Da Vinci Communications

Week 4 Updates for Families

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Week 4

Thank you to all parents who attended last week’s Back to School Night!  We had excellent parent participation, and it is always amazing to have parents in the building.  This week, we look forward to our 9th Grade Overnighter!  We know that this will be a special experience for the Class of 2030.

This week is a 3 day week, and as a reminder, we will have a 3:30pm dismissal on Wednesday instead of our typical early dismissal.

Overnighter: The Class of 2030 leaves for the Overnighter on Wednesday, September 9th! We are excited for our 9th grade students to go on this pivotal moment for their time at DVC!  Please turn in any forms ASAP if you have not already done so.

We’re Looking for Parent Volunteers! All of our parents are an important part of what we do at DVC.  If you’d like to get even more involved, sign up for our new DVC Parent Association (interest link here), where you can volunteer for various opportunities to get involved! We’re excited to partner with you to support DVC! 

Staff Meeting Snacks: One of the reasons why DVC is able to be such a wonderful learning environment is that we prioritize staff meeting and collaborative time.  If you’d be interested in providing a snack for staff members on Wednesday meetings as a pick-me-up, please check out this link.  We are thankful for your generosity! 

PSAT & SAT: DVC 9th, 10th, and 11th graders will take the PSAT on Wednesday, October 21st.  At DVC, we believe that it is important to have students try these practice tests and become familiar with them in advance of taking the SAT.  For 11th grade students, there is also the possibility of scholarships and recognition based on PSAT performance.  12th grade students have the option of taking the SAT for a final time before applying to college! 

Here is some more information about the tests:

12th Grade students may opt out of taking the SAT. Please fill out this form by September 18th if you are choosing to opt out.

 

Student Photo Make Ups: Make ups for school photos are on Wednesday, September 16th.  Please reach out to Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) with any questions.

Make Up Senior Photos: Make up dates for senior portraits have been finalized. They will take place on October 3rd, October 4th and October 30th if needed. Families can sign up here: https://book.usesession.com/i/BVNtg0TnF

Club Fair: Our annual Club Fair is coming up on Friday, 9/18. This is a great opportunity to see all of the clubs that DVC has to offer and to join them! Please contact Ms. Carrillo (ncarrillo@davincischools.org) with any questions or concerns.

Absence Reporting Reminder: If a student is going to be absent, parents should fill out the Absence Form.  After this is filled out, students can fill out the STIS Form in order to recover and clear this absence.

Tutoring: By popular demand, Tutor Alex is returning for another year of tutoring at DVC!  Tutoring in all subject areas (except pathways and art) is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3:30-4:30 in room 3205 (Sandoval). 

Metro Passes: Any DVC student can receive a free Metrocard that, once activated, will allow them to ride on the Metro at no cost until June 30th. Students can pick up a card and instructions to activate their card from Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) at the DVC Front Desk. Here is more information on the GoPass Program if you are interested.

 

Here’s what’s coming up THIS WEEK and beyond:

  • 9th Grade Overnighter  – Wednesday, September 9th to Thursday, September 10th
  • Professional Development Day (No School) – Friday, September 11th
  • Picture Day Make Ups – Wednesday, September 16th
  • Club Fair – Friday , September 18th
  • Career Learning Day – Monday, September 21st
  • Hispanic Heritage Month CD – Thursday, October 8th
  • Great California Shakeout – Thursday, October 15th
  • Student-Led Conferences – October 12th-16th
  • 9-11 PSAT and 12th Grade SAT – Wednesday, October 21st

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

Week 3 Updates for Families

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The school year is starting off strong!  This week, students began their Seminar classes and were able to dive deeper into the content in their core classes.  We are looking forward to Back to School Night on Wednesday, and to the Overnighter the following week!

Back to School Night: We are excited to welcome parents and families to our Back to School Night this Wednesday, September 2nd from 5:30-7:30!  The event will begin in the Black Box Theater at 5:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet your students’ teachers, tour our floor, and get a glimpse at DVC culture.  Students are not required to attend.  An email with more information about BTSN will be sent to all parents and guardians this week.

