Carla Levenson

Andrew Daramola Selected as Principal of Da Vinci Communications

May 7, 2025 by Carla Levenson

Dear Families and Friends of Da Vinci Communications,

We are excited to announce that Andrew Daramola has been selected as Principal of Da Vinci Communications, replacing Erin D’Souza who is transitioning into a new role. This change in leadership at DVC will take place on July 1, 2025.

Andrew was selected following a comprehensive review and selection process involving input from DVC students, parents, teachers, staff, and Da Vinci leadership. He began his journey at DVC in 2017 as a World History and U.S. History teacher before moving into administration. For the past six years, Andrew has served as Assistant Principal at DVC, where he has been a highly effective and respected school leader. He played a key role in DVC earning a full six-year accreditation from WASC—the highest level possible. Andrew has also led the implementation of new structures to better support students with special needs and English learners, and has developed improved systems for academic intervention, positive school culture and behavior management, and attendance.

With Andrew at the helm, DVC is well-positioned to continue its strong trajectory of growth and success. His leadership, experience, and deep commitment to the DVC community will ensure continued excellence in academics, school culture, and student support.

Originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, Andrew spent time on the East Coast before eventually settling on the West Coast. He earned his B.A. in Geography and Urban Studies from Temple University, his M.Ed from Marquette University, and administrative credential from the University of Southern California. Andrew began his career as a history teacher in Milwaukee and Philadelphia, later serving as a director at Teach For America before moving to Los Angeles.

I hope you will join me in congratulating Andrew. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Erin D’Souza for her outstanding leadership and dedication to the DVC community. DVC is thriving as a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming school with a strong culture of high expectations for all. Erin led the recent WASC re-accreditation, where DVC was praised for its inclusive culture and strong staff collaboration. Erin will soon transition to a new role as Executive Director of LifeLaunch, Da Vinci’s new adult career training program for graduating seniors.

Gratefully,

Matthew Wunder, Ed.D.
CEO & Superintendent
Da Vinci Schools

Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design Granted Full, Six-Year Accreditation by WASC

May 1, 2025 by Carla Levenson

We are thrilled to announce that both Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design have been awarded six-year accreditations—the highest level possible—by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). This recognition reaffirms Da Vinci’s unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality education and promoting long-term success for all students.

Last year, Da Vinci Connect and Da Vinci RISE also earned full six-year accreditations. Next week, WASC will be visiting Da Vinci Science as part of its ongoing accreditation process.

WASC accreditation is a voluntary process through which schools demonstrate that they meet rigorous standards of educational quality and excellence. This well-respected accreditation can impact important factors such as credit transferability, eligibility for federal financial aid, and overall institutional credibility.

The Commission granted accreditation for Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design through June 30, 2031. Each school underwent a rigorous evaluation process that included a comprehensive self-study, peer review, and the successful completion of an on-site, three-day accreditation visit by a team of experienced educators.

“We are incredibly proud of Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design for earning this highest level of accreditation,” said Dr. Matthew Wunder, Da Vinci’s CEO/Superintendent. “This achievement reflects the dedication of so many team members who contributed to this outstanding result and who work every day to ensure the quality and impact of Da Vinci’s programs and services.”

“I wish to extend my deep appreciation to all the staff, faculty, and student leaders at Da Vinci Communications and Da Vinci Design and especially to the Da Vinci leaders who led the WASC accreditation process, including DVC Principal Erin D’Souza, DVD Principal Russell Stoll, and Michelle Rainey, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction,” Dr. Wunder continued.

Visiting team members identified the following strengths about Da Vinci Communications, including:

DVC provides a safe, inclusive environment that offers an opportunity for students to engage in a diverse, rigorous curriculum designed to help them succeed in life beyond high school.
DVC’s culture prioritizes student well-being, academic success, collaboration, and respect to create a positive learning experience for all and make it a happy place.
DVC has positive, supportive student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions that support student success.
The staff at DVC is diverse, welcoming and collaborative.
DVC does an outstanding job communicating to its families.
Students feel that DVC is a safe environment where teachers really care about their success.
Project-Based Learning creates meaningful, real world-learning experiences that engage students and prepare them for post-secondary success.

Visiting team members identified the following strengths about Da Vinci Design, including:

Da Vinci Design has a welcoming environment that gives access to opportunity through real world experiences, industry collaborations, and a focus on collaboration and presentation skills.
Project-Based Learning engages students and connects them to real-world ideas and the outside community.
DVD students feel prepared for adulthood.
Da Vinci Design is fostering a culture of inclusivity, providing robust counseling support, implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports and restorative practices, and high behavioral and academic expectations for all students.
All staff genuinely care about students and students feel the support.
Presentations of Learning and other performance-based assessments allow for students to be self-reflecting learners and provide a real world element of professionalism.
Staff are passionate about the ability to be creative and innovative in their instruction.

We are so proud of our school communities!

WDV Soccer Field – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Set for Monday, Oct. 21

October 17, 2024 by Carla Levenson

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Wiseburn Da Vinci Soccer Field at 201 N. Douglas Street, which has generated immense excitement throughout our community. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place this Monday, Oct. 21 at 4:45 pm. Following the ceremony, we invite you to watch the WDV Boys Soccer practice.

Everyone is invited to the ribbon-cutting of our new state-of-the-art facility!! We look forward to sharing this beautiful new space with our students, families, and the broader community.

This project is made possible through the support of Wiseburn USD Measure EE funds.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond Visits Da Vinci Schools

April 24, 2023 by Carla Levenson

Today, Da Vinci Schools had the honor and privilege to host State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond as he recognized Da Vinci Schools as a leader in bringing personal finance curriculum to students.

