DVD is hosting an optional opportunity to take the SAT on April 15th. DVD 11th-grade students can opt-in to take the SAT during this school day, free of charge, by completing the Spring 2024 DVD Opt-In SAT form by Wednesday, March 27th (a Da Vinci account is required to fill out the form). If there is a lot of interest, priority will be given to students in the order they sign up. Please direct questions to your/your students’ counselor.
We hope you had a great weekend. Thank you to all the students and parents that were able to attend the El Camino College Dual Enrollment Information session that was held on 1/25/2024. Here is the webinar recording and Here is PDF of the presentation with hyperlinks included.
Students who are planning to enroll in Dual Enrollment courses are highly encouraged to watch the recording with their parents before applying to El Camino College.
Da Vinci Schools is hosting a hands on FAFSA/Dream Act workshop on our campus, where an El Camino College financial aid rep will be here to answer your financial aid/FAFSA/CA Dream Act questions, help you fill out the applications, and submit that night! This is taking place on the DV Science floor on Tuesday January 30th, 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Please RSVP HERE so we know how many computers will be needed.
Please have an FSA ID created and verified before the night. Please CLICK HERE to apply for an FSA ID
Please bring with you on the night:
Social Security Number -parent(s) and student-
Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. Citizen)
Federal Income Tax Return 2022, W2’s, and other records of money earned
Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
If you have any questions, please reach out to your counselor.
Pam Baker, Last names A-GL Nicole Tafoya, Last names Go-O Omar Sanchez, Last names P-Z
DV counselors are hosting a hands on FAFSA/Dream Act workshop on the 201 campus, where an El Camino College financial aid rep will be here to answer your financial aid/FAFSA/CA Cream Act questions, help you fill out the applications, and submit that night! This is taking place on the DV Science campus on Tuesday January 30th, 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Please RSVP HERE so we know how many computers will be needed.*
Please have an FSA ID created and verified before the night. Please CLICK HERE to apply for an FSA ID
Please bring with you on the night:
Social Security Number -parent(s) and student-
Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. Citizen)
Federal Income Tax Return 2022, W2’s, and other records of money earned
Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
If you have any questions, please reach out to your counselor.
Pam Baker, Last names A-GL Nicole Tafoya, Last names Go-O Omar Sanchez, Last names P-Z
Interested in taking Dual Enrollment courses during the school year and/or summer?
El Camino College is offering a Dual Enrollment Information Session for parents and students to learn more about the application process and requirements. This session is highly encouraged for students that have not registered for a Dual Enrollment class before.
Dual Enrollment Information Session (Da Vinci Schools)
Thursday, January 25th 2024
5:00-6:00 p.m.
This 1-hour workshop is for prospective high school students and parents to receive an overview of Dual Enrollment in traditional El Camino College classes as well as in classes offered in partnership with your high school.
No registration necessary – join via link below at 5:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!
Over the winter break, the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) opened and are now available to submit. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for a variety of aid including federal, state, and school-based, as well as grants and scholarships. Please use THIS CHECKLIST to ensure that you are prepared to fill out FAFSA or CADAA, starting with obtaining an FSA ID, which is needed by both student and parent.
The sooner you complete the FAFSA or CADAA the better, as some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit Studentaid.gov to begin the FAFSA application or visit Dream.csac.ca.gov to begin the CADAA application.
*DVD is hosting a hands on FAFSA/Dream Act workshop on our campus, where an El Camino College financial aid rep will be here to answer your financial aid/FAFSA/CA Cream Act questions, help you fill out the applications, and submit that night! This is taking place on the DVD campus on Tuesday January 30th, 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Please RSVP HERE so we know how many computers will be needed.*
FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
The California Student Aid Commission is hosting various online Financial Aid Workshops to help with applications. Check out their free resources and sign up for a free webinar HERE.