Overnighter: The Class of 2030 leaves for the Overnighter on Wednesday, September 9th! Overnighter Permission Slips as well as other (optional) forms for medicine and dietary needs are due Monday, August 31st.

We’re Looking for Parent Volunteers! All of our parents are an important part of what we do at DVC.  If you’d like to get even more involved, sign up for our new DVC Parent Association (interest link here), where you can volunteer for:

  • Association Leadership Opportunities: help coordinate our efforts to get parents involved!
  • DVC Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) & English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC): in the PAC, we meet every other month to build communication and support between families and the school, while our ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) advises school staff specifically on programs and services for English Learner (EL) students.
  • School Events: Volunteer at School Events (Orientations, Back to School Night, Exhibition, etc.)
  • Gratitude Week: help us shower our staff with gratitude in November!
  • Staff Appreciation Week: help us appreciate our staff in May!
  • Fundraising Committee: help us fundraise to support school programs!
  • Staff Meeting Snacks: sign up to provide and coordinate snacks to our staff meetings.  See below for more details! 

We’re excited to partner with you to support DVC!

Staff Meeting Snacks: One of the reasons why DVC is able to be such a wonderful learning environment is that we prioritize staff meeting and collaborative time.  If you’d be interested in providing a snack for staff members on Wednesday meetings as a pick-me-up, please check out this link.  We are thankful for your generosity! 

Tutoring: By popular demand, Tutor Alex is returning for another year of tutoring at DVC!  Tutoring in all subject areas (except pathways and art) is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3:30-4:30 in room 3205 (Sandoval). 

Seminar Changes: All students have been enrolled in seminar classes.  If a student would like to request a seminar change, they can use this form: DVC Schedule Change Request Form. We will do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible. The form is only accessible by students through their DV google account. Students are required to attend the classes they are assigned unless they are given a new schedule by school staff.  

Club Fair Update: Our annual Club Fair has been rescheduled to Friday, 9/18.  More details to come!  Thank you to all students who applied to lead a club this year. All approved clubs will be informed of their approval and invited to a Club Leaders’ Informational Meeting before the Club Fair.  Please contact Ms. Carrillo (ncarrillo@davincischools.org) with any questions or concerns.

Dress Code:  As a reminder, Da Vinci Communications enforces the dress code with the purpose of providing guidance to students and parents for safe and appropriate attire for school.  Students’ individualism is valued, and at the same time, the school’s principles for the dress code are based on clothing that promotes a healthy, safe, respectful, and positive learning environment.   We thank you for your cooperation and adherence to our dress code.  Please see below for specific information:

  • Wear shirts that cover midsection, chest, shoulders, and back
  • Wear jeans or pants that do not have large holes
  • Wear skirts or shorts or dresses that come down to midthigh
  • Wear pants that do not sag, covering underwear and undergarments
  • Wear closed-toed shoes
  • Wear shirts with appropriate content (no gang related, drugs, or sexual content)
  • Head coverings should leave face visible
  • Headphones should be kept in backpacks or pockets (when in class)

Make Up Senior Photos: Make up dates for senior portraits have been finalized. They will take place on October 3rd, October 4th and October 30th if needed. Families can sign up here: https://book.usesession.com/i/BVNtg0TnF

Absence Reporting Reminder: If your student is going to be absent, please fill out the Absence Form.

Metro Passes: Any DVC student can receive a free Metrocard that, once activated, will allow them to ride on the Metro at no cost until June 30th. Students can pick up a card and instructions to activate their card from Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) at the DVC Front Desk. Here is more information on the GoPass Program if you are interested.

