded offers if they receive courses that were not reported.
The Atlas travel program has been sending Da Vinci students across the world for close to 15 years, partnering with EF Educational Tours to create journeys that are as educational as they are unforgettable. Led by teachers Frank Solis and Jennifer Shinn, Atlas has now travelled to more than 16 countries — and every trip positively changes the students who take it. As one student put it: “I would recommend the Atlas trips because it’s a good way to get to see other places around the world with your friends. It’s cool because we learn a lot on the trips but have a lot of fun as well.”
All Da Vinci high school students are welcome on these amazing trips that help connect our educational community and foster a keen curiosity to learn more about the world. As one student named Biannca said, “One of my favorite highlights from the trip was making new friends and meeting people from the different Da Vinci Schools who I didn’t think I’d ever talk to. We got to build connections with people that could last through the rest of your high school years or hopefully even beyond.”
For spring break 2028, Atlas is going to China! Students will immerse themselves in some of the most incredible highlights of China as the visit, Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Dujiangyan, and Shanghai! Wow! Come to the informational meeting on September 24 at 6:30 pm on Zoom. Register here!