Da Vinci School Counselors will also be hosting a Parent Financial Aid Workshop Night in which we cover the steps of filling out the FAFSA. Our Parent Financial Aid Workshop Night will happen this semester and we are working on finalizing a date. Expect an update soon! Please note this is separate than the hands-on workshop on Jan. 30th.
If you have need assistance or have any questions, please reach out to your 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
Happy holidays! With winter break upon us, we encourage you to relax, unwind, and settle into a safe and restful break.
The holiday season is a time for togetherness and joy, but it can sometimes bring unwelcome guests, like stress and grief. Some of us may be experiencing the holidays without a loved one. Some of us may be balancing endless to-do lists from shopping to entertaining. While we each celebrate this season’s joys, it’s important to stay mindful, acknowledge our feelings, and reach out for help if needed.
To help keep your holidays bright, below is a helpful resources. We encourage you to save this resource so you can easily reference them should you or a family member need help.
Da Vinci Schools partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of our community. If you or a family member are looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can help you quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. This is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by Da Vinci Schools. If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a mental health care provider:
Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
Visit www.caresolace.com/davincischools and either search on your own or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
May you enjoy your break and return rested and reinvigorated for a fantastic new year!
November 30th was the application deadline for UC applications and most CSU applications. However, there are a number of CSU campuses that are continuing to accept applications and a list can be found here. Students can also apply to UC Merced until January 15, 2024.
Other highlights:
Community College: applications are open! Most students who have El Camino College on their college list completed their application during their advisory class. In the spring, we will take prospective seniors to El Camino College to help them complete the enrollment process. If you haven’t finished filling it out and/or need help, please see Erin!
Private Universities: Many seniors submitted their applications during the months of November and December. Some seniors are still working through their private university applications via the Common App. and will continue to do so until early 2nd semester for those universities that have a later deadlines.
University Portals: Once applications are submitted, many universities will require students to create a portal. Portals are the main method of communication for many universities. Please encourage your student to keep a close eye on their email, including spam, to access important information from prospective universities.
Financial Aid Update:
The Department of Education just announced that the FAFSA will be available by December 31, 2023. We encourage you to create an FSA ID, which allows you to digitally sign the FAFSA, prior to the launch. Both student and at least one parent need FSA IDs. Financial aid updates and resources are below:
Create an FSA ID – it takes 2-3 to process so creating one now will allow you to start the FAFSA when it opens
The California Student Aid Commission announced that the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), financial aid application for undocumented students, will be launch at the same time as the FAFSA.
Complete the CSS Profile, if applicable. The CSS Profile is used by private universities. Here is the list for participating schools. Please check each university’s financial aid website for CSS and FAFSA deadlines as they vary. Ex: USC requires students/families to submit CSS profile.
Below is a list of scholarships with upcoming deadlines, please check the blog regularly as scholarships are posted here when avaialble:
As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, we are all grateful for the tremendous work of our school staff – from our teachers to counselors to paraeducators to custodians to front office staff. To show our appreciation, we are organizing Thanksgiving baskets to deliver to our school staff on Thursday, November 16th. The idea is that each staff member will receive one basket containing treats and words of appreciation from students and parents/guardians.
Here is how you can contribute to the baskets of Thanksgiving:
Items: If you are interested and able to purchase something to show your appreciation, please consider non-perishable items such as: individually wrapped : pop corn, gummies, trail mix, chips, hot chocolate, pretzels, candy, cookies, gift cards ($5) to target, Starbucks, coffee, sparkling water, tea, and any other non-perishable snacks. We need donated items collected by: Tuesday November 14th. All items can be left on the first floor front office.
Words of Appreciation: There is nothing that means more to school staff than words of appreciation or encouragement. Please consider handwriting a note of thanks or typing one digitally here: DVD Staff Appreciation Notes We will be printing these digital messages and including all words of appreciation in the baskets. Handwritten notes can be dropped off by Tuesday November 14th.
With gratitude for your ongoing encouragement and support,
Russell Stoll Kirk Takeyama Korina Barefield
Principal Assistant Principal Dean of Student Success & Culture
