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Red Ribbon Week at Da Vinci

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Students are getting ready for Red Ribbon Week® here at Da Vinci celebrated Oct 21-25th. What Is Red Ribbon Week? It is a way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs and celebrate healthy lifestyle choices and habits. We hope to have students show their personal commitment to a drug-free and healthy lifestyle through participation in various activities October 21 – 25th. Da Vinci students will see health related content in class through presentations, have an opportunity to learn how to use the life saving medication Narcan for opioid overdoses, take part in a Free vaccination clinic as a preventative health activity and engage in open dialogues around the importance of healthy choices. 

This year’s theme is: “Life is a Movie. Film Drug Free”. We hope to strengthen anti-drug-use attitudes and norms through sharing information. Please partner with us and discuss this message at home, at the dinner table, at family outings, and with friends and extended family. Ask your child to tell you about things they hear at school about Red Ribbon Week®!

Parent Resources:

From our partners at South Bay Families Connected,  Monday October 21, 2023 6-730p in person at Manhattan Beach Middle School What I Wish My Parents Knew: Dangers of Youth Substance Use and Fentanyl — Families Connected (southbayfamiliesconnected.org) featuring a film screening and panel discussion from youth around what they wish their parents knew in order to better support our young people.

Save the date Wednesday, October 23rd 330-630pm Da Vinci Schools is hosting a mobile vaccination clinic for those wanting a free Flu shot, updated COVID booster, or TDAP! Located at 201 N Douglas Street in the Blackbox, walk-ins are welcome! Bring your insurance card and students under 18 can walk in if they have a consent form completed by parent.

One fun way to start or continue the conversation about drug prevention and healthy lifestyle choices with your children AND have a chance to win an iPad? National Family Partnership is sponsoring a photo contest. The photo contest is free and you could win an iPad and $1,000 for our school!! Log onto www.redribbon.org and find out more!

Week 9 Schedule

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Thank you again for participating in Student-Led Conferences this week! It was terrific to connect with our families. Parents and guardians: Please take a minute to share feedback on how things went for you at this link: Student-Led Conference Feedback Survey 

The next time we’ll open our doors for visitors will be Wednesday, November 20th at 5:30pm for Exhibition Night! Our 9th and 11th graders will be showcasing their projects on this special evening. Please save the date!

Community Learning Day (CLD): We hope that today’s CLD gave you an opportunity to explore something different or catch up on your schoolwork! Friendly reminder that ALL students must complete THIS ATTENDANCE FORM in order to get attendance credit for school on Friday, October 11th. Parents cannot access this form as it must be completed by the student using their davincischools google account.

PSAT & SAT (Wednesday, 10/30): Students in grades 9-12 will engage in college-prep testing (PSAT & SAT) on Wednesday, 10/30. This means that students will have more time to prepare for these important college-prep assessments. To prepare for the test, all students can use the free resources provided at Khan Academy (Official Digital SAT® Prep | Khan Academy). All students are signed up for the tests. Parents of students in grades 9, 10, or 11 who have concerns about their student and taking this test should contact Mr. Andrew Daramola, Assistant Principal, at adaramola@davincischools.org. Seniors who do not wish to take the SAT based on their post-high school plans should complete this SAT Opt-Out Form. Here is some more information about the tests:

Tutoring: We are thrilled to offer FREE TUTORING with Mr. Alex Rojas (from PJ Test Prep) to all students on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 4:00pm in Mr. Russell Albans’s Room (3401). No sign up required.

College & Career Info Meetings: Our 9th Grade College & Career Virtual Info Meeting is on Thursday, October 17th at 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE). If you missed the meeting for your grade-level, please reference the following resources:

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

  • Thursday, 10/17: 9th Grade Parent College Virtual Info Meeting @ 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE)
  • Thursday, 10/17: Great California Shakeout (Earthquake Drill) @ 10:15am
  • Tuesday, 10/22: Lockdown Drill @ 1:30pm
  • Wednesday, 10/30: PSAT (grades 9, 10, 11) & SAT (grade 12)
  • Friday, 11/1: No School – Professional Development Day
  • Wednesday, 11/6: 10th Grade College Field Trip (CSUF, UCI, & University of La Verne)
  • Friday, 11/8: Community Learning Day (CLD) & Progress Reports Mailed Home

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

Community Learning Day is Friday!

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Dear DVC Families,

Our first Community Learning Day (CLD) is tomorrow: Friday, October 11th!

Students should either:

(a) have already submitted a signed CLD Off-Campus Permission Slip and plan to do something educational off-campus OR

(b) plan to come to school from 8:30am – 12:30pm.

Students who come to school but who have not been assigned a workshop will be assigned a workshop during check-in.

ALL students, regardless of whether they are on-campus or off-campus, will be required to complete THIS ATTENDANCE FORM.

Thank you for your support of our new initiative!

Sincerely,

Erin D’Souza, Principal

 

 

Week 8 Schedule

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We all enjoyed a beautiful celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday. Huge thanks to our Latino Student Union (LSU) & Leadership for putting together this special event, and to all of the students who performed! We are so proud of you.