 

Here’s what’s coming up THIS WEEK and beyond:

  • Back to School Night – Wednesday, September 2 @ 5:30pm
  • Labor Day Holiday – Monday, September 7th
  • 9th Grade Overnighter  – Wednesday, September 9th to Thursday, September 10th
  • Professional Development Day (No School) – Friday, September 11th
  • Club Fair – Friday , September 18th
  • Career Learning Day – Monday, September 21st

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

 

Computer Science Pathway in action: robot car wars!

Week 2 Updates for Families

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We had a terrific first week of school! It was amazing to meet the Class of 2030 – welcome to DVC!   Our returning students have also come back one year older and wiser, and it was great to see them modeling DVC culture. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement of our students!  

 

Picture Days: Photos were taken last week Thursday and Friday, 8/20-8/21.   Makeup picture day will be announced soon!

Seminars Start Monday: Students are currently being enrolled in seminar classes. Seminars are elective periods that meet on Monday and Fridays (Period MF) or Tuesdays and Thursdays (Period TTH). We do our best to match students with their preferences. New printed schedules will be delivered to students during Period 5 on Monday. Students are required to attend the classes they are assigned unless they are given a new schedule by school staff.  Seminar change form information will be communicated soon.

Dress Code:  As a reminder, Da Vinci Communications enforces the dress code with the purpose of providing guidance to students and parents for safe and appropriate attire for school. We will be focusing on dress code in Week 2. Students’ individualism is valued, and at the same time, the school’s principles for the dress code are based on clothing that promotes a healthy, safe, respectful, and positive learning environment.   We thank you for your cooperation and adherence to our dress code.  Please see below for specific information:

□ Wear shirts that cover midsection, chest, shoulders, and back

□ Wear jeans or pants that do not have large holes

□ Wear skirts or shorts or dresses that come down to midthigh

□ Wear pants that do not sag, covering underwear and undergarments 

□ Wear closed-toed shoes 

□ Wear shirts with appropriate content (no gang related, drugs, or sexual content)

□ Head coverings should leave face visible

□ Headphones should be kept in backpacks or pockets (when in class)

 

Back to School Night: We are excited to welcome parents and families to our Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 2nd from 5:30-7:30!  The event will begin in the Black Box Theater at 5:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet your students’ teachers, tour our floor, and get a glimpse at DVC culture.  Students are not required to attend.  An email with more information about BTSN will be sent to all parents and guardians next week.

Make Up Senior Photos: Make up dates for senior portraits have been finalized. They will take place on October 3rd, October 4th and October 30th if needed. Families can sign up here: https://book.usesession.com/i/BVNtg0TnF

Club Fair: Our annual Club Fair is coming up on Friday, 9/4 and applications to start a new or returning club are now open! Students: Please fill out this CLUB APPLICATION if you wish to be a club leader this year. ALL clubs must complete an application; both new and returning clubs must apply. Clubs are not considered approved unless the student leader receives an approval email from school administration.

Overnighter: The Class of 2030 leaves for The Overnighter on Wednesday, September 9th! Overnighter Permission Slips (in the link, along with other forms) are due Monday, August 31st.

Absence Reporting Reminder: If your student is going to be absent, please fill out the Absence Form.

Metro Passes: Any DVC student can receive a free Metrocard that, once activated, will allow them to ride on the Metro at no cost until June 30th. Students can pick up a card and instructions to activate their card from Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) at the DVC Front Desk. Here is more information on the GoPass Program if you are interested.

 

Here’s what’s coming up THIS WEEK and beyond:

  • Back to School Night – Thursday, September 2 @ 5:30pm
  • Club Fair – Thursday, September 4th
  • Labor Day Holiday – Monday, September 7th
  • 9th Grade Overnighter  – Wednesday, September 9th to Thursday, September 10th
  • Professional Development Day (No School) – Friday, September 11th
  • Career Learning Day – Monday, September 21st

 

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

 

First Day of School Pics!

 

Welcome Back, DVC Families!

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Welcome Back, DVC Families!

