Da Vinci Design

Dear 10th Grade Parents/Guardians,

You are invited to the first session of DVD’s 10th Grade Parent/Guardian Group.

More information and RSVP QR code are below.

We hope to see you there!

Happy Monday DVD Families!

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

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

Dual Enrollment Information Session (Da Vinci Schools)

Thursday, January 25^th 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!

Join Information Session

or

https://elcamino-edu.zoom.us/j/88291330845

Hello Class of 2024 families!

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.

Dear Designers & families,

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!

Dear Seniors,

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

• Changes to the FAFSA (video)
• 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:
  1. Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship – due 12/15/23
  2. Edison Scholars – due 1/23/24
  3. Equitable Excellence Scholarship Program– due 12/18/23
• Here are some scholarship databases to search on your own:
  • https://www.chegg.com/Scholarships
  • https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships
  • https://www.fastweb.com/

Deadlines for FAFSA/CADAA:

• University of California: March 2, 2024
• Cal State University: April 2, 2024
• Private Universities: Check each university site as deadlines vary

We know there are a lot of updates and we are here to help!  Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

Have a great week!

Your DVD Counselors

Pam, Nicole and Omar

Dear DVD Students, Parents, and Guardians,

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:

1. 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.

1. 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

Dear DVD Students, Parents, and Guardians,

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:

1. 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.

1. 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