Dear DVC Students, Parents, and Guardians,

As we approach the halfway point of the academic year, it is a good time to remind everyone of the policies and procedures we have in place to keep all DVC students safe. Our DVC community has been terrific in notifying us of any concerns; our community is a safe one and we send this reminder to ensure the continued safety of our students by working together. As a reminder, any and all issues concerning student safety (from physical safety to emotional safety) should be reported to school staff immediately.

Parents & Guardians: If your student reports anything concerning to you, please bring the issue to the attention of school staff as soon as possible. Under no circumstances should parents or guardians approach another student (either on campus or off campus) to address a concern directly with the student.

Issues concerning student safety and well-being are always at the top of our priority list. We strive to provide all community members with many ways to contact us regarding any concerns. Students, parents, and guardians are encouraged to report any concerns to school staff as soon as possible using any of the following means:

1. Complete the Incident Reporting Form, located on the sidebar of the dvc.davincischools.org webpage
2. Call the front office of the school at (310) 725-5800 to report the concern
3. Call or text the Principal (Erin D’Souza) at (310) 350-7192
4. Call or text the Assistant Principal (Andrew Daramola) at (323) 435-1796
5. Email any DVC staff member with the concern (all email addresses listed here)
6. Complete a written incident report (blank copies at the front office)

The following resources address school safety and provide more details regarding policies and procedures:

1. DVC Student Handbook 2022-2023
2. Bullying Policy (Da Vinci Schools)
3. Policy to Address Racist, Discriminatory and Dehumanizing Incidents
4. Civility Policy
5. Visitor Policy
6. Comprehensive School Safety Plan: Da Vinci Communications

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure that safety is the number one priority! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Erin D’Souza, Principal

Andrew Daramola, Assistant Principal

Happy Sunday, DVC Community! We finish the 2022 calendar year and Semester 1 this week! We are proud of students who already completed their first POL (Presentation of Learning) on Thursday and Friday and we look forward to all the presentations to come this week. POLs continue through Thursday, 12/15; students will be dismissed from school at 1:50pm on these days. There is no school on Friday, 12/16. Students return from winter break to begin Semester 2 on Monday, 1/9.

Presentations of Learning (POLs): Please see this post and this slide deck for information about POLs overall, including expectations around professional dress. We’ve assembled our “professional dress thrift shop” and clothes are available for students in the Wolves’ Den. The most important thing you can do to help your student prepare for their POL is have them practice their POL many times to as many people in your household as possible.  Please click on links below for more grade-level specific information regarding POLs:

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

PowerSchool Access: Access to PowerSchool is currently disabled so that teachers can finalize student grades. Report cards will be mailed on Monday, 12/19 and PowerSchool access will be restored at this time. Thank you for your understanding.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• Thursday, 12/8 – Thursday, 12/15: Presentations of Learning – POLs (1:50pm dismissal)
• Friday, 12/16 – Friday, 1/6: Winter Break (No School)
• Monday, 12/19: Report Cards Mailed Home
• Monday, 1/9: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins
• DVC Weekly Schedules Year 10 (2022-2023) & DVC Year 10 Planning Calendar (2022-2023)

We had a terrific week at DVC and we’re busy getting ready for Presentations of Learning (POLs) to close out Semester 1! POLs begin on Thursday, 12/8 and continue through Thursday, 12/15; students will be dismissed from school at 1:50pm on these days. Please see this post and this slide deck for information about POLs overall, including expectations around professional dress. We’ve assembled our “professional dress thrift shop” and students interested in checking it out should visit Ms. Pattie or Ms. Jackie at the front office. The most important thing you can do to help your student prepare for their POL is have them practice their POL many times to as many people in your household as possible.  Please click on links below for more grade-level specific information regarding POLs:

