The 7th annual Johnstone Scholarship application is now open and ready for Da Vinci Seniors to apply! Applications are due Friday, April 25th. No late applications will be accepted. The application link is below.
They intend to select one deserving scholarship recipient from each Da Vinci school.
About the Johnstone Scholarship:
Through the Wiseburn Education Foundation, Dr. Tom and Terry Johnstone have set up a scholarship to help five lucky Da Vinci seniors get a head start their freshman year of college. Dr. Johnstone was the superintendent in Wiseburn for many years and played a significant role helping to open the high school. With his help, Wiseburn Education Foundation is thrilled to be able to offer scholarships to our high school seniors.
It was another great week here at Design! We had some awesome field trips: a Graphic Design field trip to the Brand Library & Art Center, as well as field trips for 10th graders to colleges CSU San Marcos, CSU Fullerton, and Loyola Marymount University. We had an epic guest speaker: animator and show runner Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!, Dinosaur Train) came and spoke to students in the Fine Arts pathway and honors art students, sharing industry knowledge and professional sketch book portfolios. We also had a 12th grade movie night and QSU hosted a game night after school!
Next week, DVD’s Diversity Council is hosting a spirit week to celebrate diversity, leading up to a community dialogue celebration on Friday. See the flyer below, as well as photos from field trips and our guest speaker event this week!
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 28 at Da Vinci Design:
Last Chance to Get Your Grad Nite Tickets: Deadline is March 28th!
Attention all seniors at Da Vinci Design! The clock is ticking down to one of the most memorable nights of your high school experience. If you haven’t already secured your spot, don’t forget that March 28th is the final day to purchase your Grad Nite tickets!
This event is a celebration of all the hard work, achievements, and friendships that have made your senior year unforgettable. Grad Nite offers a chance to enjoy a magical night with your classmates at Disneyland, full of fun activities, music, and memories to last a lifetime.
Whether you’ve already been counting down the days or are just realizing that time is running out, this is the moment to make sure you’re part of this epic night. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the celebration!
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Mon, Mar. 31st: NO SCHOOL – Cesar Chavez Holiday
Thurs, Apr. 10th: Exhibition Night!
9th / 10th / 11th Grade presentations
5:30pm – 7:30pm
Mon, Apr. 14th – Friday, Apr. 18th: NO SCHOOL – Spring Break
Mon, Apr. 21st: Community Learning Day – No Classes
Tues, Apr. 22nd: Classes Resume – Return from Spring Break
Campus Highlights, Week 28: College Field Trips and Guest Speaker Craig Bartlett
So much good stuff at DVD this week! We wrapped our awesome production of GREASE this past weekend. Shout out to the hard work and exceptional talent of our students in the musical theater program and our theater director, Diane Feldman. Also, it was great having so many of you all on campus for Student Led Conferences this week. Thank you for participating in such meaningful conversations about student progress and support. We also hosted the annual Da Vinci Schools Career Connected Learning conference. We welcomed 70+ leaders from 35+ schools & organizations from across the region, state, and country to Da Vinci Schools on March 12-14. We are so proud to share our amazing Career Technical Education programing, and are proud of our students for being such a big part of this conference by acting as ambassadors and displaying their incredible work. Lastly, it is the annual FIRST Robotics Competition hosted in the gym this weekend! Go Vitruvian Bots!
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 27 at Da Vinci Design:
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Tues, Mar. 18th: Parent Advisory Committee #5
5pm via Zoom
Agenda: 1) Welcome, Introductions and Public Comment, 2) WASC Wrap-Up, 3) LCAP Goals #2, 3 + 4 Review
Da Vinci Schools is thrilled to announce a powerful, practical, and proven workshop designed to help families decode, dispute, and decrease their college costs. If you’re looking to make college more affordable, this workshop is for you!
What You’ll Learn:
How to analyze, assess, and adjust financial aid award letters.
Strategies for writing clear, compelling, and convincing financial aid appeal letters.
Proven methods to negotiate, navigate, and knock down your college’s cost-effectively.
