Next week is a short week and so we will have a holiday Monday schedule. Please note the change in our bell schedule below for Week 19.
Here are a few other key updates:
Mon, 1/17: No school in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Tues, 1/18 – Thurs, 1/20: MAP testing will continue. Students who do not complete MAP testing by 1/20 will have the opportunity to do make up testing the following week.
Tues, 1/18 – Fri, 1/21: SEMINAR SIGN UPS will happen during the week. More details including Spring 2022 seminar offerings will be made available soon – stay tuned to the blog for more on seminars!
Wed, 2/2: DVD’s next School Site Council meeting (via Zoom – rescheduled from 1/19).
Fri, 2/4: No school – Staff Professional Development day.
Interested in playing beach volleyball? Girls beach volleyball is holding tryouts next week. If you haven’t already done so, all athletes must complete the athletic clearance process before attending tryouts. If you have any questions please contact coach Taube jtaube@davincischools.org.
Da Vinci Families: We hope this message finds you and your families healthy and well.
Return to School
As we prepare for the return to school next week, we are cognizant of the spread of COVID-19, and in particular, the Omicron variant. Today’s email update focuses on our return to school plan beginning Monday, January 10, 2022 for in-person learning. Please read this entire email for important information.
On January 1, 2022, Los Angeles County Public Health officials issued new protocols for TK-12 schools in a health order and a new exposure management plan to ensure appropriate mitigation strategies are in place during this surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. As we have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to carefully monitor and follow all state and local requirements, including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols for on-campus learning. We will continue to be prepared, flexible and responsive as conditions and County guidelines change.
The following new requirements have been enacted at all Da Vinci schools, effective immediately:
Masking is now required for all outdoor activities where physical distancing is not feasible, except while eating or drinking, due to the new health order from the LACDPH. Students are strongly recommended to wear masks that are well-fitting, non-cloth masks of multiple layers of non-woven material with a nose wire.
COVID-19 testing is required for all students and staff who are close contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID due to a school-based exposure, regardless of vaccination or booster status. Affected employees and students may participate in testing at their school site (more info below)
Staff are required to wear upgraded masks (three-ply surgical masks or higher-level PPE)
COVID Testing
We strongly encourage students to secure a COVID test prior to returning to campus beginning Monday, January 10, 2022. Below are several options for testing:
Pick up an At-Home COVID Test Kit on Thursday or Friday of this week. This drive-thru event will take place at 201 N. Douglas Street and is open to families from all Da Vinci school sites:
Thursday, January 6: 3:00-6:00pm
Friday, January 7: 7:30-10:30am
Each kit contains 2 tests. The recommendation is that parents/guardians administer one test at home to their student when you receive the kit and then again on Sunday, January 9 or in the early morning of January 10, 2022.
A negative test is not required for students and staff to return to school on January 10, but in the event your child exhibits any flu-like or cold symptoms, your child should get tested and remain at home.
Additional options for obtaining a test can be found at the following:
Please note *Wiseburn school sites Tues/Thurs PCR tests previously advertised are now unavailable to the public due to capacity limitations
On-site rapid testing for students with exposure or symptoms will resume for Da Vinci students January 10, 2022 during regular testing hours 8:15am-3:45pm daily. Students are not allowed to leave class to test and must use time before school, during lunch, and after school. Students should pre-register here if this is their first time testing at school.
Once school resumes next week, please report any positive COVID results as soon as possible to the Da Vinci Schools Nurse via email at egreen@davincischools.org in order to determine isolation and return dates.
As we return from the holidays, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) has issued a number of advisories. Please be sure to review the LACDPH travel advisory and guidance.
Get Vaccinated, Get Boosted
To find out about availability of boosters for anyone age 16 and up, or to schedule vaccination appointments for anyone age 5 and up, families are encouraged to visit California’s myturn.ca.gov website. Up-to-date vaccination will provide greater opportunity for all students to remain in school and on campus. Up-to-date vaccination status refers to having received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine when eligible or having completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series if not yet eligible for a booster. Students are only considered up-to-date if they have received a booster (when eligible).
