This week, our 9th graders participated in our annual Freshmen Overnighter Camp! 9th grade students, student leaders and staff got to connect with each other in the great outdoors. Everyone participated in fun activities, team building games, and important discussions that help prepare our 9th graders to make new friends and to transition into high school. See some pictures from the 2024 Overnighter Camp below! More photos will also be made available to 9th grade families next week!
Next week, we have a modified bell schedule due to the holiday weekend. And, all students will be participating in Picture Day to take their photos for school IDs and the Yearbook on 9/4 and 9/5. See the Week 3 bell schedule below for more details.
El Camino Dual Enrollment Application Resource
This week, a record number of students at Da Vinci Design expressed interest in taking a dual enrollment college class at El Camino College (ECC). Way to go Designers!
In order to be eligible for any dual enrollment course, students MUST first apply to be a student at El Camino College. The process some key steps and requirements, and we recommend students and families reviewing the resource here for more information:
Each semester, a limited number of spots to take a dual enrollment class during seminar is made available. Contact your counselor for more information.
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Mon, Sept. 2nd: NO SCHOOL – LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Week of Mon, Sept. 2nd: Seminars (P7 & P8) Begin
Wed, Sept. 4th & Thurs, Sept. 5th: Picture Day (during English classes)
Wed, Sept. 4th: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
ALL parents/guardians welcome!
Agenda: 1) School Updates, 2) CCSA Recognition, 3) Q&A
It feels great to be back to kick-off the new school year. Day One started as it traditionally does with staff cheering in students and gathering together for an assembly, and then heading off to Advisory for games and introductions. This week students got right into the kind of fun and engaging work we do at DVD: team building challenges in Entrepreneurship, relay games in Advisory, a “frozen t-shirt lab” in Physics, illustrated stories in English 9, and so much more! See pictures below from our First Day of School celebration!
This week, students also had a chance to select their Seminar classes. Seminars are classes at the end of the day where students may choose a class based on their interest like a sports/fitness seminar or a fun skill-building seminar like crochet or music appreciation. Student may also be enrolled in an academic support seminar to get extra help or tutoring. Seminars begin on Tuesday, Sept 3rd.
Each week, you can expect to see a blog post here wrapping up the previous week (often with shout-outs, highlights and photos) and announcing the upcoming week’s bell schedule along with other important dates. Here is the Week 2 Bell Schedule for DVD:
Dual Enrollment College Course Announcement:
This fall semester, Da Vinci Schools is offering 4 dual enrollment partnership courses with El Camino College. All courses are asynchronous online and start next week! Click here for more details and course descriptions.
IMPORTANT: In order to enroll in these classes, Da Vinci Schools will be hosting an application workshop in the RWL Center computer lab (1st floor) on Monday 8/26 from 3:00pm-4:30pm. Students should know their SSN# (if they have one) and whether or not their family is considered a military family when they come.
Key Dates and Upcoming Events:
Wed, Aug. 28th: 9th graders leave for Overnighter @ 8:40am
Thurs, Aug. 29th: 9th graders return from Overnighter @ approx. 2:30pm
Mon, Sept. 2nd: NO SCHOOL – LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Week of Mon, Sept. 2nd: Seminars (P7 & P8) Begin
Wed, Sept. 4th & Thurs, Sept. 5th: Picture Day (during English classes)
Wed, Sept. 4th: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
Tues, Sept. 10th: Back to School Night @ 5:30pm
Fri, Sept. 13th: No School – Professional Development Day
Thurs, Sept. 19th: DV Club & Service Learning Fair
Week 1 DVD Campus Highlight: First Day of School Welcome Assembly
Hope you all are enjoying the tail end of a fun, safe, and restful summer. We are officially just a few days away from the new school year, and we are so excited to be back! The first day of school is Monday, August 19th, 2024. Our staff has been back on campus and hard at work preparing to welcome students back for an excellent year.
Additional important info including the 2024-2025 school calendar, the updated Student and Family Handbook, and New Family Info can also be found in the “Resources” section (to the right via computer, or at the very of this webpage via mobile phone). You can also find highlights of important upcoming dates below.
Welcome back Designers! We look forward to making this year the best one yet!