*You only need to sign up for ONE workshop as all workshops will repeat the same information.
What to Bring:
Your student’s financial aid award letter(s)- applicable to senior families
A notepad or laptop for notes
Any relevant financial documents or estimates
This engaging, enlightening, and empowering workshop will give you the confidence and tools to secure the best financial outcome for college. Don’t miss this opportunity to plan, prepare, and prosper.
Student Led Conference (SLC) week at Da Vinci Design is happening March 10th-13th. We are excited to have you on campus with us! SLCs are an important time when parents and teachers come together for a meeting led by the student. It is a time to highlight a student’s strengths and hard work, to encourage students to set new goals, and to ask guiding questions so students can take ownership of their learning. Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC with a parent/guardian present this semester. SLCs will happen in-person. See below for SLC schedules and details presented by each grade level teaching team.
Reminders for families arriving for SLCs:
Families can find parking anywhere in the lot north of 201 N. Douglas St.
Please check-in on the 1st floor upon arriving to get a name tag and find which classroom to report to.
Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled time to allow time to park and check-in.
Student Led Conferences (SLCs): Grade Level Resources
Here is the Week 26 Bell Schedule for Da Vinci Design:
Thank you to the families who joined us for our Coffee with Admin meeting on 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 March 2025. Coffee with DVD Admin happens at 8am and 5pm via Zoom on the first Wednesday of every month.
WDV Performing Arts Presents: GREASE
Don’t miss the electrifying Wiseburn Da Vinci Performing Arts spring musical, GREASE! Join us for a unforgettable story of friendship, love, and adventure through the 1950s. The first show opens Friday, February 28th and runs through Sunday, March 9th. Grab your tickets today–– this is a show you don’t want to miss!
Come show your support for the talented GREASE cast and crew, who have dedicated countless hours to bringing this show to life. Space is limited––get your tickets today!
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Mon, Mar. 10th – Thurs, Mar. 13th: Student Led Conferences (SLCs)
Fri, Mar. 14th: NO SCHOOL – Professional Development Day
Mon, Mar. 31st: NO SCHOOL – Cesar Chavez Holiday
Thurs, Apr. 10th: Exhibition Night!
9th / 10th / 11th Grade presentations
5:30pm – 7:30pm
Mon, Apr. 14th – Friday, Apr. 18th: NO SCHOOL – Spring Break
Mon, Apr. 21st: Community Learning Day – No Classes
Tues, Apr. 22nd: Classes Resume – Return from Spring Break
Today, Wednesday Mar. 5th at 8am and 5pm join the DVD admin team for our monthly “Coffee with Admin” chat. Simply log on via Zoom and bring any school-related questions, or just sit back, relax, and hear about school updates. Hope to see you there!
Wed, Mar. 5th: Coffee w/ Admin
All DVD parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team.
I am writing to share the news that Da Vinci Schools has accepted the resignation of Da Vinci Design Principal Russell Stoll, who is stepping down, effective June 30, 2025.
Russell joined Da Vinci Schools in 2011 and has served as principal of Da Vinci Design since 2021. Under Russell’s leadership, Da Vinci Design has flourished, recently being recognized as a Top 10 Charter School in California for Boosting College and Career Success.
Russell has had a tremendous impact on the culture and climate of Da Vinci Design, most recently leading the WASC re-accreditation process during which Design was recognized as a “model school for project-based learning and innovative projects.” Russell has provided thoughtful leadership in collaborative professional development, in commitment to innovative teaching practices, and in cultivating a school culture of inclusion and student empowerment. He has witnessed the growth of each student at Design since the first graduating class of 2013.
About his work at Da Vinci Design, Russell shared the following:
“I don’t have the words to express what an honor it has been to have Da Vinci Design as my home and my family for the last 14 years. I have the deepest gratitude for the opportunity to have grown so much within Da Vinci Schools over that time. I am so proud to have been a part of a school community that is so innovative, collaborative, caring, and does such incredible student-centered work.”
