Da Vinci Science

Thank you for a great week of SLCs! We really enjoyed seeing families on campus (or on Zoom). We value the time to connect and build relationships with families through individualized conversations. Thank you for partnering with us to optimize our students’ learning experience! 

We are back to a regular schedule next week. 

Week 28 Schedule:

Week 28 Announcements:  

• 2025 DVS Yearbook: The 2025 yearbook is ready to purchase at the school yearbook at Varsity Press. Click here for link. Prices start at $55 and are soon to change.
• 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade College Planning Info Session Slides: Thank you to all the freshman and sophomore families that attended their grade-level college planning info sessions. Ms. Valle and Ms. Marquez also presented to all juniors during English class on 3/17 to discuss college applications. Below are the slides from each presentation. Sign-ups for individual 11th grade college planning meetings will be available in a few weeks.
  • 9th Grade College Planning Info Session Slides
  • 10th Grade College Planning Info Session Slides
  • 11th Grade Slides
• Negotiating Your Financial Aid Workshop Series: If you’re looking to make college more affordable, this workshop is for you! This workshop will take place in room 3203 on the DV Communications floor from 6:30-7:30pm. See this blog post for available dates, more information, and RSVP for one workshop at this link.
• CollegeWise Workshops: Come hear from leading professionals in college admissions. Typically, these services require a fee, however, this workshop is at no cost for DVS students. Collegewise Workshops will be held on campus in Galileo Room. 
  • Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30pm: Juniors! How to Get Ahead on a College Application for 11th graders.Please register here.
  • Thursday, April 24th at 5:30pm: Building an Impressive Application Profile in High School for 9th and 10th graders. Please register here.
• Old speakers/Headphones WANTED! Taube’s 9th grade physicists will be dissecting speakers and headphones for our Beats by DVS project in early April. Please drop off in Taube’s classroom. Thank you!

• DVS Parent Association (DVSPA):
  • DVS Parents BINGO NIGHT is Sunday! If it turns out you can make it, you can still RSVP HERE . Bring a fellow DVS Parent and/or come meet other DVS parents you don’t know yet!  Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm, at Five Point Five
  • View the DVSPA exciting new DVS Merch Designs HERE.  DVSPA is taking pre-orders for our Apparel Fundraiser!  Show your school spirit and pre-order yours today using this ORDER LINK before the price increase.
  • Please join us in our final push for our ADVISORY FUNDRAISER – we still have a ways to go to meet our $2,500 goal to support advisory teachers.  Please consider donating a gift card in any amount to places like Target, Amazon, Trader Joes, etc. by sending it to DVSappreciation@gmail.com.  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.” Thank you SO MUCH to those who have already donated this school year!

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Sunday, 3/23: DVS Parent Association Bingo Night at Five Point Five @ 5pm
• Monday, 3/24: 11th Grade College Field Trip
• Monday, 3/24: SWE Algalita Field Trip (AM only)
• Tuesday, 3/25: Medical Interventions Grand Rounds at 6pm in the Black Box
• Wednesday, 3/26: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #5 at 4:15pm
• Friday, 3/28: CEA Honors So-Fi Tour
• Monday, 3/31: Cesar Chavez Day Holiday- No School
• Wednesday, 4/2: DVS Families Coffee Time at 5:00pm
• Thursday, 4/3: CollegeWise Workshop at 5:30pm
• Friday, 4/4: 12th Grade Prospective Students Trip to El Camino College
• Monday, 4/7: Opt-in SAT School Day (10th & 11th grade)
• Monday, 4/7: 9th Grade College Field Trip
• Monday, 4/7: 12th Grade Park Field Trip

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:

Guest speakers Zora Law and Paul Chae from the Southern California Casualty Actuarial Club came to talk to our Calculus students about their experiences as actuaries!

Physics built electromagnets! Advanced Physics finished one level of their DVS cribs: floating forces mobile project analyzing torque and rotational equilibrium

Great week of SLCs!

Hello DVS Families,  We hope you are enjoying your week!  Below are announcements for all grade-levels:

9th and 10th grades: Thank you to all the freshman and sophomore families that attended their grade-level College Planning Information Sessions.  Below are the presentation slides.