Next week is Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)! We are looking forward to welcoming our families to campus. Students will be dismissed at 1:50pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to accommodate the conferences. In addition to reviewing grades and academic progress, each grade-level team has a specific area of focus. We will also have our Peer Mentors in the Common Area to help students get organized, and all of our counselors will be available for families in Andy’s Room!

Community Learning Days: Our first CLD Day is coming up on Friday, October 11th! The CLD Survey is now closed. Students who did not fill out the survey will need to either (a) bring a signed CLD Off-Campus Permission Slip or (b) come to school from 8:30am – 12pm on Friday, October 11th.

Tutoring: We are thrilled to offer FREE TUTORING with Mr. Alex Rojas (from PJ Test Prep) to all students on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 4:00pm in Mr. Russell Albans’s Room (3401). No sign up required. More details available at this flyer!

PSAT & SAT – New Date: We have moved the date of our PSAT & SAT to Wednesday, 10/30. This means that students will have more time to prepare for these important college-prep assessments. To prepare for the test, all students can use the free resources provided at Khan Academy (Official Digital SAT® Prep | Khan Academy). If your student will be at home for their CLD Day, practicing for the PSAT or SAT is a great use of this time. All students are signed up for the tests. Parents of students in grades 9, 10, or 11 who have concerns about their student and taking this test should contact Mr. Andrew Daramola, Assistant Principal, at adaramola@davincischools.org. Seniors who do not wish to take the SAT based on their post-high school plans should complete this SAT Opt-Out Form. Here is some more information about the tests:

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

  • Monday, 10/7 – Thursday, 10/10: Student-Led Conferences (1:50pm dismissal)
  • Friday, 10/11: Community Learning Day (CLD) 
  • Thursday, 10/17: 9th Grade Parent College & Career Info Virtual Meeting @ 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE)
  • Thursday, 10/17: Great California Shakeout (Earthquake Drill)
  • Tuesday, 10/22: Lockdown Drill
  • Wednesday, 10/30: PSAT (grades 9, 10, 11) & SAT (grade 12) – NEW DATE
  • Friday, 11/1: No School – Professional Development Day
  • Friday, 11/8: Community Learning Day (CLD) & Progress Reports Mailed Home

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

 

Week 7 Schedule

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We had a great week at DVC, including a terrific trip for our 12th graders to NACAC’s College Fair at the LA Convention Center where over 1,800 colleges and universities were represented! For more college and career information, please attend our upcoming 11th and 9th grade virtual info meetings put on by our counseling team:

  • 11th grade: Thursday, October 3rd – starts at 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE)
  • 9th grade: Thursday, October 17th – starts at 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE)

We look forward to our special celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, 10/3 put on by our Latino Student Union (LSU)! A reminder that there is no school on Friday, 10/4, and student-led conferences begin on Monday, 10/7.

Student-Led Conferences: Parents & guardians are expected to attend their student’s conference during the week of Monday, 10/7. Students will be dismissed early (at 1:50pm) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to accommodate the conferences. You can also find grade-level information and sign ups at the following links:

Community Learning Days: Our first CLD Day is coming up on Friday, October 11th! Last Friday, all students were shown this video explaining CLD options and given a new student survey to fill out. The survey asks students whether they plan to have their learning experience on campus or off campus. If students select the off-campus option, a CLD Off-Campus Permission Slip must be signed by parent/guardian and turned in to the Advisory teacher no later than Thursday, 10/3. Students were provided a copy of this permission slip during Advisory on Friday. Please ask your student what they selected for their CLD Day. The survey will be open until 4pm on Monday, September 30th and students can log into their davincischools google account and make changes (or complete it for the first time if they haven’t yet done so). 

School Photos: DVC Picture Day photos are now ready for review! Each student has their own individual gallery and families can choose the photo they’d like for the yearbook. The deadline to choose photos for the yearbook is next Friday, September 27th. You can access your individual gallery here: https://my.photoday.com/s/staceelianna/davincischools

  1. Navigate to the Da Vinci Communications gallery
  2. Enter your student name and their 5-digit ID number
  3. Access your photos and make your selection

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

  • Thursday, 10/3: Hispanic Heritage Month CD
  • Thursday, 10/3: 11th Grade Parent College & Career Info Virtual Meeting @ 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE) 
  • Friday, 10/4: No School – Local Holiday
  • Monday, 10/7 – Thursday, 10/10: Student-Led Conferences (1:50pm dismissal)
  • Friday, 10/11: Community Learning Day (CLD)
  • Wednesday, 10/16: PSAT (grades 9, 10, 11) & SAT (grade 12)
  • Thursday, 10/17: 9th Grade Parent College & Career Info Virtual Meeting @ 4:30pm (ZOOM LINK HERE)

Bookmark these links for easy access to school information:

Da Vinci Communications

201 N. Douglas St. – Floor 3

El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 725-5800