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Week 20 Schedule

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Happy Weekend, DVC Families,

Last week we celebrated 236 students for earning Honor Roll (semester GPA of 3.5 to 3.9) or High Honor Roll (semester GPA of 4.0 or higher) for Semester 1 of this school year! Certificates will be distributed during Advisory on Monday. Congratulations to these high-achieving students! We also recognized students for End-of-Semester Awards. These special awards acknowledge and celebrate the habits and skills we value at DVC such as collaboration, positivity, resilience, and growth/improvement. We are proud of our students!

This week begins Neurodiversity Celebration Week! The purpose of Neurodiversity Celebration Week is to celebrate how unique and diverse our brains can be. Everyone’s brain works in its special way, and there’s no one correct way to think, learn, or experience the world. We’re celebrating all the different ways people experience life, focusing on understanding disabilities like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, Tourette Syndrome, and more. We encourage all students and staff to wear red on Wednesday, 1/29 for autism acceptance. A special thank you to the staff and students involved in the Neurodiversity Planning Committee for making this week happen! More information can be found at this blog post.

Community Learning Day on Monday, 2/10: All students are expected to complete THIS CLD SURVEY indicating if they are planning to be on-campus or off-campus for our next Community Learning Day. As a reminder, this form can only be accessed by students through their davincischools account.

Free After-School Tutoring: We are pleased to offer after-school 3 days per week! There is free drop-in tutoring (no sign-up needed) available in Mr. Albans’s room (3401) on the following dates and times:

  • Tuesdays, 3:35 – 4:30
  • Wednesdays, 2:30 – 4:30
  • Thursdays, 3:35 – 4:30

Black College Expo on Saturday, 2/1: Join DVC in attending the 2025 Los Angeles Black College Expo at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, February 1st! ALL students are welcome to attend! Transportation is provided, and students will leave DVC at 9:00, returning at 1:45.  DVC will be attending the College Expo portion only; the Battle of Bands is a separate, ticketed event after the College Expo. Permission slips are available at the front desk of DVC. Please submit slips to Ms. Aldrete by 1/29. We only have space for 30 students!

Da Vinci Schools Surveys: We value your voice and input! Parents/guardians and students, you should have received an email from Kelvin Education during the first week of November with a survey link to provide feedback. Please look in your inbox for “Kelvin Education” to complete the survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide this valuable feedback. Surveys close on January 31st.

FAFSA Friday Workshops for Senior Families: Da Vinci Schools is excited to offer practical, hands-on FAFSA workshops to our senior families. See more information about the workshop on this post on our blog. This will be held on the DV Communications (DVC) floor in Room 3203 and is open to all Da Vinci Schools senior families. Participants should register here for ONE of the following dates as all workshops will cover the same material.

  • Friday, February 7th, 2025 (6-7:30 p.m.)

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

  • Monday, 1/27 – Friday, 1/31: Neurodiversity Celebration Week 
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Computer Science Mobile App Showcase (11th)
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Reagan Library Field Trip (12th)
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Wear Red for Autism Acceptance
  • Monday, 2/3: Cal Poly Pomona / LMU Field Trip (11th)
  • Thursday, 2/6: USC Field Trip (11th)
  • Friday, 2/7: No School – Professional Development
  • Monday, 2/10: Community Learning Day #3

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Neurodiversity Celebration Week begins Monday, 1/27!

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Dear DVC Families,
Next week, we’re diving into an exciting celebration of how unique and diverse our brains can be. Neurodiversity means that everyone’s brain works in its own special way, and there’s no ONE correct way to think, learn, or experience the world. We’re celebrating all the different ways people experience life, with a focus on understanding disabilities like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, Tourette Syndrome, and more.
Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to participate in fun and engaging activities designed to celebrate these differences! Students can create their own neurodiversity buttons and fidgets at student-led lunch activities, make slime to explore sensory processing differences, and play interactive games to uncover the myths and strengths behind different disabilities.
But that’s not all! We’re also excited to introduce a permanent sensory wall installation created by students. The sensory wall offers a calming way for students to manage stress, improve focus, and take a break during busy moments at school.
The Neurodiversity Student Committee has been working tirelessly since the start of the school year to bring this exciting and meaningful week to life. They’re thrilled to offer these amazing opportunities to encourage everyone to learn, grow, and celebrate the unique strengths we all bring to the table!

