We want to start this week with a heartfelt “thank you” to our families, students, staff and community for the outpouring of support this week for those affected by the LA County fires. Thanks to DV community efforts, in collaboration with Pass it Forward and numerous community groups, over 2000 meals have been donated to firefighters, wildfire victims, volunteers and more.
If you are a DVD family who has been personally affected by the fires or high winds, please reach out to Principal Stoll, your counselor, or DVD Front Office as soon as possible so that we can offer support and resources. The health and safety of our students is our top priority. If you or someone you know is in need of resources at this time, please feel free to share this resource list.
Last week, Da Vinci Design hosted its annual Alumni Winter Mixer event. This event, coordinated by counselor and alumni liaison Pam Baker, is always a special event where we get to reconnect with our Da Vinci Design graduates with lunch, a panel discussion, and lots of mingling. This year, we also had representatives from the CA State Treasurers Office present to tell students about the CALKids scholarship. See photos from the event below.
This week, students signed up for seminar classes. We begin seminars (Period 7 and 8) next week. Students will receive their new schedules on Tuesday, 1/21 to confirm their new seminars. If a student would like to request a seminar change, they can do so through their counselor or the front office by asking for a “seminar change request form”. The last day to have a seminar change request considered is Friday, January 24th.
Da Vinci Schools “FAFSA Fridays Workshop Series” continues with a workshop TODAY, Friday, January 17th from 6:00pm-7:30pm at Da Vinci Communications (DVC) in Room 3203. You can register here for upcoming workshops; the next workshop is on Feb. 7th. Participants should register for ONE workshop as all workshops will cover the same material. Click here for more information, flyer, and QR sign-up.
Next week is a special schedule while we prepare to enroll seminar classes. Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 19:
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Mon, Jan. 20th: NO SCHOOL – MLK Jr. Holiday
Tues, Jan. 21st: Seminars (period 7 & 8) begin
Tues, Jan. 21st: Parent Advisory Committee #3
5pm via Zoom
Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) School Safety Plan Review. pt. 2, 3) WASC Introduction & Report Summary, 4) LCAP Goal #1 Review
Hoping this finds all of you safe, well and rested after the holiday break. We are looking forward to seeing you all back on campus next week. Second semester at Da Vinci Design starts on Monday, January 13th.
From: DV Central Office
Important Information on Indoor Air Filtration Systems
As the devastating fires continue to impact L.A. County and our region, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thoughts to everyone who has suffered immense loss and to express our deep gratitude to the brave first responders. Please know that our hearts are with you during this difficult time. The following blog post includes resources to support those affected by the wildfires as well as preparedness resources.
We look forward to welcoming our students back to our campuses beginning on Monday, Jan. 13. All Da Vinci schools remain open, but should circumstances change, we will notify families and staff immediately.
A complete message from Da Vinci Schools was sent to all families earlier today; more information can be found in the message sent, or the blog post above.
If you are a DVD family who has been personally affected by the fires or high winds, please reach out to Principal Stoll, your counselor, or DVD Front Office as soon as possible so that we can offer support and resources. The health and safety of our students is our top priority. If you or someone you know is in need of resources at this time, please feel free to share this resource list.
Next week is a special schedule while we prepare to enroll seminar classes. Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 18:
Semester 2 Seminar Sign-Ups:
Students will see a full list of seminars available on during Advisory on Monday. We will be signing students up for second semester seminars Wednesday, 1/15 – Friday, 1/17:
Wed, 1/15 during Flex Block (8:40am-9:25am): 12th grade Seminar Sign-Ups
Fri, 1/17 during English 9 (P1 + P5): 9th grade Seminar Sign-Ups
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Mon, Jan. 13th: First Day of Semester Two
Wed, 1/15 – Fri, 1/17: Seminar Sign Ups
Mon, Jan. 20th: NO SCHOOL – MLK Jr. Holiday
Tues, Jan. 21st: Parent Advisory Committee #3
5pm via Zoom
Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) School Safety Plan Review. pt. 2, 3) WASC Introduction & Report Summary, 4) LCAP Goal #1 Review
From our staff to your families, we wish all of you a happy holiday season. We hope you travel safely, eat well, and get lots of rest!