9th Grade College Planning Information Session Slides

10th Grade College Planning Information Session Slides

11th grade: As we mentioned during the Fall 2024 College Planning Information Session, Ms. Marquez will meet individually with all junior families to discuss next year’s plan; including the college application process, career selection and post-high school plans.  Ms. Valle and Ms. Marquez presented to all juniors this week in their English Classes with information on how to prepare for their meeting.  Here is the presentation.  Sign-ups will open in a few weeks and meetings will begin when we return from Spring Break.

12th grade: There are three more opportunities to attend the Negotiating Your Financial Aid Workshop Series.   If you’re looking to make college more affordable, this workshop is for you! This workshop will take place in room 3203 on the DV Communications floor from 6:30-7:30pm. RSVP for one workshop using this link.

Questions?

Ms. Marquez, College and Career Counselor (all grade levels) fmarquez@davincischools.org

Ms. Valle, Academic and Wellness Counselor (Class of 2026 and Class of 2028): cvalle@davincischools.org 

Ms. Ruiz, Academic and Wellness Counselor (Class of 2025 and Class of 2027):

cruiz@davincischools.org

We hope all students enjoyed PD day today. Last week, the DV Visual and Performing Arts team had their last musical performance of GREASE. The students worked so hard on this performance and did a spectacular job showcasing their dedication and talents. We are so proud of all of our performers!

Da Vinci is hosting FRC LA Regionals this weekend, 3/15-3/16. We are excited and consider it an honor to host this event and welcome schools from local communities across the country and worldwide. All are welcome to join the fun and cheer on the Robotics team or watch virtually at this link: FIRSTinspires2 – Twitch. Go Vitruvian Bots! 

This upcoming week is SLC week. We are looking forward to seeing families and engaging in reflective, meaningful conversations with students, parents, and teachers. SLCs are required as they are essential to the collaborative efforts to ensure each student’s achievement and success. 

Week 27 Schedule:

Week 27 Announcements:  

• Student-Led Conferences: Spring 2025 Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are this coming week! They will take place from Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20. The schedule as well as specific instructions for SLCs were shared by grade-level teachers, and can be found in this SLC Plans for Families document. During SLC week, students will be dismissed early at 2:25 pm every day.
• 2025 DVS Yearbook: The 2025 yearbook is ready to purchase at the school yearbook at Varsity Press. Click here for link. Prices start at $55 and are soon to change.
• Negotiating Your Financial Aid Workshop Series: If you’re looking to make college more affordable, this workshop is for you! This workshop will take place in room 3203 on the DV Communications floor from 6:30-7:30pm. See this blog post for available dates, more information, and RSVP for one workshop at this link.
• CollegeWise Workshops: Come here from leading professionals in college admissions. Typically, these services require a fee, however, this workshop is at no cost for DV students. Collegewise Workshops will be held on campus in Galileo Room.
  • Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30pm: Juniors! How to Get Ahead on a College Application for 11th graders.Please register here.
  • Thursday, April 24th at 5:30pm: Building an Impressive Application Profile in High School for 9th and 10th graders. Please register here.

• Old speakers/Headphones WANTED! Taube’s 9th grade physicists will be dissecting speakers and headphones for our Beats by DVS project in early April. Please drop off in Taube’s classroom. Thank you!

• DVS Parent Association (DVSPA):
  • View our exciting new DVS Merch Designs HERE. DVSPA is taking pre-orders for our Apparel Fundraiser! Show your school spirit and pre-order yours today using this ORDER LINK before the price increase.
  • DVS Parents BINGO NIGHT is almost here! RSVP HERE to save your spot. Bring a fellow DVS Parent and/or come meet other DVS parents you don’t know yet! Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm, at Five Point Five
  • DVSPA ADVISORY FUNDRAISER – we are still working to meet our fundraising goal to support advisory teachers.  Please consider donating a gift card in any amount to places like Target, Amazon, Trader Joes, etc. by sending it to DVSappreciation@gmail.com.  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.”

