Da Vinci Communications

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

Happy Holidays from DVC! School resumes on January 13th!

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From our staff to your families, we wish all of you a happy holiday season! We hope you travel safely, eat well, and get lots of rest. Thank you for your support in 2024, and we are looking forward to a terrific 2025! School resumes on Monday, January 13th.

Report Cards: We will be mailing end-of-semester report cards in the new year (week of January 6th), but we will restore PowerSchool access for families during the winter break so that all families can be informed about students’ final grades for the semester prior to the mailing. 

DVC Front Office: Our school office will be closed for break from Friday, 12/20 through Monday, 1/6. Our office opens again on Tuesday, 1/7, and school starts for students again on Monday, 1/13. 

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 in the new year:

  • Wednesday, 1/7: Report Cards for Semester 1 Mailed Home
  • Monday, 1/13: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins
  • Monday, 1/20: No School – MLK Jr. Holiday
  • Wednesday, 1/29: Computer Science Field Trip to Snap Inc. (9th & 11th)
  • Monday, 2/3: College Fair Field Trip (11th)
  • Thursday, 2/6: Awards CD
  • Friday, 2/7: No School – Professional Development Day
  • Monday, 2/10: Community Learning Day

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Week 17 Schedule

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This is the final week of Semester 1! POLs and Final Exams continue through Thursday, 12/19 with a 2pm dismissal every day this week. There is no school on Friday, 12/20. We continue to be impressed by our students and how well they are doing with their Presentations of Learning (POLs) and finals! Good luck to all as we finish these final four days.

We want to extend a special thank you to our alumni who came back last week to speak to our seniors about life after DVC. It is wonderful to welcome these special students back to our school, and we are grateful for how they are giving back to the school by sharing their experiences with current students.

PowerSchool Access & Report Cards: Please note that PowerSchool access has been disabled as teachers finalize grades. We will be mailing end-of-semester report cards in the new year (January 2025), but we will restore PowerSchool access for families during the winter break so that all families can be informed about students’ final grades for the semester prior to the mailing. 

DVC Front Office: Our school office will be closed for break from Friday, 12/20 through Monday, 1/6. Our office opens again on Tuesday, 1/7, and school starts for students again on Monday, 1/13. 

Tutoring: After-school tutoring is available from 2pm – 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week in Mr. Albans’s room (3401). No sign up needed; drop-in and get some help with your POLs and Finals!

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, 12/16 – Thursday, 12/19: POLs & Finals (2pm dismissal)
  • Thursday, 12/19: Last Day of Semester 1 (grades earned appear on student transcripts)
  • Friday, 12/20 – Friday, 1/10: No School – Winter Break
  • Monday, 1/13: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

 

Tutoring Available on POL Days!

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Good news – we will have tutoring after school in Albans’ room (3401) from 2pm – 4pm on the following dates:

Thursday, 12/12

Friday, 12/13

Monday, 12/16

Tuesday, 12/17

Wednesday, 12/18

 

Week 16 Schedule: POLs & Finals start Thursday!

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Two weeks left of school this semester! On Friday, we celebrated students who earned All-Star Awards for December as well as played another round of Advisory Olympics during our End-of-Semester CD. Congratulations to the awardees and game winners!

Presentations of Learning (POLs) begin on Thursday, 12/12 and continue through Thursday, 12/19! School dismissal for POL days is 2:00pm. POLs help students improve 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! The most important things you can do to help your student prepare for their POLs are (1) assure them that it is ok to make mistakes, (2) have them practice their POLs many times to as many people in your household as possible, and (3) help them prepare their professional dress. 

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:

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

There are only 2 weeks left this semester. Grades earned at the end of this semester appear on students’ transcripts, and a new semester begins in January 2025. The last day for students to submit schoolwork for Semester 1 is Wednesday, 12/11. PowerSchool and Canvas access for students/parents will be blocked starting Wednesday, 12/11 to finalize semester grades. The last day for students to check grades before seeing a final grade on report cards will be Tuesday, 12/10.

Free Executive Functioning Webinar: All Da Vinci parents/guardians and staff are invited to Whole Human Wellness’s Executive Functioning Webinar on Tuesday, December 10th from 6:30pm-7:30pm. This webinar is created for parents of pre teens, teens, and young adults, and is hosted by Nikki Wendel, who is the Whole Human Wellness Educational Consultant. You can read more about Nikki’s services here. RSVP at this link.

CHYA Presentations: Dr. Emily Green and Nurse Titsyana Lucero will be presenting the health & sexual education curriculum (“CHYA”, or “California Healthy Youth Act”) to 9th grade during the week of December 12th – December 19th. 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.)

DV Performing Arts Program:

  • WDVPA Seminar Night: Come celebrate with all of our Performing Arts seminar classes as they put on their final end-of-semester showcases to highlight everything they have been working on since September. Drum Ensemble, Stagecraft, Music Production, and Acting (Stage and On-Camera) will be in the Blackbox on Tue, 12/10 at 6pm. Admission is FREE—with a $5 suggested donation.
  • Studio Orchestra Winter Concert: Join us for a winter celebration of instrumental music, featuring student Bands, WDV Studio Orchestra, and WUSD Symphonic Band! The Studio Orchestra WInter Concert will take place in the Blackbox on Wed, 12/11 at 6pm. Admission is FREE—with a $5 suggested donation.
  • WDVPA Winter Showcase: You are invited to the Wiseburn Da Vinci Performing Arts Winter Showcase, a heartwarming evening of music and theatre featuring performances by the TK-8 Choir and Theatre groups, the Voices of Da Vinci Choir, and the high school Musical Theatre cast of “GREASE”. The WDVPA Winter Showcase will take place at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center on Fri, 12/13 at 6:30pm. Admission is FREE—with a $5 suggested donation.

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

  • Wednesday, 12/11: Last Day to Submit Work for Semester 1
  • Thursday, 12/12 – Thursday, 12/19: POLs & Finals (2pm dismissal)
  • Thursday, 12/19: Last Day of Semester 1 (grades earned appear on student transcripts)
  • Friday, 12/20 – Friday, 1/10: No School – Winter Break
  • Monday, 1/13: School Resumes & Semester 2 Begins

Please use these links for easy access to school information:

Da Vinci Communications

201 N. Douglas St. – Floor 3

El Segundo, CA 90245

(310) 725-5800