Sincerely,
Team DVD
***
First Day of School Info: Monday, August 19th
On Monday, August 19th, students will first meet outside near the bike racks, then be welcomed into the Black Box theater. Students walk through a tunnel of cheering teachers to the black box, where the whole school gathers before meeting in small groups within the classrooms. All students will begin the day in Advisory, and will receive their class schedules in Advisory. PowerSchool access is temporarily locked while we upload student schedules – but will be accessible on the first day of school. If a student believes there is an error in their school schedule, students should go to the front office during passing period after Advisory.
Remember: traffic during the first two weeks of school is busier than usual; we recommend you arrive in the parking lot at least 15 minutes before your school start time to ensure your child makes it on time. See parking lot reminders below.
Note: DVD is focused on creating comfortable, enjoyable experiences for our neurodiverse population by priming, posting, and providing. Students can expect loud volume and large crowds. Earplugs will be available near the student check-in at the bike racks. For an alternate entry or other support, please contact Asst. Principal Kirk Takeyama (ktakeyama@davincischools.org) by Sunday, 8/18.
This is the DVD Week One Bell Schedule:
For the 2023-2024 school year, the start time for Da Vinci Design will remain the same at 8:40am Monday-Thursday and the traditional “late start” for Friday is 9:45am. The end time for the school day in 3:45pm each day.
Key Dates and Upcoming Events:
Mon, Aug. 19th: First Day of School!
Wed, Aug. 21st: 12th & 11th graders sign-up for seminars
Thurs, Aug. 22nd: 10th & 9th graders sign-up for seminars
Wed, Aug. 28th: 9th graders leave for Overnighter @ 8:40am
Thurs, Aug. 29th: 9th graders return from Overnighter @ approx. 2:30pm
Mon, Sept. 2nd: NO SCHOOL – LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Week of Mon, Sept. 2nd: Seminars (P7 & P8) Begin
Wed, Sept. 4th & Thurs, Sept. 5th: Picture Day (during English classes)
Wed, Sept. 4th: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
Tues, Sept. 10th: Back to School Night @ 5:30pm
Fri, Sept. 13th: No School – Professional Development Day
Thurs, Sept. 19th: DV Club & Service Learning Fair
Parking Lot Details and Reminders
Please drive safely and patiently in the parking lot; this means entering and exiting through the properly marked areas, dropping students off only in marked areas, and following the directions of our grounds supervision crew
Drop off areas are located 1) at 201 N. Douglas AND at 2) [East] Grand Avenue. Do NOT stop in traffic to drop off students across the street or anywhere along Duley Road.
Remind your students to please stay on the designated pedestrian pathways in order to help maintain their safety as they enter the school campus.
Remember: you don’t have to wait to get to the front of line of the drop off area to have your students exit the vehicle. They should exit as soon as the vehicle has come to a safe, complete stop. This will help to make sure the drop off area is used as efficiently as possible.
Students will not be allowed to enter or leave school through the gym or the pool deck at any time.
For updates every week, keep checking back here at the DVD blog!
Once again, welcome to Da Vinci Design! It was a pleasure sharing a bit of what DVD is all about during our New Families Welcome webinar. If you would like to review any of the information shared from Mr. Takeyama, Ms. B or myself, or if you were not able to watch the webinar live, see the links below for a recording of the webinar and to see the slides that we shared:
From all of the faculty and staff at Da Vinci Design, we wish you a wonderful summer break! Monday, August 19th is the first day of school for students in the 2024-25 school year. We will see you in August!
Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2024! It was an honor and pleasure watching you walk the stage yesterday. Graduation photos from yesterday have been uploaded for families here – you may access and download them for FREE thanks to our incredible photographer Stacee:
Report cards: have been put into the mail today and will be arriving next week. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to the Da Vinci Design Front Office and ask for Assistant Principal, or send an email to ktakeyama@davincischools.org for any questions regarding work permits, enrollment, summer dates, etc. The DVD Front Office is open Monday-Friday (except for holidays) from 8am to noon.
June 11th: Summer Session 1 begins (by referral from counselors) Summer school forms were distributed to students last week. If your student received a summer school form, you must register for summer school. Please reach out to your child’s counselor for more information.