Week 19 Schedule

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Dear DVC Students and Families,

We want to start with a heartfelt thank you to our families, students, staff and community for the outpouring of support this week for those affected by the LA County fires. Thanks to DV community efforts, in collaboration with Pass it Forward and numerous community groups, over 2000 meals have been donated to firefighters, wildfire victims, volunteers and more.

If you are a DVC family who has been personally affected by the fires, please reach out to us as soon as possible so that we can offer support and resources. The health and safety of our students is our top priority. If you or someone you know is in need of resources at this time, please feel free to share this resource list. 

No School on Monday, 1/20: There is no school on Monday, January 20th, in honor of Martin Luther King Holiday. We are grateful for his pivotal role in the civil rights movement and his legacy for equality, justice, and nonviolence. 

Tutoring for Semester 2: We are pleased to expand our after school tutoring program to 3 days per week! There is free drop-in tutoring (no sign-up needed) available in Mr. Albans’s room (3401) on the following dates and times:

  • Tuesdays, 3:35 – 4:30
  • Wednesdays, 2:30 – 4:30
  • Thursdays, 3:35 – 4:30

Seminar Change Requests: Students, if you would like to request a change to your seminar classes, please fill out this form: Schedule Change Request Form All requests must be submitted by Friday, 1/24 at 4pm. You are required to attend the classes you are assigned until you are given a new schedule by school staff. As always, we will do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible, but not all requests can be honored. Please note that the form is only accessible by students through their DV google account.

Da Vinci Schools Surveys: We value your voice and input. Parents/guardians and students, you should have received an email from Kelvin Education during the first week of November with a survey link to provide feedback. Please look in your inbox for “Kelvin Education” to complete the survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide this valuable feedback. Surveys close on January 31st.

FAFSA Friday Workshops for Senior Families: Da Vinci Schools is excited to offer practical, hands-on FAFSA workshops to our senior families. See more information about the workshop on this post on our blog. This will be held on the DV Communications (DVC) floor in Room 3203 and is open to all Da Vinci Schools senior families. Participants should register here for ONE of the following dates as all workshops will cover the same material.

  • Friday, February 7th, 2025 (6-7:30 p.m.)

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

  • Monday, 1/20: No School – MLK Jr. Day
  • Thursday, 1/23: Awards CD
  • Monday, 1/27 – Friday, 1/31: Neurodiversity Celebration Week 
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Computer Science Field Trip (9th & 11th)
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Reagan Library Field Trip (12th)
  • Monday, 2/3: Cal Poly Pomona / LMU Field Trip (11th)
  • Thursday, 2/6: USC Field Trip (11th)
  • Friday, 2/7: No School – Professional Development

 

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Week 18 Schedule: Semester 2 begins Monday!

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Happy New Year, DVC Families,

We hope that the new year finds you healthy and safe. We are excited to welcome our students back to campus on Monday, 1/13! Classes begin at 8:30am.

Our hearts go out to all of those in our community who have been affected by the ongoing wildfires in LA. We are committed to helping our community navigate this challenging time. Please see this blog post for resources to support those affected by the wildfires as well as preparedness resources. 

PowerSchool Access & Report Cards: Please note that PowerSchool access has been restored; final semester 1 grades can be checked at davincischools.powerschool.com. We will be mailing end-of-semester report cards on Friday, 1/10; please check your mail next week. Included in report cards were NWEA MAP Test Results (grades 9-11) and PSAT/SAT test results (grades 9-12) for students who completed these tests. If you do not have access to PowerSchool or do not receive your report card next week, please reach out to our office manager Jackie Martinez (jmartinez@davincischools.org) or (310) 725-5800. 

Wednesday Snacks for DVC Staff: Thank you to the families who brought us snacks on Wednesdays! Over 30 families treated us to a surprise snack each week at the start of our collaboration time on Wednesdays. We enjoyed veggies and hummus, chips and dips, fruit, charcuterie boards, noodle dishes, granola bars, sparkling water, cakes, and cookies!  If you are willing and able to help during Semester 2, please sign up here: Wednesday Snack Sign Up. We ask you to bring enough snacks for about 20 people, and we ask for 2 parents/guardians for each Wednesday. The hope is that there is enough to give about 40 people a snack or treat each week. If you plan to bring snacks for 40, please sign up for both slots. If you have questions, feel free to email Jackie Martinez at jmartinez@davincischools.org. Thank you for your generosity!