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Friday, 3/21: Honors Commitment Deadline
• Sunday, 3/23: DVS Parent Association Bingo Night at Five Point Five @ 5pm
• Monday, 3/24: 11th Grade College Field Trip
• Monday, 3/24: SWE Algalita Field Trip (AM only)
• Tuesday, 3/25: Medical Interventions Grand Rounds at 6pm in the Black Box
• Wednesday, 3/26: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #5 at 4:15pm
• Friday, 3/28: CEA Honors So-Fi Tour
• Monday, 3/31: Cesar Chavez Day Holiday- No School
• Wednesday, 4/2: DVS Families Coffee Time at 5:00pm
• Thursday, 4/3: CollegeWise Workshop at 5:30pm
• Friday, 4/4: 12th Grade Prospective Students Trip to El Camino College
• Monday, 4/7: Opt-in SAT School Day (10th & 11th grade)
• Monday, 4/7: 9th Grade College Field Trip
• Monday, 4/7: 12th Grade Park Field Trip

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:

And that’s a wrap! We enjoyed GREASE- thank you for an amazing performance!

Teletaubes Advisory having fun on Taco Tuesday

Students had another smooth and successful week, and they are almost halfway through the semester. On Monday, 9th graders had their physical fitness test, while 10th graders were team-bonding and culture-building in Culver City with Fulcrum. 

Congratulations to the Vitruvian Bots! Team 4201 had a great first competition of the season and looks forward to hosting the next competition, LA Regionals here on our Da Vinci Campus! Some highlights from last weekend’s Port Hueneme Regionals included: ranking 14 out of 36 teams, being first pick in their alliance, and a fantastic, effective working Bot, Lochness! The team has been kicking it up in high gear, working hard every day after school to get ready for LAR

Spring is approaching and we hope families keep warm this weekend; Happy International Women’s Day, Saturday, 3/8! Also, a reminder that clocks Spring Forward this Sunday, March 9th. 

We have a four-day week this week; PD Day Friday, 3/14- no school for students.

Week 26 Schedule:

Week 26 Announcements:  

• Student-Led Conferences: Spring 2025 Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are coming up! They will take place from Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20. The schedule as well as specific instructions for SLCs were shared by grade-level teachers, and can be found in this SLC Plans for Families document. During SLC week, students will be dismissed early at 2:25 pm every day.
• Opt-in Spring 2025 SAT School Day: The Spring 2025 DVS Opt-in SAT School Day date has been set for Monday, April 7th. The Interest Form (Da Vinci Google account required) is due by Monday, March 10th, 2025. Please direct questions to DVS Assistant Principal, Saya Wai, at swai@davincischools.or
• College Planning Information Sessions are coming during Week 26! We will welcome 9th grade families on Tuesday, March 11th and 10th grade families on Wednesday, March 12th. Come learn more about college and career readiness, graduation requirements, college admissions tips and more! Meets are from 5:30pm-6:30pm and held on the DVS floor. Click here to reserve your spot!
• Negotiating Your Financial Aid Workshop Series: Da Vinci Schools is thrilled to announce a powerful, practical, and proven workshop designed to help families decode, dispute, and decrease their college costs. If you’re looking to make college more affordable, this workshop is for you! This workshop will take place in room 3203 on the DV Communications floor from 6:30-7:30pm. See this blog post for available dates, more information, and RSVP for one workshop at this link.
• CollegeWise Workshops

• • Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30pm: Juniors! How to Get Ahead on a College Application for 11th graders.Please register here.
  • Thursday, April 24th at 5:30pm: Building an Impressive Application Profile in High School for 9th and 10th graders. Please register here.
• OLD SPEAKERS/HEADPHONES WANTED! Taube’s 9th grade physicists will be dissecting speakers and headphones for our Beats by DVS project in early April. Please drop off in Taube’s classroom. Thank you!
• 2025 DVS Yearbook: The 2025 yearbook is ready to purchase at the school yearbook at Varsity Press. Click here for link. Prices start at $55 and are soon to change.

• DVS Parent Association (DVSPA):
  • The Da Vinci Science Parent Association is still taking pre-orders for the Spring 2025 DVS Apparel Fundraiser! Pre-order now at this MySchoolBucks link.
  • DVS PARENT BINGO NIGHT: Mark your calendar and RSVP YES to our DVS Parents Bingo Night. Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm, at Five Point Five. RSVP HERE
  • DVSPA ADVISORY FUNDRAISER: Please consider donating a gift card in any amount to places like Target, Amazon, Trader Joes, etc. by sending it to DVSappreciation@gmail.com. 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.”