We are moving thoughtfully to hire the next Da Vinci Design principal. Russell will be part of this process to ensure a smooth transition. Da Vinci Design is well-poised for continued success.
We are extremely grateful for Russell’s outstanding leadership, positive energy, and commitment to supporting all students. We wish Russell our very best as he moves into the next chapter of his life.
With gratitude,
Matthew Wunder, Ed.D.
CEO & Superintendent
Da Vinci Schools
This week was a big week for DVD! We successfully completed our WASC visit, fulfilling the requirements for a six-year accreditation cycle. The visiting committee, represented by four volunteer educators from local high schools, spent three days on campus meeting with various school stakeholders as part of a comprehensive process. The committee participated in classroom observations, ran focus groups, and reviewed a written report documenting Da Vinci Design’s core practices. On Wednesday during lunch, the WASC visiting committee shared their findings with the school community in a presentation. They highlighted governance, vision & purpose, teaching practices, school culture and student support amongst DVD’s highly effective practices. The chairperson of the visiting committee recognized Da Vinci Design as a “model school for Project-Based Learning and innovative teaching”. Congratulations Da Vinci Design, and thank you to our amazing school community for participating in this process! See photos below from the WASC VC presentation.
DVD also had a spirit week this week hosted by Black Student Union in honor of Black History Month. It was a wonderful way of showing our visitors fist-hand the kind of spirit and pride we have at DVD. We celebrated this week in multiple ways, including by wearing black-owned brands and apparel, portraying black musicians and artists, and also representing as a “BBQ dad” or “rich auntie” on Wednesday – a crowd favorite. See photos below.
See the Bell Schedule for Week 25 at DVD here:
WDV Performing Arts Presents: GREASE
Don’t miss the electrifying Wiseburn Da Vinci Performing Arts spring musical, GREASE! Join us for a unforgettable story of friendship, love, and adventure through the 1950s. The first show opens Friday, February 28th and runs through Sunday, March 9th. Grab your tickets today–– this is a show you don’t want to miss!
Come show your support for the talented GREASE cast and crew, who have dedicated countless hours to bringing this show to life. Space is limited––get your tickets today!
Upcoming Events and Key Dates:
Wed, Mar. 5th: Coffee w/ Admin
All parents and guardians welcome! Join for brief school updates and open Q&A with the DVD admin team
Student Led Conference (SLC) week at Da Vinci Design is happening March 10th-13th, and we are excited to have you on campus with us! SLCs are an important time when parents and teachers come together for a meeting led by the student. It is a time to highlight a student’s strengths and hard work, to encourage students to set new goals, and to ask guiding questions so students can take ownership of their learning. Every student is expected to participate in leading an SLC with a parent/guardian present this semester. SLCs will happen in-person. See below for SLC schedules and details presented by each grade level teaching team.
Reminders for families arriving for SLCs:
Families can find parking anywhere in the lot north of 201 N. Douglas St.
Please check-in on the 1st floor upon arriving to get a name tag and find which classroom to report to
Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled time to allow time to check-in
Student Led Conferences (SLCs): Grade Level Resources
Today, we celebrated Black History Month with our annual community dialogue celebration hosted by the DVD Black Student Union (BSU). The whole school community shared in the joy as we played games, featured student performances, and highlighted a series of fantastic celebrity impersonations during a fashion show from the likes of Aaliyah to Snoop Dogg. We will end our celebration of Black History Month with a Spirit Week next week. See pictures and spirit week flyer below!
Here is the Bell Schedule for Week 24 at DVD:
WASC Visiting Committee Welcomed to DVD Next Week!
From Feb. 24th – Feb, 26th, DVD is welcoming a visiting WASC committee to spend time on our campus as part of our customary accreditation cycle. The WASC visiting committee will be doing classroom observations and focus groups with various school stakeholders.
DVD’s most recent self-study visit was in March 2019 and DVD received a 6-year accreditation (maximum possible for a self study). The primary goals of accreditation, as stated by the WASC, is certification to the public that the school is a trustworthy institution of learning, and the improvement of the school’s programs and operations to support student learning.
