Da Vinci Science

We are more than halfway through the semester! Thank you for a great SLC week. It was a pleasure to see students sharing their learning and progress with parents & guardians while also having meaningful conversations with teachers. Our hope is that students will continue to grow in their learning to finish the rest of the semester well.

This week is a 4-day week with a special schedule; long advisory on Wednesday, CD on Thursday, and PD Day on Friday (no school for students). 

Week 10 Schedule 

This Week’s Announcements:

• College Rep. Visits this week:
  • Monday, 10/20: MIT
  • Tuesday: 10/21: Stony Brook University
  • Wednesday: 10/22: Syracuse University
  • Thursday: 10/23: Loyola Marymount University

• DVS Parent Association:
  •  CHIPOTLE fundraiser for DVS Advisories is this WED 10/22 from 4-8pm at Chipotle, 307 N Pacific Coast Highway, El Segundo.  Use this fundraiser flyer when ordering in the restaurant or code VNT3KMW for online orders picked up from 4-8pm.  Share with your friends and family to help support DVS Students, Advisory Teachers, and community.   
  • DVSPA 10/22 Meeting/Social at Chipotle, 307 N Pacific Coast Highway during our fundraiser, 6:30 – 7:30pm.  We’ll have take home volunteer work and sign ups for November’s Gratitude Basket Project.  

• • Did you see our DVS Merch at SLC check in?  You can ORDER HERE or get more info with this DVSPA Merch Flyer. Thank you for supporting our DVS community!
• Senior Portraits: The last days for senior portraits are October 25th and 26th.
  • Students can sign up here: https://book.usesession.com/s/LbbbrS_pC0

Important Upcoming Dates: 

• Wednesday, 10/22 DVSPA Meeting and Social 6:30 pm at Chipotle
• Friday, 10/24 PD Day (no school)
• Wednesday, 11/5, Parent Coffee
• Monday, 11/10, CLD Day #2
• Tuesday, 11/10, Veterans Day (no school)
• Monday-Friday, 11/24-11/28: Thanksgiving Break

Helpful Links:

DV/Wiseburn Athletics  

DVS Planning Calendar

DVS News YouTube Channel

DVS Announcements Slide Deck

Da Vinci Photos Link

Some Highlights from the Week: 

9th Grade CHYA Presentations

Art class with Mr. Garcia- Oni mask project finals made primarily of cardboard; beautiful artwork displayed, honoring process and outcome

SLC Week- Student Lead Conferences with students, parents, and teachers

We had another successful week- thank you to everyone who attended college information sessions, parent advisory meetings, and to all staff and students who participated in the UCLA blood drive. Next week is another packed week with lots of events, including SAT Day, CHYA, SLCs, college visits, and, of course, every day learning. We also want to wish our Robotics Team 4201, the Vitruvian Bots, as well as Da Vinci hosts So. Cal Showdown this weekend, 10/11 from 9-5:00 pm. There will be free activities and workshops for ages 6-14; all are welcome to stop by!

Week 9 Schedule

  

This Week’s Announcements:

• PSAT/SAT Day: Students in 9-11th will be taking the PSAT; students in 11th and 12th opted-in to take SAT. There will be schedules and room assignments posted throughout the campus on Monday. 

• SLC Week is this week (10/13 to 10/17). Families should already have their SLC times scheduled.  SLC Document for grade-level specific information. We are looking forward to great conversations next week. 
• CHYA Week for 9th Graders: all 9th Graders will be hearing California Healthy Youth Act lessons provided by Nurse Tisyana Lucero and Dr. Emily Green. 9th-grade students will be on a special schedule this week. 

• DVS Parent Association: 

• • Monday 10/13 is the due date for student design submissions.  Check out the details of the Student Design Contest for our next DVSPA Merch Fundraiser design.  More details in this Design Contest Flyer. 
  • Advisory Fundraiser at CHIPOTLE 10/22 – share this fundraiser flyer when you order at Chipotle, 307 N Pacific Coast Highway, El Segundo anytime from 4-8pm on WED 10/22.  Every DVS student benefits from our support of DVS Advisory Teachers, so share the flyer with friends and families! 
  • You can also make a tax deductible monetary donation at https://davincischools.networkforgood.com/ Select 07 – DaVinci Science AND write “DVSPA Advisory Fundraiser” as the “Note for Donor Scroll.”
  • DVSPA Oct 22 Meeting/Social – Enjoy the company of fellow DVS parents, find out how to help with DVSPA next service project, support DVS Advisories and grab dinner for yourself or your whole family – all at the DVSPA Oct 22 meeting/social, from 6:30-7:30 at Chipotle, 307 N PCH, El Segundo, during the restaurant fundraiser.  We’ll have volunteer work to take home and sign ups for November’s Gratitude Basket Project.