We will be communicating with you soon about uploading vaccination documentation. In the interim, please have your child carry either a copy or digital version of their vaccination status at school as it may be required for contact tracing.
Closing Comments
Our priorities remain to reduce transmission, keep our schools open for in-person instruction, and do so safely. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. For additional questions about Coronavirus in Los Angeles County, please visit the LA County Department of Public Health coronavirus webpage. Thank you in advance for your efforts to ensure that our schools remain as safe as possible when students return to our campuses.
We were just notified the Wiseburn School COVID testing site(s) is now unavailable for Da Vinci students and Wiseburn community members for the foreseeable future. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Da Vinci Schools will be sending out more information today regarding testing options prior to returning to campus Monday. Thank you and again, apologies for any confusion/inconvenience.
Who: Rising Juniors and Seniors from DVC, DVD, and DVS
What: College courses at Da Vinci, through El Camino College. Courses meet transfer requirements for all Cal State and U.C. campuses, as well as most private colleges and universities.
Why: Get a start on your college credits! It looks great on your college applications.
Cost: Free! The state of California and Da Vinci Schools pick up the costs, including textbook fees. Donations to help cover the cost of the textbooks from families that can are appreciated.
Where: Classes will be held virtually on the El Camino College student portal due to COVID-19.
If you are interested, make sure you apply to El Camino College Spring 2022 term and turn in the attached completed dual enrollment form with your student ID number and/or the application confirmation number to your school counselor by Thursday December 16th, 2021 by 12:00pm. Classes start on Tuesday February 15th, 2022. To be eligible to take a dual enrollment class, the student will need to pass all their academic classes, have no credit recovery for a-g classes, and be a rising senior or junior student. Space is limited and we are accepting forms on a first come first serve basis!
For more information click on the following links:
This an opportunity for students to bring their own passions and interests to our seminar programming! Leading a seminar looks great on resumes and applications, and is a great opportunity to show leadership on campus.
For second semester, some seminars that use specialized equipment will require students to complete an application prior. If you interested in Advanced CrossFit, Photography, or Ceramics & Pottery, please complete the interest forms below:
Galleries are all password protected and the passwords are their student ID numbers.
Make-up appointments for cap & gown photos are available during our winter break on January 6-8, 2022. Students can sign up for a makeup appointment using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F45AFAF28A64-class
If you have any questions specific to your cap & gown photo order, please contact the photographer Stacee Lianna directly at seniors@staceelianna.com. Thank you!
We are just one week away from Fall Break and from our Thanksgiving Holiday! In the spirit of the season, please see the reminder below about opportunities to support and show gratitude for Da Vinci Design and our staff. Next week is a short week: students will only be on campus Monday-Thursday next week.
To show our appreciation, we are organizing Thanksgiving baskets to deliver to our school staff on Thursday, November 18th. 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 non-perishable snacks.
We need donated items collected by: Tuesday November 16th. All items can be left on the first floor front office.
2. 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 16.
End of Semester Calendar:
Lastly, a note about Exhibition: One of Da Vinci’s Signature Practices is Exhibition Night, an evening event for our community to come together to witness and celebrate how much our students have learned and grown in the project-based environment. Though we originally planned to hold an Exhibition Night this semester, we have decided to allow our teachers and students additional time to prepare for this important showcase. As a result, we will be rescheduling our Exhibition Night for second semester (January – June). We look forward to showcasing our students’ terrific projects in the new year, and we will let you know as soon as we decide on our new dates. See our updated calendar for first semester in the Resources bar, and below.
The Otis Fall 2021 Virtual Panel on Creative Futures in Art and Design is sure to be engaging and inspiring to all youth, parents, and educators interested in learning about opportunities in the creative workforce.
This event is just around the corner on Tuesday, November 16, at 6:30pm and is free to the public! Click on the link below to register.