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Tuesday, 3/11: 9th Grade College Planning Meeting @ 5:30pm
• Wednesday, 3/12: 10th Grade College Planning Meeting @ 5:30pm
• Thursday – Sunday, 3/13 – 3/16: FRC Los Angeles Regional
• Friday, 3/14: PD Day, No School
• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Friday, 3/21: Honors Commitment Deadline
• Sunday, 3/23: DVS Parent Association Bingo Night at Five Point Five @ 5pm
• Monday, 3/31: Cesar Chavez Day Holiday- No School

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: 

Class of 2027 conquering their fears during team-bonding Fulcrum Day

Class of 2028 practicing for Senior Beach Day

DVS had a productive and even-paced five-day week. DV’s Robotics Team 4201 is currently in Port Hueneme for our first FRC competition of the season. The official qualification matches begin Saturday, 3/1, and end Sunday, 3/2. Here’s where you can watch the live stream of the competition: FIRSTinspires4—Twitch Go Vitruvian Bots! 

It’s hard to believe we are almost halfway through the semester. With SLCs coming up, the following weeks will be busy. Thank you for continued positive attendance and engagement. Please read below for many important announcements for students and parents/guardians.

Week 25:

Week 25 Announcements:  

• Student-Led Conferences: Spring 2025 Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are coming up! They will take place from Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20. The schedule as well as specific instructions for SLCs will be shared by grade-level teachers, but you can also find it in this SLC Plans for Families document. During SLC week, students will be dismissed early at 2:25 pm every day.
• DVS Family Coffee: Next Coffee with the Principal next Wednesday, March 5th.5:00-6:00 on Zoom or in Person in Berger Room. Topic: School Parent and Student Survey Data
• Opt-in Spring 2025 SAT School Day: DVS 10th and 11th grade students can opt-in to take the SAT during this school day, free of charge, by completing this Spring 2025 DVS Opt-in SAT School Day Interest Form (Da Vinci Google account required) by Monday, March 10th, 2025. If there is a lot of interest, priority will be given to 11th grade students. DVS will still be holding a school-wide SAT/PSAT School Day in the fall as usual. More details about this Spring 2025 SAT School Day will be communicated when available to those of you who complete the form. Please direct questions to DVS Assistant Principal, Saya Wai, at swai@davincischools.org.
• OLD SPEAKERS/HEADPHONES WANTED! Taube’s 9th grade physicists will be dissecting speakers and headphones for our Beats by DVS project in early April. Please drop off in Taube’s classroom. Thank you!

• College Planning Information Sessions are coming during Week 26! We will welcome 9th grade families on Tuesday, March 11th and 10th grade families on Wednesday, March 12th. Come learn more about college and career readiness, graduation requirements, college admissions tips and more! Meets are from 5:30pm-6:30pm and held on the DVS floor.  Click here to reserve your spot!
• Additional college and career workshops and support:
  • Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30pm: Juniors! How to Get Ahead on a College Application. This workshop is hosted by our partners at CollegeWise and is geared towards 11th graders.  Please register here.
  • Thursday, April 24th at 5:30pm: Building an Impressive Application Profile in High School. This workshop is hosted by our partners at CollegeWise and is geared towards 9th and 10th graders.  Please register here.
  • 11th Grade Individual Post-Secondary Planning Meetings start on Monday, May 5th and run through POL Week. Ms. Marquez meets with every Junior family to develop an individualized post-secondary plan. Signups will be posted after Spring Break.
  • Personal Statement Workshops for Juniors. A two-part series hosted by CollegeWise: Session 1 will occur during POL week and Session 2 over the summer as well as during Summer PD time
  • College counseling, hosted by our partners at CollegeWise, available over the summer. 
  • We look forward to supporting students in their college and career planning during the spring semester! Please reach out to Ms. Marquez, College and Career Counselor with any questions: fmarquez@davincischools.org 
• DVS Parent Association (DVSPA):
  • DVSPA is offering NEW DVS MERCH – The Da Vinci Science Parent Association is now taking pre-orders for the Spring 2025 DVS Apparel Fundraiser! Show your school pride and spirit and pre-order now at this MySchoolBucks link.
  • DVS PARENT BINGO NIGHT! Need a break and want to help strengthen our DVS Community? Mark your calendar and RSVP YES to our DVS Parents Bingo Night. Bring a fellow DVS Parent and/or come meet other DVS Parents you don’t know yet! Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm, at Five Point Five. RSVP HERE
  • DVSPA ADVISORY FUNDRAISER – we are still working to meet our fundraising goal to support advisory teachers. Please consider donating a gift card in any amount to places like Target, Amazon, Trader Joes, etc. by sending it to DVSappreciation@gmail.com. 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.”
• WDV Performing Arts Presents: GREASE
  • Don’t miss the electrifying Wiseburn Da Vinci Performing Arts spring musical, GREASE! Join us for an unforgettable story of friendship, love, and adventure through the 1950s. The first show opens Friday, February 28th and runs through Sunday, March 9th. Grab your tickets today–– this is a show you don’t want to miss! 
    • When:
      • Feb 28 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 1 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 2 @ 2:00pm
      • Mar 7 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 8 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 9 @ 2:00pm
    • Where: Blackbox Theater, 201 N. Douglas St., El Segundo
    • Ticket Info: $10 Adult; $5 Student & Child
    • >> Purchase your tickets here!

