We invite you to take a few moments during the month of May to complete the Da Vinci Schools Family Survey. You will receive messages with your personalized survey link directly from Kelvin Education beginning on Monday May 4th, please take a few minutes to click on the link and take the survey before Friday May 29th. Your feedback plays a vital role in shaping the learning environment at your child’s school and across our entire organization.
The spring survey includes questions about school culture, teaching and learning, student experiences, and overall satisfaction-including how likely you are to recommend Da Vinci to others. Your honest input helps us celebrate what’s working and identify areas where we can improve.
Please look for a message from Kelvin and take the survey by Friday May 29th. Your voice is important, and every voice counts!
We’re stepping into Week 33, and the energy on campus is real. This time of year always hits a little different—in the best way. There’s momentum, there’s reflection, and there’s a whole lot to celebrate.
First up, Senior Prom. What a night! From the fits to the dance floor to the memories made, it was everything it needed to be and more. Huge shoutout to our seniors for showing up, celebrating each other, and creating a night that will stick with you long after graduation. Photos from prom will be added soon so stay tuned! At the same time, Senior Projects are in full swing and this is your moment to finish what you started. Seniors, stay locked in. Keep pushing, buckle down and finish strong. You’re close, really close.
We’re also in the home stretch of state testing, and our juniors have been putting in the work. Thank you for showing up, staying focused and pushing through. Your finish line is just around the corner, and that’s what matters!
And just like that…April is wrapping up. This month has been full — full of growth, challenges, wins, and moments that remind us why we do what we do. As we head into the final weeks of the year, this is where it all comes together. The habits, the effort, the community all culminates now.
So as we move through Week 33: Stay focused. Stay connected. Finish strong.
We’re not done yet, and the best is still ahead.
Here is the schedule for this week:
We also have AAPISU Spirit Week this week! Here are the days!
Upcoming Events:
Monday May 4th: AAPISU Spirit Week
Monday May 4th: Teacher Appreciation Week Begins
Wednesday May 6th: Coffee with Admin 5pm Via Zoom
Wednesday May 6th: DVD Open Mic at lunch
Thursday May 7th: Spanish 3 Field Trip
Friday May 8th: Cal Poly Slo Fine Arts Field Trip
Friday May 8th: AAPISU CD
Friday May 8th: Decision Day Celebration (Black Box)
Teacher Appreciation Week is right this week, May 4th–May 8th, 2026 and we’re excited to celebrate our incredible staff!
We’d love your help in making the week extra special by providing some treats (coffee and breakfast items) so they can enjoy in the morning.
If you’d like to bring a treat, please sign up in this sign-up genius to bring item(s) during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4th thru May 8th)
Please label all items “For DVD Teacher Appreciation” and deliver them to the first-floor reception area. Or you can also send it with your student. We’ll make sure they make it up to the fourth floor for our staff to enjoy!
Here are some of our staff’s favorite treats:
Bagels/breads
Donuts
Cookies/Brownies/Pastries/muffins
Fruit
Coffee
Thank you for helping us celebrate and show our staff how much they mean to our community! Your support truly makes a difference.
It’s another busy and important week here at DVD! Juniors will be starting the 2nd week of CAASPP State Testing, so our schedule will look a bit different midweek. Please be sure to check the updated schedule, which will also be shared on our social media platforms.
As we head into the second week of testing, we want to remind our Juniors that this is an opportunity to show what you know and how much you’ve grown. These assessments matter, they help us understand your progress and how we can continue to support you. Set yourself up for success: get a good night’s sleep, fuel your body, and come in ready to give your best effort. You’ve put in the work all year—now is your time to show it. We believe in you! Please see the schedule below!
Getty Field Trip
Our Juniors had an opportunity to visit The Getty last week! They had a great time sharing in the experience with our 11th grade teachers!
Teacher Appreciation Week Soon!!!!
The week of May 4th is Teacher Appreciation Week! We have had a couple families ask if they could help out and bring treats to celebrate! If you would like to please use the link below to sign up! Let’s celebrate our DVD staff and ALL they do! It’s all about them and sharing the love and gratitude for them!
It’s a busy and important week here at DVD! Students will be participating in both MAP Growth (MAPS) testing and CAASPP State Testing, so our schedule will look a bit different midweek. Please be sure to check the updated schedule, which will also be shared on our social media platforms.
As we head into testing, we want to remind our students that this is an opportunity to show what you know and how much you’ve grown. These assessments matter—they help us understand your progress and how we can continue to support you. Set yourself up for success: get a good night’s sleep, fuel your body, and come in ready to give your best effort. You’ve put in the work all year—now is your time to show it. We believe in you!
We also want to take a moment to celebrate last Friday’s Community Dialogue. A huge thank you to our Diversity Council for the time, care, and intention you put into planning such a meaningful experience. The message was clear and powerful: there is No Place for Hate. From the poetry to the music to the games, each element created space for reflection, connection, and community. We are proud of the voice you continue to bring to DVD.
Upcoming Events:
Monday April 20th: PAC Meeting 5pm
Tuesday April 21st: 11th Grade Getty Field Trip
Wednesday & Thursday April 22nd, 23rd: CAASPP Testing English
Thursday April 23rd: 9th/10th Grade Family College Planning Meeting 5pm
Friday April 24th: CLD
Wednesday & Thursday April 29th, 30th: CAASPP Testing Math
Friday May 1st: Professional Development Day (No Students)
This past week/weekend, our talented Fine Arts students, alongside our amazing staff, including Mr. Kartez, traveled to Houston, Texas to participate in the world-renowned Houston Art Car Parade and Awards Ceremony. For those who may not be familiar, the Houston Art Car Parade is the largest event of its kind in the world, celebrating creativity, innovation, and artistic expression through fully transformed, moving works of art.
Artists from across the country bring their vision to life by turning everyday vehicles into bold, imaginative masterpieces, and this year, Da Vinci Design was right in the mix.
Our students didn’t just participate…they made history.
Da Vinci Design took home FIRST PLACE!!
Let that sink in.
This achievement is a true reflection of the creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit of our students and staff. From the early design concepts to the countless hours of building, refining, and problem-solving, this project embodied what we believe in at DVD: learning that is hands-on, meaningful, and rooted in real-world application.
This wasn’t just an art project. It was engineering, storytelling, teamwork, and perseverance all rolled into one incredible experience.
We are beyond proud of our students for representing Da Vinci Design on a national stage and showing what it means to think boldly and create fearlessly. A huge thank you to Mr. Kartez, Steve Wallis, Bryan Benedict, and our Fine Arts students for leading this work and seeing the efforts through to take first place.
