Archives for August 2022

Hello Da Vinci Scholars and Families,

Check out the new real-world learning opportunities below.

For students interested in mental health:

Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation is offering The Be There Certificate. This is a free, self-paced learning experience designed to increase mental health literacy and provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. It provides a deep understanding of Be There’s 5 Golden Rules — a simple but actionable framework on how to recognize when someone might be struggling with their mental health, your role in supporting that person, and how to connect them to the help they deserve.

For students interested in animation:

Story Xperiential is offering a 9-week online experience that takes you behind the scenes at Pixar and introduces you to world-class storytellers. You’ll follow the Pixar process to create a storyreel of your own short story. You’ll livestream with different Pixar storytellers every Monday, submit your work to a gallery and receive ongoing feedback. At the end, your work will be showcased in an online exhibition. Next session begins October 3rd. Artistic experience is not required, the program is all about story. The program costs $25 for youth ages (13-18) and $250 for youth ages 18+. To learn more & register, click here.

For students interested in science or are looking for a paying job:

The California Science Center is offering temporary positions for Community Teen Interns paying $16.04 an hour. You must be a sophomore, junior or senior with a minimum 2.0 GPA available to work starting October 1, 2022. See the flyer for details. Fill out this application and email it to hr@cscmail.org to apply.

For students interested in the tech world:

Innovate<her> is offering a free 45-minute virtual course on User Experience Design (UX). Understanding UX is a beginner course for creative thinkers, problem solvers, and game changers! Learn the basics of UX Design and get to know how a designer thinks. You don’t need any prior knowledge or any materials. You only need a computer and internet access. To apply, click here.

Dear DVC Students and Families,

We had a great week at DVC! Students are working on learning the names of every student in their Advisory as it is really important that all students are known, seen, and valued at DVC. Our seminar program began this week, and seminars have been going great! On Friday, we had a fire drill and we were so impressed with the way that our whole school quickly and safely evacuated the building. This school year is off to a great start.

The Overnighter: The whole school is excited for the Class of 2026 as they prepare to leave for The Overnighter on Tuesday, August 30th. The Overnighter Leaders leave on Monday, August 29th to get ready to welcome the 9th graders. Class of 2026 & Families: Please review the linked information below carefully in preparation for the trip.

• DVC Overnighter August 2022 (9th Grade): This packet contains information about the following:
  • Mandatory covid-testing prior to trip departure
  • 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
  • Students who need to take medications during the trip
• Dietary Restrictions for Overnighter: Please complete this link if you have a dietary restriction that the kitchen staff must be made aware of.

Week 3 Schedule: Due to The Overnighter, we have adjusted next week’s schedule. Monday will have both A day and B day classes. Seminars resume on Thursday, September 1st. Please take note of the change. You can view all weekly schedules for the year here: DVC Weekly Schedules Year 10 (2022-2023)

Schedule Changes: The link to request schedule changes is now closed. If you would like to request a change at this time, please contact your counselor. Class of 2023 (12th grade) and Class of 2025 (10th grade), please email Ms. Barba at jbarba@davincischools.org. Class of 2024 (11th grade) and Class of 2026 (9th grade), please email Mrs. Thomas at athomas@davincischools.org. 

PowerSchool Access: Access to PowerSchool has been restored for all returning students. For all incoming students (9th grade and transfer), we will distribute PowerSchool login information at Back to School Night on Thursday,, September 15, 2022 at 5:30pm.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• Monday, 8/29: Leaders leave for Overnighter
• Tuesday, 8/30: 9th graders leave for Overnighter @ 8:30am
• Wednesday, 8/31: 9th graders return from Overnighter @ 2:00pm
• Monday, 9/5: No School – Labor Day
• Tuesday, 9/6: FLEX Block Begins
• Wednesday, 9/7: School Site Council Meeting #1
• Thursday, 9/8: DVC Picture Day
• Friday, 9/9: DVC Picture Day
• Thursday, 9/15: Club Fair
• Thursday, 9/15: Back to School Night @ 5:30pm
• Friday, 9/16: No School – Professional Development Day

Please bookmark this school calendar for the most up to date information.

Enjoy your weekend,

Erin D’Souza, Principal

Dear DVC Students and Families,

We hope that students have enjoyed the first week of our seminar program! If a student would like to request a change to their schedule, please note that the last day to do this is tomorrow (Friday, August 26).

All change requests should be submitted to this link no later than Friday, 8/26: DVC Schedule Change Request Link

Please note that not all class and seminar change requests can be honored. Many seminars are full, but there are some that still have space. Please consult this list for the current available space:

Monday/Thursday Seminars with space currently available:

• Study Hall
• Fantasy Sports
• SAT/ACT Prep (run by PJ Test Prep)
• Strength & Conditioning (run by UCLA EXOS)
• Philosophy 101
• The Evolution of Hip-Hop / Financial Literacy

Tuesday/Friday Seminars with space currently available:

• Study Hall
• Film History & Theory
• Activism Through Film
• Ghibli Film Studies

The link to request schedule changes will be closed on Friday, 8/26 at 4pm. Counselors will work to accommodate as many requests as possible. 

Thank you,

Erin D’Souza, Principal

Hello Da Vinci Scholars and Families,

Cloud Computing is one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States! Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Cloud Practitioners earn on average up to $131,465 annually.

El Camino College is now accepting applications from current juniors and seniors who want to join the After-School Cloud Computing Career Pathway program, it’s FREE!

STUDENT & PARENT INFO SESSION – Online via Zoom

Wednesday, August 24th
6:00pm – 7:15pm
RSVP for Info Session

For more information, please click here.

Dear Students & Families of the Class of 2026,

We are thrilled to be getting ready for The Overnighter – a not-to-be-missed signature practice of Da Vinci Communications! This two-day, one-night trip is free of charge for our students, and we love that students get to start the school year with great memories and new friends. It is our hope that all 9th grade students will attend this special event. 9th grade students will depart on Tuesday, August 30th and return on Wednesday, August 31st. Please review the linked information below carefully in preparation for the trip.

• DVC Overnighter August 2022 (9th Grade): This packet contains information about the following:
  • Mandatory covid-testing prior to trip departure
  • 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
  • Students who need to take medications during the trip
• Dietary Restrictions for Overnighter: Please complete this link if you have a dietary restriction that the kitchen staff must be made aware of.

Students will review this information during Grade-Level Homeroom on Monday, 8/22 and permission slips will be handed out at this time. Permission slips are due on Wednesday, 8/24 to Grade-Level Homeroom teachers.

It is important to note that though we are using Camp Pondo’s facilities, the entire program is run exclusively by the staff and student leaders of Da Vinci Communications. We pay Camp Pondo for use of the facilities, meal preparation, and support with our activities such as zip lining and swimming. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Erin D’Souza, Principal.

Sincerely,

Erin D’Souza, Principal

edsouza@davincischools.org