Semester two officially begins and classes resume on Monday, January 13th. See the calendar below:
Winter Break Front Office announcements:
All DVD offices will be closed for the break starting Monday, Dec. 23th until Friday, Jan. 3rd. If you need to reach us, please reach out via email and we are happy to assist.
For attendance and student records: reach out to Admin. Support Manager Leslie Alonso at lalonso@davincischools.org .
For all other questions or concerns, reach out to Principal Russell Stoll at rstoll@davincischools.org .
Report cards will be mailed to arrive the week of Dec. 23rd. If you have questions about final grades, please reach out to teachers directly via email. Grade appeals must be initiated via email within 30 days of the end of the semester. For more information about final grades, see the DVD Student and Family Handbook.
The Da Vinci Schools reception will be open during the break on select days. Please call us at 310-725-5800 between 9am-2pm to speak to someone on campus.
Collaborative Research Partnership 2024-2025 with UCLA
This year, Da Vinci Design is conducting two collaborative research projects with school partners. One research project is in partnership with University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) about how schools inform students’ social and academic development. The other research project is in partnership with America Succeeds, a non-profit educational advocacy group, which selected Da Vinci Design as a partner school in its efforts to understand how educational institutions teach students “durable skills”.
What does a research partnership look like?
A great opportunity for a school to work with experts in research to better understand our school practices and how we support students
It often means surveys, observations, and/or interviews to collect data
Participation is always voluntary, and always confidential; researchers must go through multiple approval processes before conducting research on campus with students
Da Vinci Design will begin its first round of surveys with students in partnership with UCLA from 1/13-1/17. Students will participate in a 25-minute survey during one class in collaboration with teachers. This study seeks to expand our understanding of how Da Vinci Design’s design-based learning framework and curriculum shapes students’ social and academic outcomes. Participation is voluntary.
OPT-OUT: If you would like your student to opt-out of participating in this survey, or if you would like more information before they participate, please send an email to Principal Russell Stoll (rstoll@davincischools.org) by Thursday, 1/9/25 at 4pm. You may also call or visit the DVD Front Office to request and sign an opt-out form.
This week, we began POLs at Design. It is a joy to see students present such a wide array or talents and skills: from live debates and socratic seminars to art projects and peer critique, students should be SO proud of all the hard work they are accomplishing as they finish the semester strong.
Next week is the last week of the Fall semester. This means that we are only one week away from Winter Break! Next week, to get into the holiday spirit before break, we hope all of our staff and students will participate in a Holiday-themed spirit week! See the dress up days listed below!
DVD will followminimum day schedules Dec. 12th-19th. School begins at 8:40am and school ends at 1:45pm every day.
A letter home regarding POL expectations and reminders was emailed to all parent/guardians this week. Click here for the “POL Letter to DVD Families” for important information regarding POLs.
See the Bell Schedules for Weeks 17 at DVD here:
Students: Our tutor Jay from Gravity Assist will be offering in-person tutoring during POL Prep Week and during POLs! See Jay’s schedule for Week 17 here:
Monday, 12/16 – Wednesday, 12/18 – 1:45-4pm (Available for after school tutoring – since students are not allowed to leave room for POL’s)
Thursday, 12/19 – NO TUTORING – POL’s are over!
End of Semester Announcements:
PowerSchool and Canvas access for students/parents will be blocked starting 12/11 to finalize semester grades. The last day for students to check grades before seeing a final grade on report cards will be Tues, Dec. 10th.
Report cards are mailed home on Friday, Dec. 20th.
School will not be in session during Friday, Dec. 20th through Friday, Jan. 10th, 2025. The first day of Semester Two is Monday, Jan. 13th, 2025.
POLs give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills and are an opportunity for students to reflect publicly on their learning. Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear professional attire. Any student with questions or needs regarding professional attire should speak to their counselor ASAP.
Happy Friday! We are in the final stretch of the semester, and POLs are around the corner.
DVD will followminimum day schedules Dec. 12th-19th. School begins at 8:40am and school ends at 1:45pm every day (INCLUDING FRIDAY Dec. 13th).