Please stay tuned over the summer! We will be making announcements for new families AND returning families here on the blog. See you in August!
Can you believe it? Next week is the LAST WEEK of the school year. And this week – students have been doing a phenomenal job with POLs. Presentations of Learning (POLs) wrap up on 6/3 and 6/4 for POLs in Period 5 and 6. POLs are performance based assessments which give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills, and they give students space to reflect publicly on their learning.
Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear formal attire. Any student in need of formal attire, please contact the front office and we will be happy to accommodate.
Graduation Ceremony Info for 12th Grade Parents/Guardians and Families:
As graduation nears, we wanted to provide you with specific information regarding the day of the Graduation Ceremony. In order to accommodate everyone for this large gathering and celebration, please review this key information, and click here for more info:
Leading up to POLs, 10th grade students have been receiving information in their Fundamentals of Design 2 class with Mr. Kartez about the CTE Pathway Selection process. During POLs, Sophomores will complete a survey selecting their preferences for whether they want to be in the Architecture, Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship, or Fine Arts pathway. This pathway course selection will dictate their schedule for 11th and 12th grade year.
The final decision will be made in their Sophomore design class as part of their POLs. ALL Sophomores must complete the Pathways Selection Survey in order to have their preference considered for their 11th grade courses.
For questions, please reach out to your counselor.
Key Dates and Upcoming Events
Mon, June 3rd – Tues, June 4th: Presentations of Learning (POLs)
Minimum day schedules – school out at 1:45pm
Students in professional dress
Wed, June 5th: Last Day of Classes for 2023-24 School Year
Thurs, June 6th at 1pm: DVD Graduation Ceremony
12pm: Call time for all graduates
Location: Gym @ 201 N. Douglas, tickets required
Fri, June 7th: Report Cards Mailed Home
Please note: PowerSchool access is locked for students and parents through summer for end of semester report card preparation, and in order to prepare schedules for the Fall 2024 semester. If you have questions regarding Spring 2024 report cards or grades, reach out to your counselor via email, and you will receive a reply when school staff return in August.
This week was the last week of regular classes at DVD! And, we had so much to celebrate as we wrap up what has been a great year at DVD. We marked our Seniors’ final exhibition with the annual Senior Showcase event on Wednesday night. Then, our Queer Student Union hosted a community dialogue in honor of Pride Month on Friday morning. Finally, we are ending the week by dancing it out with “Banda Night” hosted by our Latinx Student Union. See below for photos from the 12th grade Senior Showcase event!
Presentations of Learning (POLs) are happening NEXT WEEK (5/28 – 6/4). POLs are performance based assessments which give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills, and they give students space to reflect publicly on their learning.
Please note: PowerSchool access is locked for students and parents starting 5/28 and through summer for end of semester report card preparation, and in order to prepare schedules for the Fall 2024 semester. If you have questions regarding Spring 2024 report cards or grades, reach out to your counselor via email, and you will receive a reply when school staff return in August.
Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear formal attire. Any student in need of formal attire, please contact the front office and we will be happy to accommodate.
Here is the Week 37 + 38 Bell Schedule:
Graduation Ceremony Info for 12th Grade Parents/Guardians and Families:
As graduation nears, we wanted to provide you with specific information regarding the day of the Graduation Ceremony. In order to accommodate everyone for this large gathering and celebration, please review this key information, and click here for more info:
Leading up to POLs, 10th grade students have been receiving information in their Fundamentals of Design 2 class with Mr. Kartez about the CTE Pathway Selection process. During POLs, Sophomores will complete a survey selecting their preferences for whether they want to be in the Architecture, Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship, or Fine Arts pathway. This pathway course selection will dictate their schedule for 11th and 12th grade year.
The final decision will be made in their Sophomore design class as part of their POLs. ALL Sophomores must complete the Pathways Selection Survey in order to have their preference considered for their 11th grade courses.
For questions, please reach out to your counselor.
