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.
Archive for September 30, 2024
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
- Navigate to the Da Vinci Design gallery
- Enter your student name and their 5-digit ID number
- 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)
Cloud Computing Pathway – El Camino College
Hello Designers,
El Camino College is offering Cloud Computing Career Pathway for 10th, 11th and 12th graders. Please click here for complete flyer: Cloud Computing El Camino
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
- Navigate to the Da Vinci Design gallery
- Enter your student name and their 5-digit ID number
- 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
Week 5 Preview & School Attendance Update
Greetings Designers and Design Families,
It was great to have so many of you on campus for Back To School Night on Tuesday! We began with a brief presentation in the BlackBox theater from grade-level teams, and then we headed up to the fourth floor to meet and greet teachers in classrooms. If you did not get a chance to meet with us this week, click here for the Back To School Night slides from Sept 4th 2024.
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 5 at DVD:
Exciting News About School Attendance!
Thanks to recent updates in California’s education laws, students can now receive credit for attendance even if they miss a day of school, as long as they’re still engaged in learning. In other words: If your child participates in an educational activity or completes makeup work assigned by their teacher during an absence, they can still be marked “present” for that day. To avoid your child being marked “absent”, have your child fill out this simple form:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about attendance for parents/guardians:
- Q: Do I still need to report my child’s absence to the school?
A: Yes please! Keep doing what you are doing by calling or emailing the front office any time your child is going to be absent. - Q: If my child is out sick and they absolutely cannot do work, do they have to complete this form?
A: No. They will be marked “excused absent” for that day. - Q: Is this different from the Community Learning Days (aka: CLDs) that I am hearing about?
A: Yes – this is is new, and different from CLDs. There will be a different but similar form that students will complete on Community Learning Days. - Q: Why is this form called “independent study”?
A: Thanks to new law signed into place in summer 2024, students at Da Vinci Schools are now able to participate in 15 days of short-term independent study that assists their school in recovering critical attendance funding for days missed. Being present on campus is still incredibly important to student learning, connectedness, and equity. School sites will continue to follow up with students who miss more than 10% of school days, but the new law helps to acknowledges that students sometimes need to miss school but can still engage in educational activities while they are not physically present on campus as well. - Q: Is there anything I will have to do as a parent/guardian to approve this?
A: Yes. A signature form will be sent home soon to each Da Vinci Schools family which will have even more information on Short Term Independent Study. - Q: Who can I reach out to for more information about Short Term Independent Study or absences?
A: Reach out to your DVD Admin team:
Principal Russell Stoll (rstoll@davincischools.org) or Asst. Principal Kirk Takeyama (ktakeyama@davincischools.org)
Your involvement helps our school count these days as attendance. Thank you for supporting your child’s education!
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
- Friday, Sept. 20th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
- Thursday, Sept. 26th: *NEW DATE* DV Club & Service Learning Fair
- Wednesday, Oct. 2nd: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
- Friday, Oct. 4th: NO SCHOOL – Local Holiday
- Friday, Oct. 11th: Community Learning Day
- Mon, Oct. 14th – Thurs, Oct. 17th: Student Led Conference (SLCs)
College Rep Visits (Week 5, 6 & 7): Seniors can sign up via Naviance
- University of Southern California – Tues, Sept. 17th
- John Hopkins University – Thurs, Sept. 19th
- University of California Irvine – Mon, Sept. 30th
- Boston University – Wed, Oct. 2nd
New Partnership with Hazel Health, a Free Resource for Mental Health Services
Dear Da Vinci Families,
We are excited to announce a new partnership with Hazel Health, an innovative service now available to support the mental health needs of all Da Vinci students in grades TK-12. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive care and resources, Hazel Health offers access to licensed healthcare professionals and services, both at school and from home.
What is Hazel Health?
Hazel Health connects students with a mental health counselor for virtual visits directly from school, or the comfort of your home, at no cost to families. Hazel Health ensures that your child receives timely care for mental health support.
How it Works
- School-Based Care: Students and families can work with the Da Vinci Counselors to set up appointments for teletherapy at designated times from campus. Students will be supervised in a safe and privatized space for therapy sessions.
- If your student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and there is a concern or question about how this general education offered service would be incorporated into their school day with their current special education programming and services, please contact/consult with Dr. Lynn Rodriguez, Director of Special Education to answer any questions or seek clarification (lrodriguez@davincischools.org). Otherwise, families with an IEP or Section 504 plan should reach out to their case manager/counselor to meaningfully incorporate this service during your day.
- At-Home Care: Families can schedule telehealth visits from home. Appointments are accessible and can be done on your own schedule between 7am-7pm, Monday through Friday.
Services Provided by Hazel Health:
Mental Health Counseling: Hazel Health provides support for anxiety, depression, grief, and other mental health concerns.
Why Hazel Health?
- Convenient Access: No need for appointments or travel time. Support is provided virtually when your child needs it.
- No Cost to Families: Services are free for all students at Da Vinci Schools, ensuring that every family has access to care.
- Confidential & Secure: All services are confidential, and student privacy is a top priority.
Getting Started
To begin using Hazel Health, simply complete the consent form listed on the website https://getstarted.hazel.co/district/davincischools. You can also reach out to your school counselor for assistance in signing up. We are thrilled to bring this important resource to our Da Vinci community and are confident that Hazel Health will help us keep students happy, healthy, and ready to learn.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students’ well-being.
Best regards,
Erin Whalen
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Da Vinci Schools
ewhalen@davincischools.org
Week 4 Preview: Back to School Night on Tues, 9/10
Greetings Designers and Design Families,
Next week is Back to School Night! 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 will head up to the fourth floor to meet and greet teachers in classrooms. Please note that the presentation for 9th and 10th grade families is at 5:30pm and the presentation for 11th and 12th grade families is at 6pm. See the schedule for Back to School Night here:
Thank you to the families who joined us for our first Coffee with Admin meeting of the school 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 Sept 2024..
Coffee with DVD Admin happens at 8am and 5pm via Zoom on the first Wednesday of every month.
Lastly, the DVD Admin team had an opportunity to push into classrooms with each student this week in order to present on schoolwide expectations. These presentations cover a wide range of topics in order to reiterate key policies and help student be ready for a successful year at Design. Click here to see the slides for the DVD Admin Class Visits (2024-2025) on Schoolwide Expectations.
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 4 at DVD:
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
- Tues, Sept. 10th: Back to School Night @ 5:30pm
- Fri, Sept. 13th: No School – Professional Development Day
- Friday, 9/20: Progress Reports Mailed Home
- Thurs, Sept. 26th: *NEW DATE* DV Club & Service Learning Fair