Our First Day of School is Monday, August 17th! We start at 8:30am in the GYM and dismissal is at 3:30pm. Students should report to the gym for the first day of school.

Students will then go to Advisory, where complete student schedules will be given out. We will also have advisory rosters printed in case students do not have this information. Returning students can also find their updated schedules on the PowerSchool Portal this weekend.

Thanks to everyone who attended our Welcome Back Webinar and 9th/Transfer Orientations.  Links to the content are here:

 

Reporting Absences: If your student is going to be absent, please fill out the Absence Form in a timely manner so that their absence can be recorded.

If you have general questions about attendance, absences, or student records, please contact:

  • Ms. Pattie Foxman: pfoxman@davincischools.org

If you have questions about Short Term Independent Study (STIS) and recovering absences, please contact:

  • Ms. Adriana Fonseca: afonseca@davincischools.org
  • Ms. Pattie Foxman: pfoxman@davincischools.org

 

Supporting Neurodiversity: DVC is focused on creating comfortable, enjoyable experiences for our neurodiverse population by priming, posting, and providing. We strive to do the following leading up to big events:

  • Prime: Share details before an event
  • Post: Inform DVC community via blog, social media, student news, etc.
  • Provide: Resources (ear plugs, quiet zones, designated breaks, staff support)

We want the first day of school to be a comfortable, fun experience for everyone. As such, here is some important information:

  • What to expect: loud volume, large crowd
  • What is available: earplugs & alternate entry / space *Before entering the gym/black box, look for the teacher holding a sign that states, “Too loud for you? Talk to me.” They will also have earplugs. 

 

Schedule Change Requests: If you notice an error in your schedule, please fill out the schedule change form here.  This form is due by September 4th.  Students are required to attend the classes they are assigned unless they are given a new schedule by school staff. Our school counselors are working hard to review each request and make changes accordingly. We ask for your patience as we work to ensure that each student has the classes they need. We aim to make all changes necessary within 2 school days of receiving the request.

Metro Passes: Da Vinci Schools is participating in LA Metro’s GoPass Program again this year! This means any DVC student can receive a free Metrocard that, once activated, will allow them to ride on the Metro at no cost until June 30, 2027. Students can pick up a card and instructions to activate their card from Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) at the DVC Front Desk. Here is more information on the GoPass Program if you are interested.

PowerSchool: PowerSchool is our Student Information System, and the link to access PowerSchool is as follows: https://davincischools.powerschool.com/public. You can find information about grades and attendance at this platform. At this time, access has been restored for students and families. Access to PowerSchool for parents and guardians will also be distributed during Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. 

Overnighter: The Class of 2030 leaves for the 9th Grade Overnighter on Wednesday, September 9th! Permission slips are due no later than Monday, August 31st. Overnighter Wolf Pack Leaders leave on Tuesday, September 8th, to get ready to welcome the 9th graders. Class of 2030 & Families: Please review the linked information carefully in preparation for the trip: DVC Overnighter Info 9th Grade September 2026. This info sheet contains information about the following:

  • How to contact us in the event of emergency
  • What to pack for the trip
  • Expected departure and arrival times
  • Student cell phone use during the trip

Here’s what’s coming up THIS WEEK and beyond:

    • First Day of School – Monday, August 17th @ 8:30am (in the gym)
    • Picture Days – Thursday, August 20th and Friday, August 21st (taken during ELA classes)
    • Back to School Night – Thursday, September 2 @ 5:30pm
    • Club Fair – Thursday, September 4th
    • Labor Day Holiday – Monday, September 7th
    • 9th Grade Overnighter  – Wednesday, September 8th to Thursday, September 9th
    • Professional Development Day (No School) – Friday, September 11th
    • Community Learning Day – Monday, September 21st

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

 

Wishing everyone a great first week of the 26-27 school year!

 

Sincerely,

Andrew Daramola

Principal, Da Vinci Communications 

Da Vinci Communications

201 N. Douglas St. – Floor 3

El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 725-5800