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Monday, 3/3: Fulcrum Field Trip
• Monday, 3/3: 9th Grade Physical Fitness Testing
• Monday, 3/3: Harvey Mudd College Visit
• Wednesday, 3/5 : DVS Parent Coffee with the Principal 5:00-6:00
• Tuesday, 3/11: 9th Grade College Planning Meeting @ 5:30pm
• Wednesday, 3/12: 10th Grade College Planning Meeting @ 5:30pm
• Thursday – Sunday, 3/13 – 3/16: FRC Los Angeles Regional
• Friday, 3/14: PD Day, No School
• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Friday, 3/21: Honors Commitment Deadline
• Monday, 3/31: Cesar Chavez Day Holiday- No School

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:

Seniors from across the Da Vinci Schools attended a field trip to Santa Monica College

Students enjoying the soccer field and getting sunshine and exercise during lunchtime

Just another day of awesome instruction at DVS. Dr. Daube reviewing Kinematics in Physics, Ms. McBee going over Elasticity in Economics, Mr. McGregor questioning CEA Honors students about the design and build of their shelters for Wilderness Park

We are very proud of our Youth and Government Delegation, who attended the Model Legislature and Court in Sacramento this past weekend. Our students did an excellent job representing DVS. They collaborated with delegations across the state on budgets, bills, proposals, and court cases. DVS students were acknowledged for many awards, including Outstanding Analyst Award; a Bill passed on ADHD testing for all K-2, and DVS’s budget proposal was selected by the Y&G governor, to name a few! Great work, Y&G delegates! Thank you to our Y&G staff advisors: Ms. McBee, Ms. Creencia, Mr. Kurczek, and Mr. Sandoval.

Next week is a full five-day week: Week 24 Schedule

Week 24 Announcements:  

• 3/5: DVS – Parent Association (DVSPA):
  • DVS PARENT BINGO NIGHT!  Need a break and want to help strengthen our DVS Community? Mark your calendar and RSVP YES to our DVS Parents Bingo Night. Bring a fellow DVS Parent and/or come meet other DVS Parents you don’t know yet! Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm, at Five Point Five. RSVP HERE
  • DVSPA ADVISORY FUNDRAISER – we are still working to meet our fundraising goal to support advisory teachers. Please consider donating a gift card in any amount to places like Target, Amazon, Trader Joes, etc. by sending it to DVSappreciation@gmail.com. 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.”