Important Upcoming Dates: 

• Wednesday, 10/16 Great California Shakeout
• Monday-Friday, 10/13-10/17 CHYA Week for 9th graders 
• Wednesday, 10/22 DVSPA Meeting and Social 6:30 pm at Chipotle
• Friday, 10/24 PD Day (no school)
• Wednesday, 11/5, Parent Coffee
• Monday, 11/10, CLD Day #2
• Tuesday, 11/10, Veterans Day (no school)
• Monday-Friday, 11/24-11/28: Thanksgiving Break

Highlights from the Week:

Forced to Love Forces Lab using spring scales and digital force sensors. Freshmen calculated the %error of the spring scales, practiced calculating mass and weight, and familiarized themselves with what a Newton of force feels like. 

12th Grade College Info. Session and Harvey Mudd College Visit

DVSPA Fundraiser- come support your student’s Advisory with Chipotle

10/3/25 

We hope all students had an enjoyable holiday yesterday! It was also great to see families at the parent coffee on Wednesday. Parent coffees are held on the first Wednesday of the month; all are welcome for a casual time for Q&A and various relevant topics that parents may want to know. Last week’s recording on Mastery-Based Grading will be posted on the blog soon. 

We have a “normal” schedule next week! 

This Week’s Schedule: 

This Week’s Announcements:

• SLC Week is coming up Week 9 (10/13 to 10/17). By now, families should have scheduled their SLC time. Please refer to this SLC Document for grade-level specific information on SLC week. 

• Parent Advisory Committee: We have our first PAC meeting this Wednesday, 10/8, 4:30-5:30. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/3108950461. On the agenda: LCAP Goals 1 and 2. PAC committee members and all parents are welcome to attend.

• College Counseling:
  • Week 9 College Visits:
    • Tuesday: 10/7: Rochester Institute of Technology
    • Wednesday: 10/8: UC Davis
    • Thursday: 10/9: University of Arizona
    • Friday, 10/10: UC San Diego (8:00am in Mr. Perez’s Room)
    • Friday: 10/10: Harvey Mudd College
  • Thank you to the families who have attended College Planning Information Sessions. We have one more for 12th grade coming up this Wednesday! We welcome 12th grade families for theirCollege Planning Information Session on Wednesday, October 8th from 5:30pm-6:30pm held in-person on the DVS Campus.Come learn about the college application process, the support and services we provide in CCL to help students solidify their college list, personal statements, applying for financial aid and scholarships, and more! Please RSVP here

• DVS Parent Association:

• • Save the Date!  The October DVSPA meeting will be a social gathering, Wed 10/22, 6:00 – 7:30pm at an off site location TBD.  Bring your questions, ideas and enjoy the company of other DVS parents.  .    
  • Is your DVS student interested in art or graphic design?  Check out the details of the Student Design Contest for our next DVSPA Merch Fundraiser design.  More details in this Design Contest Flyer. 
  • DVS Advisories build and support our unique DVS school culture.  DVSPA fundraises for Advisories year-round to support our Advisory Teachers with their community-building activities.  You can make a tax-deductible monetary donation at https://davincischools.networkforgood.com/ Select 07 – DaVinci Science AND write “DVSPA Advisory Fundraiser” as the “Note for Donor Scroll” to support all of our DVS students. 

Important Upcoming Dates: 

• Wednesday, 10/8 Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #1
• Thursday, 10/9 UCLA Blood Drive 
• Friday, 10/10 Honors Commitment Deadline 
• Monday, 10/13 SAT/PSAT School Day
• Wednesday, 10/16 Great California Shakeout
• Monday-Thursday, 10/13-10/17 SLC Week 
• Monday-Friday, 10/13-10/17 CHYA Week for 9th graders 
• Friday, 10/24 PD Day (no school)
• Wednesday, 11/5, Parent Coffee

Helpful Links:

DV/Wiseburn Athletics  

DVS Planning Calendar

DVS News YouTube Channel

DVS Announcements Slide Deck

Da Vinci Photos Link

Some Highlights from the Week:

Arch & Design students taking a walk on the Strand to analyze buildings, shapes, and history

SWE trip with Algalita Marine Research and Education in Seal Beach. Girls did a beach cleanup and audit of the wrackline, sorted micro and macroplastics, and identified native plants in a scavenger hunt.

CEA Resilience & Recovery Trip with John Bwarie:  DTLA & Altadena

We had an eventful and packed week, marked by our first CLD Day, Long Advisories, and our first Community Dialogue in the gym! When speaking with the kids, many of them enjoyed CLD Day and used their time productively. Whether students were at home catching up on homework, working on a project, or going on a college visit, or whether they participated in on-campus workshops like soccer or soap-making, they all had positive things to say about the day. As a reminder, it is pertinent that all students turn in their CLD “Quiz” on Canvas to receive attendance credit for the day. Thank you for your cooperation.

