Archives for February 2022

Hello DVC,

Reminder that the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) is due in two days: March 2nd. All seniors that are planning on attending a 4-year college/university, community college, trade/vocational school should fill out the FAFSA or the CADAA to make sure they get access to financial resources such as grants and scholarships.

Here is the link to start the FAFSA Application. 

Here is the link to start the CADAA Application.

We also have a recorded webinar of the FAFSA workshop we hosted back in October 2021 that provides step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the form: Da Vinci Schools FAFSA Webinar

Some common misconceptions about FAFSA are:

1. If I fill out the FAFSA, I have to accept all the loans they’re offering me: Every student has the option of accepting or declining any financial awards they receive. If a student doesn’t want to accept any loans, they have the option of declining them once they receive their financial aid award letter form the colleges they’ve been accepted to.
2.  I already know that my son/daughter doesn’t qualify for financial aid based on my income: Every year colleges and universities have more financial opportunities made available for students with middle/higher class income. For example, UCs and CSUs now have middle-class scholarships in which students with family income up to $191,000, and household assets of no more than $191,000 will receive a scholarship that can cover between 10 percent and 40 percent of systemwide tuition and fees.
3. My parents don’t have a SSN, so I can’t apply for financial aid: Parent’s legal status does not affect student’s financial aid eligibility. Instead of creating a FSA ID account for their parents when completing FAFSA, students will be required to print out a confirmation page, obtain their parent’s signature, and mail that confirmation page.
4. Student does not have a SSN so they don’t qualify for financial aid: Students who are undocumented still qualify for state and school financial aid. They would need to submit the California Dream Act Application.

Students with a SSN should only complete the FAFSA. Students without a SSN should only complete the CADAA.

I’m available for any further questions about the FAFSA  and the CADAA, please email me at maldrete@davincischools.org

Ms. Aldrete

College and Career Counselor

We had a terrific Black History Month CD on Thursday, filled with excellent and inspiring student performances! Thank you to our Black Student Union (BSU) and BLK University for making it happen. If you have Instagram, please follow us @dvchighschool to check out a few video clips from the event.

Student-Led Conferences are coming soon! All conferences will be virtual (via Zoom) starting on Monday, March 7th. Conferences will be scheduled with your student’s advisory teacher. Students will be able to access the sign up link for their advisory teacher via google classroom, and we will also email out the link directly to families. Students are expected to prepare a presentation about their current academic progress, and a parent/guardian of the student is expected to attend the conference. Please stay tuned for more information!

This week, we have our School Site Council Meeting on Wednesday, 3/2 at 4:30pm via Zoom (link here). The agenda is as follows:

1. Public Comment
2. LCAP Mid-Year Update
3. WASC Mid-Cycle Report

As always, thank you for your support! You can find our working calendar of events here.

Upcoming Events:

3/7-3/10 Student-Led Conferences (via Zoom)

3/11 No School – Professional Development Day 

3/11 DV Dance

3/14 Environmental Science Fieldwork at Moonwater Farms

3/17 – 3/22 11th Grade CAASPP Testing

3/26 DV CARnival (Car Show)

3/28 Environmental Science to Moonwater Farms

3/31-4/2 FIRST Robotics Competition @ Da Vinci (Gym)

4/2 Da Vinci Schools Job Fair (for staff for 2022-2023 school year) 10am-noon

4/4 DVC Exhibition Night for 10th & 12th Grades 6:00-7:30pm

4/5 DVC Exhibition Night for 9th & 11th Grades 6:00-7:30pm

4/8 No School – Professional Development Day

4/9-4/17 Spring Break

4/30 Wiseburn Ed Foundation’s Rock Around the Block @ Dana Middle School

Take your creative ideas from script to screen with Film2Future’s intensive filmmaking program! During the 2022 Animation Program, you will learn storyboarding, character design, voiceover, and post-production from more than 100 professionals working in the entertainment industry. During the summer, each student works in a team to complete a short animation. The deadline to apply is February 28.

After graduating Film2Future, students have a resume, portfolio, and professional network of Hollywood creatives, legendary filmmakers, and thought leaders from across the entertainment and media landscapes. Eligible graduates (18+ years old) of the program are supported in obtaining paid jobs and internships, launching their careers as creators.

Most programming is expected to take place over Zoom due to COVID, with limited in-person days with appropriate safety precautions in place. Film2Future provides laptops and hot spots so students can access all programming.

The application for their 2022 Animation Program is now open and will begin on Saturday, April 23. Eligibility is 14 to 18 years old on June 1, 2022 (Students must be enrolled in high school at the time of application).