Supt. Thurmond visited 12th grade teacher Christopher Jackson’s College & Career Readiness and Financial Literacy class at Da Vinci Communications and spoke directly with students as part of his effort to tour model schools and promote making personal finance and financial literacy a high school graduation requirement. Da Vinci students take financial literacy as part of their core graduation requirements – fewer than 1% of students in California attend a school that requires them to complete one semester of financial education. Only 27 percent of California high school students attend schools that offer personal finance electives compared with 71% nationwide. Just 18 states nationwide require a financial literacy course to graduate.

“We are so inspired by Superintendent Thurmond’s leadership on expanding financial education to all California students – and also so moved by his personal story. He is authentic, caring and charismatic, and is a tremendous inspiration to our students,” said Dr. Matthew Wunder, Da Vinci’s CEO and Superintendent.

Research shows that students who have access to high-quality financial education have better financial outcomes as adults that result in less debt and a higher quality of life. The CA Department of Education is partnering with CA-based nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) to provide teacher training for financial literacy. DVC financial literacy teacher Christopher Jackson is one of the first 500 NGPF Distinguished Educators who has completed six certification courses. This sets him apart from the 78,000 educators in the NGPF network and in the top 1%! Chris was selected as one of 85 CA educators selected to attend NGPF’s Closing the Financial Education Gap in March where he met Supt. Thurmond. > Related article: Teacher Talk with Christopher Jackson

Supt. Thurmond recently announced $1.4 million in financial literacy grants to help deliver financial literacy and personal finance courses to students in California. Ensuring that all young Californians have exposure to financial literacy is a vital step in closing inequality gaps and providing the skills and resources to improve lives.

Supt. Thurmond was joined today by Steve Zimmer, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction; Tim Ranzetta, Founder of Next Gen Personal Finance; Dr. Matthew Wunder, CEO and Superintendent of Da Vinci Schools; Dr. Jennifer Hawn, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Da Vinci Schools; Erin D’Souza, Principal of Da Vinci Communications; Andrew Daramola, Assistant Principal, Da Vinci Communications; Christopher Jackson, College & Career Readiness and Financial Literacy teacher at Da Vinci Communications; and Dr. Blake Silvers, Superintendent of the Wiseburn Unified School District.

Supt. Thurmond’s funding builds on the $3.5 billion Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the State Special Schools that can be used to expand financial literacy course offerings.

DVC Students Make DECA History at California Career Development Conference

March 14, 2023 by Carla Levenson

By JasLynn Skinner, DVC DECA Co-Vice President of Marketing

Eight members of Da Vinci Communications’ DECA program earned awards at the 2023 California Career Development Conference in Anaheim this month in two days of written and role-playing competition, with 2,400 participants from 47 chapters across the state. Six of the 29 DVC students who participated qualified to attend DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Orlando in April as competitors or to participate in the THRIVE Leadership Academy. This is the first time DVC students have qualified for the international competition.

DECA is a student organization whose mission is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in business, marketing, entrepreneurship, and hospitality.

At the state competition known as SCDC, students have enriching experiences in workshops and in competitive events while also networking and building connections with students across the state. DVC competed in several different competitive events, including role-play in food marketing, marketing communications, retail merchandising, and sports and entertainment marketing. In these events, the students have 10 minutes to prepare a response to a marketing problem. DVC DECA students also competed in two written project events, the Integrated Marketing Campaign and the Innovation Plan. In the fall, the students wrote 10-page papers for these events in their Marketing Pathway class; at the conference, they presented them to a judge for 15 minutes.

Here are the students who made DVC DECA history:

Hilda Donis and Eryn Allen— 3rd place in the Innovation Plan event and ICDC qualifiers
Daniela Torres — 5th place overall and ICDC qualifier in the Marketing Communications Series event, 3rd place for role play 1
Alani Flores and Karina Ruiz — 8th place overall for the Integrated Marketing Campaign – Services event, 1st place presentation; attending THRIVE Academy at ICDC
Samantha Guevara — 9th place overall in the Retail Marketing Series event, 1st place in role play 1; attending THRIVE Academy at ICDC
Karina Ruiz — Finalist, Food Marketing Series event role play
Dallas Estell — Finalist, Marketing Communications Series event role play
Jalen Coleman — 3rd place in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series event role play 1
Alani Flores — Finalist, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series event role play

“It felt surreal knowing I was going to ICDC, and I was very surprised that I qualified,” said senior Daniela Torres. “It felt crazy that I had it in my hands and that it was actually mine.”

Junior Samantha Guevara added, “The DECA ribbon around my neck felt like an honor knowing that I was able to represent my chapter and my loved ones back at home.”

“I think being confident is what helped me do well and stand out,” said junior Karina Ruiz. “Although I was really nervous, I made sure to try and not let it show. My team member and I were prepared, and knew how to bounce off of each other well and finish each other’s sentences.”

During the opening session, DVC DECA’s chapter presidents Hilda Donis, and Daniela Torres introduced the chapter to all attendees. In addition, the chapter’s VP of Career Development, Alvin Liu, was awarded Chapter Leader of the Year. DVC DECA was also recognized for completing promotional and community service campaigns in the fall and earned the THRIVE Level Award for the 2022-23 school year.

“While holding office, I wanted to provide the experience previous officers had given to me prior to my year of service,” said Alvin Liu, a DVC senior. “I’m proud of braving the challenges and for the support our officer team provided to the chapter throughout the year, and the investments each student made.”

This year’s lineup of Marketing Pathway students truly made an impact on our chapter’s history, and our delegation is proud to represent DVC and California DECA at ICDC for the first time next month.