We have another four-day week coming up! 

This Week’s Schedule: 

This Week’s Announcements:

• SLC Week is coming up from 10/13 to 10/17. Be on the lookout for more information and sign-ups from Grade Level teachers.
• DVS Family Coffee Time: Every first Wednesday of the month, we have “Coffee with the Principal,” where parents, guardians, and students can drop in to ask administration and staff questions and receive updates on school happenings. There will also be various topics for discussion as requested by parents. This week’s DVS Families Coffee Time is this Wednesday, 10/1, from 4:30-5:30 using this Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/3108950461. This week’s topic: Mastery-Based Grading

• College Counseling- This Week’s College Rep Visits:
  • Monday, 9/29: High Point University
  • Tuesday: 9/30: Vanderbilt University
  • Wednesday: 10/1: El Camino College

• College Planning Information Sessions: This coming week, we welcome 11th-grade families for their College Planning Information Session on Wednesday, October 1st from 5:30pm-6:30pm via Zoom: Learn about graduation requirements, DVS pathways, college admission criteria, types of colleges and career options, financial aid/scholarships, and more!
  • 11th grade: Wednesday, October 1st from 5:30pm-6:30 pm via ZOOM
  • 12th grade: Wednesday, October 8th from 5:30pm-6:30 pm held in-person on the DVS Campus You may RSVP here . We hope you can join us! Zoom information: https://davincischools-org.zoom.us/j/9301907728 or use Meeting ID: 930 190 7728 (no password needed)

• Get Ready for an Adventure! The DVS Spanish Teachers are heading out on a Yucatán Adventure this coming Spring Break 2026 (March 28 – April 4, 2026)
  • Want to learn more? Join our Informational Meeting:
  • When: Wednesday, October 1st @ 6pm
  • Where: Zoom https://davincischools-org.zoom.us/j/7594747245
  • Take a sneak peek at the trip details here: explorica.com/Magana-3077
• DVSPA- DVS Parent Association (DVSPA) is a fun way to build community with other DVS parents while supporting staff and students.
  • Thank you to all the parents who attended the September DVSPA meeting.  If you couldn’t make it but would like help leading or organizing an upcoming service project, check out the meeting slides HERE.  Save the date, DVSPA October meeting Wed 10/22, time and location TBD.
  • DVSPA Merch is available for pre-order in our two original designs.  A New Student Design Contest has launched this week and the winning design will be voted on by DVS Students. More details in this Design Contest Flyer. 

Important Upcoming Dates: 

• Tuesday, 9/23 Community Learning Day
• Wednesday, 10/1 Parent Coffee (Topic: Real World Learning Program)
• Thursday, 10/2 Local Holiday 
• Wednesday, 10/8 Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
• Thursday, 10/9 UCLA Blood Drive 
• Friday, 10/10 Honors Commitment Deadline 
• Monday, 10/13 SAT/PSAT School Day
• Monday-Thursday, 10/13-10/16 SLC Week
• Tuesday, 10/14 Grades Update
• Friday, 10/24 PD Day 

Helpful Links:

DV/Wiseburn Athletics  

DVS Planning Calendar

DVS News YouTube Channel

DVS Announcements Slide Deck

Da Vinci Photos Link

Some Highlights from the Week:

First CD of the year- Neon Day and a fantastic performance from our WDV Cheer Team

Advanced Physics BTS Horizontal Launch after Lunch

Teletaubes 3rd Annual Wild Wednesday

Art 3 Class – Making Oni Masks

Hello DVS Senior Families:  College application season is in full swing and we want to share important information for those families who will apply for financial aid.

The 2026-2027 FAFSA is now open!

The Department of Education (ED) officially launched the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2026–27 academic year a week early. The launch came after a successful beta testing period in August.   Students and families can complete the form now, giving them earlier access to financial aid information. Please note that some challenges have been found for mixed-status families.  The ED has not yet provided a permanent solution to identity verification issues, which continues to pose a challenge for these families when attempting to file the FAFSA and privacy concerns.

The 2026–27 CADAA opens October 1:
The California Dream Act Application (CADAA) opens on October 1. The CADAA is available to eligible undocumented Californians and mixed status families. While the CADAA provides access to state and institutional aid, students who file only the CADAA are not eligible for federal financial aid dollars.

The 2026-2027 CSS Profile opens October 1:

The CSS Profile is an online application used by mostly private colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid.  The UCs and CSUs do not use the CSS Profile. Here is list ofcolleges that use the CSS Profile.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me Ms. Marquez, College and Career Counselor: fmarquez@davincischools.org