A letter home regarding POL expectations and reminders was emailed to all parent/guardians this week. Click here for the “POL Letter to DVD Families” for important information regarding POLs.
While our students are preparing and presenting the learning they’ve achieved over the semester, our teachers are hard at work viewing and scoring those presentations. For teachers, this also means long, 8 hour days being a part of panels.
One way that we show appreciation for our teachers during these long days is keeping them fed and caffeinated. And we would love your help!
If you would like to donate snacks like breakfast treats and coffee to our teachers, please use the sign-up below to tell us what you will be dropping off.
See the Bell Schedules for Weeks 16 & 17 at DVD here:
Kelvin Surveys are Due Today! Thank you for taking 5-10 minutes today to do the biannual survey via Kelvin. Families can complete this survey via email or text on a computer or mobile device.
Students: Our tutor Jay from Gravity Assist will be offering in-person tutoring during POL Prep Week and during POLs! See Jay’s schedule here:
Monday, 12/9 – Wednesday, 12/11: 3:45-5pm
Thursday, 12/12: 1:45-5pm
Friday, 12/13: NO TUTORING
Monday, 12/16 – Wednesday, 12/18 – 1:45-4pm (Available for after school tutoring – since students are not allowed to leave room for POL’s)
Thursday, 12/19 – NO TUTORING – POL’s are over!
Thank you to the families who joined us for our Coffee with Admin meeting on Wednesday! It is always great getting the chance to meet with families, hear what is on your mind, and share the great things happening at DVD. If you did not get a chance to meet with us this week, click here for the Coffee with DVD Admin slides from December 2024. Coffee with DVD Admin happens at 8am and 5pm via Zoom on the first Wednesday of every month.
End of Semester Announcements:
PowerSchool and Canvas access for students/parents will be blocked starting 12/11 to finalize semester grades. The last day for students to check grades before seeing a final grade on report cards will be Tues, Dec. 10th.
Report cards are mailed home on Friday, Dec. 20th.
School will not be in session during Friday, Dec. 20th through Friday, Jan. 10th, 2025. The first day of Semester Two is Monday, Jan. 13th, 2025.
POLs give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills and are an opportunity for students to reflect publicly on their learning. Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear professional attire. Any student with questions or needs regarding professional attire should speak to their counselor ASAP.
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Tues, Dec. 10th: Parent Advisory Committee #2
5pm via Zoom
Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) School Safety Plan Review, 3) WASC Introduction & Report Feedback
This week was Exhibition! Our 10th and 12th grade students did a phenomenal job. 10th Grade hosted the 3rd annual Boat Races at the El Segundo Aquatic Center, where our sophomores have used skills and concepts from all classed to design full-scale boats out of reclaimed cardboard and the raced them in the WDV pool. 12th Graders presented their Conscious Consumption Project. Seniors spent time this semester researching how to be conscious consumers, then developed products like lamps, handcrafted tote bags and ad campaigns based off of their research. See photos below from DVD’s Fall 2024 Exhibition!
Next week, 11/25-11/29, there is no school due to Thanksgiving Break. The DVD admin team, DVD front office team and central office team will be available via email on from 8am-4pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (11/25-11/27). You can also call Da Vinci Schools at 310-725-5800 to leave a voicemail during business hours and someone will get back to you. All administrative staff will be out of office Thursday and Friday (11/28 & 11/29).
For records requests (including work permits): reach out to Office Manager Maria Beltran at mbeltran@davincischools.org
For attendance and student information: reach out to Admin. Support Manager Leslie Alonso at lalonso@davincischools.org
For all other questions or concerns, reach out to Principal Russell Stoll at rstoll@davincischools.org
School resumes on Monday, December 2nd. Here is the Week 15 DVD Bell Schedule:
THANK YOU PARENTS AND FAMILIES!
We want extend a BIG THANK YOU to all of the DVD families who made contributions to our DVD staff gratitude baskets; thanks to all of you for donating time, treats, and messages of gratitude to our staff to help send them off on a much deserved break with a little something to let them know how appreciated they are. We love our DVD families!