Schedule Changes: Student schedules are sometimes adjusted at the semester to better align with academic goals, course availability, and overall student success. Semester 2 schedules will be printed and distributed during Period 1 on Monday, 1/13. If there are any questions about a student’s schedule, please contact your student’s counselor:

Seminar Changes: Students will remain enrolled in their seminar classes from Semester 1 with the exception of some classes that will no longer be offered. If you are notified that your class will no longer be offered or if you would like to request a change to your seminar classes, please fill out this form: Schedule Change Request Form All requests must be submitted by Tuesday, 1/14 at 4pm. As always, we will do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible, but not all requests can be honored. Please note that the form is only accessible by students through their DV google account. Students are required to attend the classes they are assigned until they are given a new schedule by school staff.

CHYA Presentations: Dr. Emily Green and Nurse Titsyana Lucero will be presenting a refresher of the health & sexual education curriculum (“CHYA”, or “California Healthy Youth Act”) to 11th grade students on Monday, 1/13 and Tuesday, 1/14. Click this link to read the notification letter from Dr Emily Green. If you have any questions about the content that will be covered, please email Dr. Green at egreen@davincischools.org. Parents have the right to “opt-out” of this presentation for their child. If you wish to do so, please email Erin D’Souza, DVC Principal, at edsouza@davincischools.org.

FAFSA Friday Workshops for Senior Families: Da Vinci Schools is excited to offer practical, hands-on FAFSA workshops to our senior families. See more information about the workshop on this post on our blog. This will be held on the DV Communications (DVC) floor in Room 3203 and is open to all Da Vinci Schools senior families. Participants should register here for ONE of the following dates as all workshops will cover the same material.

  • Friday, January 17th, 2025 (6-7:30 p.m.)
  • Friday, February 7th, 2025 (6-7:30 p.m.)

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

  • Monday, 1/13: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins
  • Wednesday, 1/15: Marketing Field Trip
  • Monday, 1/20: No School – MLK Jr. Day
  • Thursday, 1/23: Awards CD
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Computer Science Field Trip (9th & 11th)
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Reagan Library Field Trip (12th)
  • Monday, 2/3: NACAC College Fair Trip (11th)
  • Thursday, 2/6: USC Field Trip (11th)
  • Friday, 2/7: No School – Professional Development

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Resources Regarding the Wildfires in LA County

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Dear Parents and Guardians,

We send love and condolences to all of our community members affected by the ongoing wildfires impacting the Los Angeles areas. These fires have led to evacuations, property loss, and significant disruptions for many families. This notification is designed to ensure that our Da Vinci community has access to where to find live updates and any needed resources during this time. 

Current Situation: LIVE UPDATES

Community Resources:

Health and Safety Recommendations:

  1. Stay Informed: Monitor local news outlets and official sources for the latest updates on evacuation orders and air quality advisories.

  2. Air Quality Precautions: Due to smoke and ash, air quality may be poor. Limit outdoor activities, keep windows and doors closed, and consider using air purifiers if available. If you have N95 masks, use them to protect against smoke inhalation.

  3. Emergency Preparedness: Ensure your family has an emergency plan in place. This includes having a “go-bag” with essential items, knowing evacuation routes, and establishing a communication plan with all family members.

  4. Support for Children: Children may experience anxiety or confusion during such events. Maintain open communication, provide age-appropriate information, and reassure them of their safety. The American Red Cross offers resources to help children cope during emergencies; Coping with Disasters: Free Resources for Kids (LINKED HERE) 

Additional Resources:

  • Ready.gov – Wildfire Safety: Comprehensive guidelines on preparing for wildfires and protecting your family (LINKED HERE)

  • American Red Cross – Wildfire Safety: Information on wildfire preparedness and recovery (LINKED HERE)

We understand that this is a challenging time for many in our community. Please prioritize your safety and well-being, and do not hesitate to reach out to local support services if needed.

Sincerely,

Erin Whalen 

Assistant Superintendent of Student Services 

Ewhalen@davincischools.org

Da Vinci Communications

201 N. Douglas St. – Floor 3

El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 725-5800