• DVS Family Coffee: Next Coffee with the Principal next Wednesday, March 5th.5:00-6:00 on Zoom or in Person in Berger Room. Topic: School Parent and Student Survey Data

• WDV Performing Arts Presents: GREASE
  • Don’t miss the electrifying Wiseburn Da Vinci Performing Arts spring musical, GREASE! Join us for an unforgettable story of friendship, love, and adventure through the 1950s. The first show opens Friday, February 28th and runs through Sunday, March 9th. Grab your tickets today–– this is a show you don’t want to miss! 
    • When:
      • Feb 28 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 1 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 2 @ 2:00pm
      • Mar 7 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 8 @ 7:00pm
      • Mar 9 @ 2:00pm
    • Where: Blackbox Theater, 201 N. Douglas St., El Segundo
    • Ticket Info: $10 Adult; $5 Student & Child  >> Purchase your tickets here!

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Monday, 2/24: 12th grade Fulcrum Field Trip
• Monday, 3/3: 9th Grade Physical Fitness Testing
• Wednesday, 3/5 : DVS Parent Coffee with the Principal 5:00-6:00 
• Friday, 3/14: PD Day, No School
• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Friday, 3/21: Honors Commitment Deadline
• Monday, 3/31: Cesar Chavez Day Holiday- No School

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:

Y&G Sacramento Conference

DVS Students across grade levels joined other high schools across the South Bay to attend Day in a Life at UCLA hosted by PREP (Pilipino Recruitment & Enrichment Program)

Ms. Brooke, Mia, Mohamed, and Mikayla represented DVS at the Disneyland Grad Nite Prep Rally last Saturday

Algebra 2 students teaching Algebra 1 students advanced factoring!

Freshmen building and testing water wheels in Physics

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our DVS Families! We hope our students felt the love as they were welcomed with flowers from our staff. 

What an eventful week! The week started off with CLD day- we hope all students had a productive learning day. The learning continued with lots of project work and real-world learning opportunities. We had guest speakers from Johnson & Johnson in our Biomedical Pathway, CEA & CEA Honors field trip to CSULB and learned from Gensler architects about their current design and build project, field trip to UCLA Pilipino  Recruitment program, and the UCLA Health Blood Drive to name a few!

We also loved celebrating Black History Month at our schoolwide Community Dialogue. The students did a fantastic job sharing their culture, including music and dance performances. We learned the history of various countries, including Ethiopia, Jamaica, and Nigeria. Thank you, BSU and Leadership team!

Our Youth & Government students are in Sacramento this weekend. We wish DV delegates well at the model legislature and court conference! 

Next week is a four-day week. There is no school on Monday, 2/17, in observance of President’s Day. Happy three-day weekend!

Week 23 Schedule:

Week 23 Announcements:  

• DVS – Parent Association (DVS-PA): Next Meeting:  Wed 2/19, 6:30pm on campus.  Bring a fellow DVS parent or guardian with you!  We’ll have snacks, time to connect, look at our progress and next steps for current projects including Bingo Night and T-shirts.  We’d love to see you there!
  • Save the Date:  DVS PARENT BINGO NIGHT, Sunday, March 23rd, 5-8pm.  Wrap up your week with a fun night of Bingo and socializing with fellow DaVinci Science parents. Bingo provided by DVSPA. RSVP HERE
• Real World Learning: At the last parent coffee, Crissel Rodriguez, Real World Learning Director, shared this RWL slide deck with resources and information regarding Spring and Summer opportunities. 
•  Grade Updates: All coursework and grading information will continue to be through Canvas.
  • Student and Parent/Guardian Canvas Link: https://davincischools.instructure.com
  • Additional Canvas resources are available at the bottom of the Academics page on our blog.
• Class of 2025 Seniors Activities Contract: Senior Activities and the Senior Activities Contract was shared during CCL class. We hope and expect that every senior will be eligible to participate in these fun activities to make their Senior year the best it can be. Senior contracts were due Feb. 11th. 

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Friday – Monday, 2/14-2/17: Youth & Government MLC in Sacramento
• Monday, 2/17: President’s Day Holiday, No school
• Wednesday, 2/19: DVS Parent Association Meeting 6:30 pm on campus
• Monday, 2/24: 12th grade Fulcrum Field Trip
• Monday, 3/3: 9th Grade Physical Fitness Testing
• Friday, 3/14: PD Day, No School
• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
• Friday, 3/21: Honors Commitment Deadline

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:

Black History Month CD

Guests from Johnson & Johnson Orthopedic surgery guided students through a meniscal repair and ACL reconstruction using real surgical tools and techniques

CEA and CEA honors students hearing career stories from Gensler mentors and learning about the most expensive building project in CSU history.