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) had its first meeting of the year on Tuesday Nov. 19th. PAC is an opportunity for parents, students, & staff to work collaboratively to review the school program, review data and identify needs, & make recommendations regarding the School Safety Plan & the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). And this year it will be more important than ever as we gear up for our six-year WASC accreditation cycle and two exciting research partnerships. On Nov. 19th we discussed the purpose of of the committee, “what’s new” for 2024-2025, and research partnerships with UCLA and America Succeeds. If you are interested in seeing the slides and information shared during PAC #1, click here for the meeting slideshow or see the “DVD Parent Info Sessions & Coffee with Admin Slides” document on the DVD blog.
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Monday Nov. 25th – Friday Nov. 29th: NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break
Mon, Dec. 2nd: School Resumes!
Mon, Dec. 2nd: English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) meeting #2
5pm via Zoom; Link coming soon
Wed, Dec. 4th: Coffee w/ Admin
All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
We had a short but sweet week at Design, and ended with fun sports-themed community dialogue to celebrate our student athletes and our upcoming Winter sports season! The highlight was a staff vs student basketball where out students came out on top.
Next week on Thursday, November 21st is Fall Exhibition! Both 10th and 12th grade will be displaying work.
2pm-4:30pm at the El Segundo Aquatic Center, 10th Grade Boat Races:
Sophomores have used skills and concepts from Math and Chemistry class (like surface area and buoyancy) to design full-scale boats out of reclaimed cardboard in their Fundamentals of Design 2 class. And, on the afternoon of Exhibition, they will be racing each other across the ESAC pool for our 3rd annual Boat Race! We hope you can stop by to see who will be our champion this year.
5:30pm-7:30pm at 201 N. Douglas, 12th Grade Conscious Consumption Project:
Seniors spent time this semester researching how to be conscious consumers, and are developing products and ad campaigns based off of their research. 12th graders studied companies and organizations committed to sustainability and environmental awareness. Then, they worked on different deliverables related to their CTE pathway classes. In Graphic Design, they handmade screen printed canvas tote bags. In Architecture, they used the laser cutter to design and craft environmentally conscious lamps. In Entrepreneurship, students have created a media ad campaign around the theme. Come stop by and see the hard work of our Seniors in their final Exhibition!
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 14 at Da Vinci Design:
Collaborative Research Partnerships 2024-2025
This year, Da Vinci Design is conducting two collaborative research projects with school partners. One research project is in partnership with America Succeeds, a non-profit educational advocacy group, which selected Da Vinci Design as a partner school in its efforts to understand how educational institutions teach students “durable skills”. The other research project is in partnership with UCLA about how schools inform students’ social and academic development.
What does a research partnership look like?
A great opportunity for a school to work with experts in research to better understand our school practices and how we support students
It often means surveys, observations, and/or interviews to collect data
Participation is always voluntary, and always confidential; researchers must go through multiple approval processes before conducting research on campus with students
Da Vinci Design will begin its first round of surveys with students in partnership with America Succeeds next week. On Wed, 11/20 and Thurs, 11/21, students will participate in a 10-minute survey during class with the goal of understanding how DVD teaches durable skills to enhance students’ learning experience and engage in career connected learning. Participation is voluntary.
OPT-OUT: If you would like your student opt-out of this survey, or if you would like more information before they participate, please send an email to Principal Russell Stoll (rstoll@davincischools.org) by Tuesday, 11/19 at 4pm. You may also call or visit the DVD Front Office to request an opt-out form.
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 Friday, November 22nd. The idea is that each staff member will receive one basket containing treats and words of appreciation from students and families.
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 items (popcorn, gummies, trail mix, chips, hot chocolate, pretzels, candy, cookies), gift cards ($5 to Target, Starbucks, etc.), coffee drinks, sparkling water, tea, and any other non-perishable snacks. We need donated items collected by: Wednesday, November 20th. 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 Monday November 14th.