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Student Grades: This is an important time to check grades in Powerschool. Click here for the Powerschool website; please email Jackie Martinez at jmartinez@davincischools.org if you need your username and password. If you have been having issues with the mobile app for Powerschool, please delete it and reinstall it. Our district code is GSTN. PowerSchool access will be disabled for students and parents/guardians from Thursday, 12/8 through Monday, 12/19. The last day for students to submit schoolwork for Semester 1 is Wednesday, 12/7, and report cards will be mailed on Monday, 12/19.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• Wednesday, 12/7: Last Day to Submit Work for Semester 1 & Last Day for PowerSchool Access
• Thursday, 12/8 – Thursday, 12/15: Presentations of Learning – POLs (1:50pm dismissal)
• Friday, 12/16 – Friday, 1/6: Winter Break (No School)
• Monday, 12/19: Report Cards Mailed Home
• Monday, 1/9: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins
• DVC Weekly Schedules Year 10 (2022-2023) & DVC Year 10 Planning Calendar (2022-2023)

We return to school on Monday, 11/28! As a reminder, there are only three weeks left during Semester 1. Grades earned at the end of this semester appear on students’ transcripts, and a new semester begins in January 2023. 

Student Grades: This is an important time to sit down with your student and check their grades in Powerschool. Click here for the Powerschool website; please email Jackie Martinez at jmartinez@davincischools.org if you need your username and password. The last day for students to submit schoolwork for Semester 1 is Wednesday, 12/7.

School Site Council Meeting: All are welcome to attend our School Site Council Meeting on Wednesday, 11/30 at 4:30pm via this zoom link. Please see below for the agenda:

1. Public Comment
2. Assessing Progress Toward Goals
3. School Safety Plan Review & Revision
4. Finalize School Safety Plan

Presentations of Learning (POLs): POLs are just around the corner! Please be sure that your student has professional dress for their presentation. As a reminder, we will be opening a “professional dress thrift shop” for students to visit if they are in need of professional attire. POLs begin on Thursday, 12/8 and continue through Thursday, 12/15; students will be dismissed from school at 1:50pm on these days.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• Wednesday, 11/30: School Site Council Meeting at 4:30pm at this zoom link
• Wednesday, 12/7: Last Day to Submit Work for Semester 1
• Thursday, 12/8 – Thursday, 12/15: Presentations of Learning – POLs (1:50pm dismissal)
• Friday, 12/16 – Friday, 1/6: Winter Break (No School)
• Monday, 1/9: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins
• DVC Weekly Schedules Year 10 (2022-2023) & DVC Year 10 Planning Calendar (2022-2023)

Presentations of Learning (known as POLs) are a signature practice of DVC. At the end of each semester, students complete a Presentation of Learning (POL) in which they demonstrate their growth over time and mastery of academic content in a formal presentation before a panel of their teachers. POLs are individual student presentations. At the conclusion of the student’s presentation, their teachers ask questions and offer feedback and support for the next steps. Click here for slides containing basic information and example videos of a POL.

One of the expectations for a Presentation of Learning (POL) is that students come in professional dress. At DVC, professional dress is defined as including the following:

• Button-down dress shirt (shirt must be tucked in) or or non-revealing blouse (must cover shoulders); suit jacket (optional)
• Khaki pants or dress pants (no jeans); dress or skirt that touches tops of knees when standing up straight
• Closed-toe dress shoes (no sneakers or excessively high heels)
• Hair should not cover the face

We will be setting up a small “professional dress thrift shop” for any students who may have difficulty securing these items prior to their presentation. We will let you know when the thrift shop is ready for students to browse! If you have professional dress items you’d like to donate, please deliver them to our 3rd floor front office.

POLs begin on Thursday, 12/8 and continue through Thursday, 12/15. Most students will have two presentations. Each presentation will be scheduled on a separate date, so no student is expected to do two presentations on the same date. All information regarding dates and schedules will come from the student’s grade-level teachers. School dismissal for POL days is 1:50pm.

The two most important things you can do to help your student prepare for their POL is (1) assure them that it is ok to make mistakes and (2) have them practice their POL many times to as many people in your household as possible. POLs help students improve their communication and public speaking skills and empower students to take ownership of their learning. We are excited for our students to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned this semester!