Happy Valentine’s Day from DVS Staff!

We hope students had a great PD Day. DVS staff continued to work hard and collaborate on how to utilize our strengths to provide quality instruction for all of our students. We also shared the amazing projects our students are working on through our Career Pathways. Our students are producing very impressive work.

This past week was National Counseling Week. We are grateful for our wonderful school counselors, Ms. Valle, Ms. Ruiz, and Ms. Marquez. Our counselors work hard to ensure students are receiving academic support, social-emotional wellness support, and college and career guidance- thank you, counselors! 

Week 22 Schedule:

Week 22 Announcements:  

• Community Learning Day: The next CLD day is coming up this Monday, February 10th! All students should have filled out the CLD survey to let us know where they will be and what workshops students signed up for. All students will need to fill  this Community Learning Day Attendance Form on 2/10 to receive attendance credit. Even if students did not sign-up for an on campus CLD workshop, they may come to school and attend if they would like- Here is the list of workshops that will be held on campus. 
•  Grade Updates: Staff update grades on PD days so grades are up-to-date by the Tuesday of the following week. The first grade update of this semester will be Tuesday, 2/11. All coursework and grading information will continue to be through Canvas.
  • Student and Parent/Guardian Canvas Link: https://davincischools.instructure.com
  • Additional Canvas resources are available at the bottom of the Academics page on our blog.
• Class of 2025 Seniors Activities Contract: Senior Activities and the Senior Activities Contract was shared during CCL class. We hope and expect that every senior will be eligible to participate in these fun activities to make their Senior year the best it can be. All students were asked to read, sign, and return the senior contract agreement to Mr. Perez by Tuesday, 2/11.
• Honors: work is available for many courses at DVS. Most honors courses are not a separate period but are integrated into the regular coursework. This could look like additional assignments and projects or the requirement to demonstrate higher levels of mastery and understanding. Below is the timeline for the Spring 2025 semester:

• • Honors Launch Week: Week 20 (1/27-1/31)
  • Honors Contracts due: Week 22 – Friday, 2/14
  • Honors Commitment Deadline: Week 27 – Friday, 3/21
  • Specific honors requirements for each course can be found in this Honors Programs & Contracts doc. Contract links will be updated after the Honors Launch week. 

• UCLA Blood Drive: Did you know that every unit of blood saves 3 lives? Sign up at this link to donate at our next Blood Drive on Friday, February 14th! Students who are 16 years old can participate, but will need to have a Parent Consent Form completed. They can get this from Mr. Besina.
• Parent Advisory: PAC Committee Meeting #4 Wednesday, 2/12:at 4:15 at this Zoom link
• From DVS – Parent Association (DVS-PA):  Mark your calendar and plan to bring a fellow DVS parent or guardian to our next parent association meeting, February 19th at 6:30pm on campus.We’ll have snacks, time to connect and look at our progress and next steps for a few projects we’re working on.  We’d love to see you there!
• Spirt Week 2/11-2/14: Show your school spirit and join the fun this week!
• 

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Monday, 2/10: Community Learning Day 
• Wednesday, 2/12: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting #4 at 4:15 at this Zoom link
• Friday, 2/14 Honors Contracts due
• Monday, 2/17: President’s Day Holiday, No school
• Wednesday, 2/19: DVS Parent Association Meeting 6:30 pm on campus
• Friday, 3/14: PD Day, No School 
• Friday-Sunday, 3/14-3/16 FRC Los Angeles Regionals @ Da Vinci
• Monday-Thursday, 3/17-3/20: SLC week

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:

EDD students joined Cal Poly students for a tour of Amgen in Thousand Oaks. It’s a beautiful facility, and students had real-world experience in the world of engineering.

Arch & Design students embarked into the Pacific Ocean on a 5 hour sail as their project kickoff.

 

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) had the honor of hearing from guest speaker, Micaiah Mayfield, Raytheon Engineer, who shared her pathway towards the field of engineering via HBCU Tennessee State University

10th Grade Bio-Med students learning how to suture wounds