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is having its first meeting of the year next week. PAC is an opportunity for parents, students, & staff to work collaboratively to review the school program, review data and identify needs, & make recommendations regarding the School Safety Plan & the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). And this year it will be more important than ever as we gear up for our six-year WASC accreditation cycle and two exciting research partnerships. If you are interested in joining the Parent Advisory Committee, please email Russell Stoll at rstoll@davincischools.org for more information!
Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) Purpose of Committee, 3) DVD Spotlight: What’s New for 2024-2025, 4) Research Partnerships with UCLA and America Succeeds
Last week, we had our second Community Learning Day (CLD) on Friday, November 8th. Students who came to campus for in-person activities got to experience workshops on manufacturing, on college applications, and service learning just to name a few! Please remind your students to complete the CLD reflection form, whether they engaged in learning on or off campus, to make sure they get credit for attendance!
Thank you to the families who joined us for our Coffee with Admin meeting last Wednesday! It is great getting the chance to meet with families, hear what is on your mind, and share the great things happening at DVD. If you did not get a chance to meet with us this week, click here for the Coffee with DVD Admin slides from November 2024. Coffee with DVD Admin happens at 8am and 5pm via Zoom on the first Wednesday of every month.
Here is the Week 13 Bell Schedule for DVD:
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Fri, Nov. 15th: Community Dialogue (Go Sports!)
Thurs, Nov. 21st: DVD Exhibition! (Grade 10 and 12)
Mon, Nov. 25th – Fri, Nov. 29th: NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break
This week was Spirit Week at Da Vinci Design! We had so much fun in particular with our “Student-Teacher Swap” day, where students and staff got the chance to walk in each others’ shoes. We also held our annual Halloween costume contest on Thursday – congrats to all of our winners! We are ending the week with our fall dance, which is masquerade themed and will be a great way to round out Spirit Week. See Spirit Week photos below.
Here is the bell schedule for Week 12 at Da Vinci Design:
With the end of the semester and POLs approaching soon, it is time for our last round of progress reports. Progressreports are being mailed home next week on Nov. 8th. The purpose of progress reports is to give families the opportunity to have a snapshot of student progress, and to be able to have a conversation at home with students about how to stay successful in school. This information will also be used by teachers and counselors in their plans to support all students. Please follow up with your child’s teachers directly with any questions about assignments or grades.
It is time for our biannual family and student surveys! Next week, you will receive an email from a survey app called Kelvin.This is not spam! Please follow the prompt to complete an online survey from Kelvin to share your feedback on Da Vinci Design. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete the survey. We appreciate your time and your feedback!
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Fri, Nov. 1st: NO SCHOOL – STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Wed, Nov. 6th: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
Agenda: 1) Campus Updates & Highlights, 2) Upcoming Calendar Events, 3) DVD Research Partnerships w/ UCLA and America Succeeds, 4) Q&A
This week at Da Vinci Schools, we celebrated Red Ribbon Week. There were several events on campus to bring awareness to and share resources about drug prevention awareness and health. This year’s theme is: “Life is a Movie. Film Drug Free”. We hope to strengthen anti-drug-use attitudes and norms through sharing information. Especially with Halloween around the corner, we ask all of our students to be safe and make good choices as they engage in holiday festivities and social gatherings. If you would like to review any of the resources shared, please click here.
We are excited to celebrate Spirit Week on our campus next week with dress up days, leading up to our annual Halloween costume contest on Thursday. Please help remind all students that while costumes are encouraged, students are not allowed to bring prop weapons, full face masks, or excessive gore/blood. All costumes must be school appropriate, and students not in costume must adhere to dress code.
Here is the bell schedule for Week 11 at Da Vinci Design:
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Fri, Nov. 1st: NO SCHOOL – STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Wed, Nov. 6th: Coffee w/ Admin @8am and @5pm via Zoom
Fri, Nov. 8th: Community Learning Day #2
Fri, Nov. 8th: Progress Reports Mailed Home
Mon, Nov. 11: NO SCHOOL – Veteran’s Day Holiday
Thurs, Nov. 21st: DVD Exhibition Night! (Grade 10 and 12)
College Rep Visits (Week 11, 12 & 13): Seniors can sign up via Naviance
University of California San Diego – Thurs, Oct. 31st