*National Eating Disorders Awareness Week provides an opportunity to draw attention to one of the most serious mental health conditions impacting the lives of Americans and their families today. Eating disorders—including binge-eating, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa—affect people of all backgrounds and genders. Nearly 1 in 10 Americans are expected to develop an eating disorder in their lifetime. In recent years, there has been a troubling surge in eating disorders among children, older adults, military service members, and transgender individuals. When undiagnosed or untreated, eating disorders can have serious—even fatal—consequences, which is why improving mental health services and support is so important.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially challenging for individuals with eating disorders. National eating disorder hotlines have seen a more than 70 percent spike in the volume of calls and chats since the pandemic started. Research shows that the number of hospitalizations for eating disorders has doubled during that same time period.

Despite the fact that eating disorders have among the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, the shame and stigmatization of eating disorders often prevent people who are suffering from seeking help. That is why it is important to make more people aware that, with early detection and medical intervention, full recovery from an eating disorder is possible.

Advice for Parents:

Prevention

• Open up lines of communication. To help prevent eating disorders, talk to your teen about eating habits and body image. It might not be easy, but it’s important.
• Encourage reasonable eating habits. Talk to your teen about how diet can affect his or her health, appearance, and energy level. Encourage your teen to eat when he or she is hungry. Make a habit of eating together as a family.
• Discuss media messages. Television programs, movies, websites, and other media might send your teen the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Encourage your teen to talk about and question what he or she has seen or heard — especially from websites or other sources that promote anorexia as a lifestyle choice, rather than an eating disorder.
• Promote a healthy body image. Talk to your teen about his or her self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Don’t allow hurtful nicknames or jokes based on a person’s physical characteristics. Avoid making comments about another person based on his or her weight or body shape.
• Foster self-esteem. Respect your teen’s accomplishments, and support his or her goals. Listen when your teen speaks. Look for positive qualities in your teen, such as curiosity, generosity, and a sense of humor. Remind your teen that your love and acceptance is unconditional — not based on his or her weight or appearance.
• Share the dangers of dieting and emotional eating. Explain that dieting can compromise your teen’s nutrition, growth, and health, as well as lead to binge-eating. Remind your teen that eating or controlling his or her diet isn’t a healthy way to cope with emotions. Instead, encourage your teen to talk to loved ones, friends, or a counselor about problems he or she might be facing.
• Use food for nourishment — not as a reward or consequence. Resist the temptation to offer food as a bribe. Similarly, don’t take away food as a punishment.
• Set a good example yourself. If you’re constantly dieting, using food to cope with your emotions or talking about losing weight, you might have a hard time encouraging your teen to eat a healthy diet or feel satisfied with his or her appearance. Instead, make conscious choices about your lifestyle and take pride in your body.
• Team up with your teen’s doctor. Your teen’s doctor can reinforce the messages you’re giving your teen at home, as well as help identify early signs of an eating disorder. For example, the doctor can look for unusual changes in your teen’s body mass index or weight percentiles during routine medical appointments. The doctor can talk to your teen about his or her eating habits, exercise routine, and body image. If necessary, he or she will refer your teen to a mental health provider.

Warning Signs of Teen Eating Disorders

Early Signs & Symptoms

• Distorted body image
• Poor eating patterns
• Frequent Weighing
• Extreme weight change
• Dizziness & weakness
• Fatigue & insomnia
• Hyperactivity & obsession with exercise
• Constipation
• Withdrawn, irritable, anxious
• Difficulty concentrating
• Skin rash or dry skin & loss of hair or nail quality
• In girls, menstrual irregularities

Later Life-Threatening Consequences

• Muscle wasting
• Thinning hair
• Bone loss
• Tooth decay
• Delayed growth and development
• Anemia
• Digestive problems
• Seizures
• Depression

Seek Help

National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237

Hopeline Network: 1-800-442-4673

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: 1-630-577-1330

Crisis Textline: Text CONNECT to 741741

Overeaters Anonymous: 1-505-891-2664

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school counselor:

Jennifer Barba (jbarba@davincischools.org)

Artia Thomas( athomas@davincischools.org)

Monique Aldrete (maldrete@davincischools.org)

*Taken from the FederalRegister.Gov and the National Eating Disorders Association

We are excited to offer DVC students free tutoring on Thursdays from 3:45-5:45pm, starting March 3rd, from the RRISE Up tutors. College tutors from RRISE Up will offer DVC students tutoring in Math, Science, and Humanities virtually. We encourage students to come if they could use support in these areas! Please indicate interest here if you are interested.  Links and other information will be provided.