From our staff to your families, we wish all of you a happy holiday season! We are proud of our students for working so hard and our families for their ongoing support. We hope you stay healthy and enjoy the company of friends and family over the break.

Semester 2 officially begins and classes resume on Monday, January 9th. See the calendar linked here.

Winter Break Announcements: 

• All DVC offices will be closed for the break starting Tuesday, 12/20 until Tuesday, 1/3. Emails and messages will be responded to upon our return to the office.
• Report cards will be mailed on or before Tuesday, 12/20. Included in report card mailings are a printed calendar and PSAT scores for grades 9, 10, and 11.
• If you have questions about final grades, please reach out to teachers directly via email when school resumes. Grade appeals must be initiated via email within 30 days of the end of the semester. For more information about final grades, see the DVC Student and Family Handbook.
• PowerSchool access has been restored. Students and families should be able to access grades digitally at this time. (davincischools.powerschool.com) 

Our youth wellness partner, South Bay Families Connected, invites you to connect with their free and accessible online parent and guardian resources to help provide you and your children with self-care and greater connection this holiday season. Below are resources featured this month:

• New Blog: Unplug and Reconnect This Holiday Break – Holiday activities to foster connection
• Mindful Parenting
• Empathy and Compassion
• Social Skills and Connection
• Healthy Relationships

For resources created for students, visit the SBFC Virtual Teen Center where a wide variety of mental health and wellness topics are covered. To see more youth wellness resources provided by Da Vinci Schools and SBFC, please visit Da Vinci Schools Families Connected.

Dear Students, Families and Staff,

Da Vinci has received additional at-home COVID-19 test kits. A two-pack of test kits will be available to each student and staff member and are available for pick up this week Thursday on campus. We strongly encourage students to pick up a COVID test kit for use over break as needed to test prior to crowded indoor gatherings, if celebrating with friends or family that are high risk for health complications, if symptomatic and/or prior to returning to campus in January.

A negative test is not required for students and staff to return to school after Winter Break, but in the event your child exhibits any flu-like or cold symptoms, your child should get tested and remain at home.

Please report any positive results obtained over break that are within 14 days of having been on site to TLucero@davincischools.org.

Students who test positive must follow the LA County Isolation guidelines and may not attend school during the required isolation period. The Da Vinci Schools Nurse will follow up with return to school guidance for any positive results reported.

Additional home tests needed over the break can be picked up from 830am-1230pm at the main lobby of 201 N Douglas Street.

• Mon-Thurs 12/19-12/22
• Mon-Thurs 12/26-12/29
• Tues and Thurs 1/3 and 1/5

We thank you and wish you a safe and Happy Holiday!

Sincerely,

Emily Green, Director of Health Services, RN, PhD

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