Da Vinci Communications

Week 21 Schedule

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DVC’s first-ever Neurodiversity Celebration Week was a success! It was a week dedicated to uplifting the neurodivergent community by amplifying their voices, debunking myths, and highlighting the strengths associated with disabilities. A huge thank you to the students who bravely shared their stories, organized engaging and informative events, and to the staff who created safe spaces for meaningful discussions during advisory lessons. 

Also this week, 11th graders in Computer Science hosted a Da Vinci Mobile App Showcase and 12th graders in Marketing and Journalism participated in The Situation Room Experience at the Reagan Library. Senior Activities Club and Senior Committee collaborated on an important event and reminder to the seniors called “Donut Panic,” where they distributed donuts to seniors and reminded them that things are going to turn out ok during this stressful time of figuring out next steps after high school.

No School on Friday, 2/7 & CLD Day on Monday, 2/10: Friendly reminder that there is no school on Friday, 2/7 due to Professional Development. On Monday, 2/10, there is a Community Learning Day (CLD). All students are expected to complete THIS CLD SURVEY indicating if they are planning to be on-campus or off-campus on Monday, 2/10. ALL students (whether they are on campus or at home) must fill out this Community Learning Day Attendance Form to receive attendance credit. As a reminder, these forms can only be accessed by students through their davincischools account. 

School Dance on Friday, 2/7: Da Vinci is excited to host “The Cupid Shuffle”—this year’s Spring Dance—on Friday, February 7th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with a sensory-friendly hour from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Purchase your tickets HERE as soon as possible. More details can be found at this blog post.

Parent Advisory Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 2/4: Please join us at our first Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Tuesday, February 1st at 5pm! We will be meeting both in-person on the 1st floor (Mona Lisa Room) and virtually on zoom (ZOOM LINK HERE). The agenda for the first meeting is below, and the proposed agendas for the year are linked here (PROPOSED AGENDAS HERE). 

Meeting Agenda:

  1. Welcome + Introductions
  2. Purpose of Committee
  3. Highlights of Semester 1
  4. LCAP Overview (Goals 1 – 5)
  5. WASC Overview
  6. School Safety Plan Review

FAFSA Friday Workshops for Senior Families: The final FAFSA Friday Workshop is this Friday, February 7th; participants should register here for this great opportunity for families of seniors.

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

  • Monday, 2/3: Cal Poly Pomona / LMU Field Trip (11th)
  • Tuesday, 2/4: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #1 (5pm @ 201 N. Douglas or via zoom (link here)
  • Thursday, 2/6: USC Field Trip (11th)
  • Friday, 2/7: No School – Professional Development
  • Monday, 2/10: Community Learning Day #3
  • Wednesday, 2/12: Grades Updated in PowerSchool & Canvas
  • Monday, 2/17: No School – Presidents Day Holiday
  • Thursday, 2/20: Black History Month CD
  • Thursday, 2/27: DECA SCDC Conference Begins (Marketing Pathway)

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Get Ready to Dance at “The Cupid Shuffle” – DV’s Spring Dance!

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Da Vinci is excited to host “The Cupid Shuffle”—this year’s Spring Dance—on Friday, February 7th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with a sensory-friendly hour from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Ticket Information:

  • Presale: $25 (available through MySchoolBucks)
  • Deadline for Online Purchase: Thursday, February 6th, at 11:59 PM
  • At-the-Door Price: $30 (Friday, February 7th)

Event Details:

  • When: Friday, February 7th
  • Where: Da Vinci West Plaza
  • Dress Code: Semi-formal (dress up a little, but keep it comfortable!)
  • Who Can Attend: Only currently enrolled Da Vinci students (grades 9-12) – no outside guests permitted

Don’t miss out on a fun-filled night of music, dancing, and memories! Get your tickets early to save, and we’ll see you on the dance floor!

[Check out the event flyer here.]

 

Note: We are using MySchoolBucks for the purchase of dance tickets and other school activities. Here are some resources you can use to set up your account, if you’ve never used it:

 

(Seniors) 2025 HSF Scholar Program

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Empowering Courageous Leaders
The 2025 HSF Scholar Program Application is now open and closes on February 15, 2025, 2:00 PM PT.
Apply Now!
  • Every year, HSF selects 10,000 outstanding students as HSF Scholars from a broad and talented pool of applicants
  • HSF Scholars have access to a full range of invaluable Scholar Support Services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training
  • Career services include access to select internship and job opportunities with HSF corporate partners
  • HSF Scholars are eligible to apply for all Scholar Conferences including, the STEM Summit, Finance Conference, and Media & Entertainment Summit
  • Exclusive access to the HSF Insider which shares invaluable information and career opportunities
  • Finally, and importantly, HSF awards more than $30 million in Scholarships annually and, depending upon available funds, HSF Scholars may also be eligible to receive a scholarship, which range from $500-$5,000 and are awarded directly to students
Deadline: February 15, 2025, 2:00 PM PT
Eligibility:
  • Must be of Hispanic heritage
  • U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA
  • Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students
  • Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school, in the U.S., for the 2025-2026 academic year
  • Submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable)
About HSF:
HSF empowers families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional students as possible.
Founded in 1975, HSF has awarded over $756 million in scholarships. HSF Scholars have access to valuable Scholar Support Services and, as funding permits, scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000.
Additional Important Information:
It takes an average of 30 minutes for students to complete Phase I of the 2025 HSF Scholar Program Application
  • No essays, recommendations, or document uploads are required in Phase I
  • To get started, visit HSF.net and log into or create your myHSF profile to access the HSF Scholar Program Application
HSF Scholar Application Timeline:
  • January – Phase I of the application opened January 5 and closes on February 15, 2025, 2:00 PM PT
  • Late February – Applicants are evaluated and the most competitive are selected as Finalists
  • March 1 – Finalists are announced and asked to submit essays, recommendations, transcripts, FAFSA, and other related documents
  • June – HSF Scholars are announced (includes both funded and Scholars waitlisted for funding)
  • June to November – Final Document Verification (financial aid award letter, enrollment verification, and related documents)
  • December – 10,000 HSF Scholars are confirmed after the verification process is complete

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!

Da Vinci Communications

201 N. Douglas St. – Floor 3

El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 725-5800