Key Dates and Upcoming Events
Mon, May 27: NO SCHOOL – MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY
Tues, May 28th – Tues, June 4th: Presentations of Learning (POLs)
Minimum day schedules – school out at 1:45pm
*NOTE: School starts at 8:40am on Friday, 5/31 (not 9:45am) due to POL schedule
Wed, June 5th: Last Day of Classes for 2023-24 School Year
There have been so many great event happening at DVD this past week! On Saturday, 5/11, our 10th Grade Honors Art students participated in an Art Show called “Camp Kitsch” @ Indivisible Arts in Hermosa Beach. Students displayed paintings, sculptures, and multimedia work in a professional gallery space with live music. Then, on Wednesday 5/15, we celebrated Decision Day and Senior Awards Night with our Class of 2024! Seniors declared their post-high school plans, wore swag for the colleges they will attend, and were surprised by their parents and families with a celebratory potluck in the BlackBox. We wrapped up the week with a Career Day presentation in our 9th and 10th grade classrooms! Organized by a group of 12th grade students for their Senior Project, we had representatives from design industries present personal career experiences. See below for photos from the 10th grade Honors art show and 12th grade Decision Day!
Presentations of Learning (POLs) are happening from 5/28-6/4! POLs are performance based assessments which give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills, and they give students space to reflect publicly on their learning. Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear formal attire. Any student in need of formal attire, please contact the front office and we will be happy to accommodate.
Week 36 DVD Bell Schedule:
Key Dates and Upcoming Events
Wed, May 22nd: Senior Showcase Exhibition (5:30 to 7:30 PM @ WWOO Concrete Outdoor Kitchen)
Thurs, May 23rd: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #5
*5pm via Zoom*
Agenda: 1) Public Comment, 2) 23-24 School Data Review, 3) Final LCAO Feedback Review, 4) Meeting Reflections
Thanks for another great week at DVD! This week, we celebrated our awesome team of educators all week long in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to all of our amazing families for recognizing the dedicated team Da Vinci Design this week.
Then, we wrapped up the week with Community Dialogue in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, hosted by DVD’s AAPISU Club. We played games, featured special performances, and had so much fun! See photos below.
Da Vinci Schools would like to remind you that it is mandatory for all vehicles parked on the 201 campus to display a valid parking permit during school hours. This includes all students who drive to school and park on campus. On Monday, May 13, 2024, we will begin enforcement of towing vehicles parked without a valid permit. Any car that has already been cited twice this year will be towed on the third offense. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a safe and organized parking environment on campus. For questions, please contact Lead Safety Officer Glenn Noya at gnoya@davincischools.org.
Key Dates and Upcoming Events
Sat, May 11th: DVD 10th Grade Honors Art Show
@ Indivisible Arts in Hermosa Beach
4:30pm-8pm
Art, Live Music, and Fun!
Mon, May 13th – Thurs, 16th: Last week of seminar classes!
Wed, May 15th: Class of 2024 Decision Day Celebration & Senior Awards Night
Wed, May 22nd: Senior Showcase Exhibition (5:30 to 7:30 PM @ WWOO Concrete Outdoor Kitchen)
Mon, May 27: NO SCHOOL – MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY
Tues, May 28th – Tues, June 4th: Presentations of Learning (POLs)
Minimum day schedules – school out at 1:45pm
*NOTE: School starts at 8:40am on Friday, 5/31 (not 9:45am) due to POL schedule
Wed, June 5th: Last Day of Classes for 2023-24 School Year
Week 34 Campus Highlight: Community Dialogue in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (hosted by DVD’s AAPISU Club)
Tonight is PROM NIGHT! We are excited to eat, dance and celebrate with our Class of 2024. Don’t forget that Prom was moved to a new location – here are the details:
WHAT: Senior Prom WHEN: Friday, May 3, 2024 | 6:30-10:00 PM WHERE:The Terrace, 2361 Rosecrans Ave., 2nd Floor, El Segundo – NEW LOCATION
(The Terrace is located at the corner of Rosecrans/Continental Circle; there is plenty of free parking in the parking structure)
Next week (May 6th – May 10th) is Teacher Appreciation Week! Feel free to join us in appreciating our staff by helping to provide some treats for our staff this week. Sign up below to drop off some items on the morning on select days for the week of May 6-10th.
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: Appreciation Notes. Handwritten notes can be dropped off to the office anytime during the week.
