Seniors: Final Transcript Request

Announcements From Real World Learning Director (6.6.2023)

Da Vinci Summer Career Training Programs still accepting applicants:

L.A. Urban League’s Biz Camp Summer Program
Learn how to turn ideas into successful businesses through planning, analysis, and real-world application. All entrepreneurs are encouraged to sign up. Stipends are available for participating students. To register, click here and apply for ‘Biz Camp Summer Program Session 2: Monday, July 10 – Thursday, July 27.

Da Vinci Connect Summer Gaming Opportunity
During this program, students will have the opportunity to engage in gameplay, project design, and collaboration. Students will have the opportunity to interact with AI-based mini-games, allowing them to explore their visions of the future through their creative work. They will have four hours a day over the course of 2 weeks (July 18-July 27), to build transformative experiences using emerging technology. To learn more, click here.

If you have any questions please contact Ms. Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

Week 38 – Last Week of School

We are almost there! The students have been doing an excellent job with their POLs. It has been a joy to see students engage in reflection and articulate their learning. We couldn’t be more proud of all of our students for all of their hard work and engaged learning this week and this entire school year.

Grad Night was also a huge success! We had a great time celebrating together at Disneyland. It was a fun and exhausting day, evening, and early morning together. Hopefully, seniors and staff chaperones recovered and caught up with sleep the rest of the weekend.

We have three more days of school remaining! Please note the early dismissal time of 2:35 pm this week. It will be an eventful week and we look forward to finishing well!

  • Senior Breakfast and Graduation Rehearsal– We are getting ready for the big day! Tomorrow, Monday, 6/5, staff will be providing breakfast for Seniors at 8:50 am and graduation rehearsal will be at 10:00 in the West Plaza. Graduation rehearsal is required for graduating seniors. Graduation day parking passes and congratulatory lawn signs will be gifted to seniors tomorrow
  • Parent Coffee (In person)- We have enjoyed seeing parents at our bi-weekly zoom sessions throughout the year. We will have our last “Parent Office Hours” in person this Tuesday afternoon, 6/7, from 2:45-3:45 pm in Galileo Room. This will serve as a casual time for parents to talk with the principal and for parents to chat with one another. We will summarize and close out Season 14 and discuss thoughts and ideas for the next school year. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there!
  • Graduation Ceremony Information – DVS Class of 2023 Graduation will be held on June 8th, at 5:00. Please see this document for DVS Graduation Ceremony Information, which was emailed to all senior families last week.

Week 38 schedule:

 

Important Upcoming Dates

  • Tuesday, 6/6: 9th Grade Del Aire Park Field Trip
  • Thursday, 6/8: DVS Graduation at 5:00pm
  • Summer School (for credit recovery): Session 1: June 13-June 30, Session 2: July 11-July 27
  • School Calendar Link
  • First Day of School for the 2023-2024 school year will be Monday, August 14th.

 

POL Week Extended Learning Rooms:

Junior students planning how they will lead the school in DVS culture as Seniors.

An admissions representative from UCLA provided valuable information about the UC application and admissions process.

Guest speaker, Tarek, from Smoky Hollow Coffee Roasters shared his experience finding his career path and passion for coffee and food as the director of his company.

Seniors and 12th grade staff had a wonderful time at Grad Night 2023 at Disneyland Park.

 

Announcements From Real World Learning Director (6.2.2023)

Da Vinci students and families,

We have added some exciting internships and programs to our running list of summer opportunities. You can access them by using this link.

We also wanted to share this amazing program with you all. The Arte Youth Program is a non-profit organization that helps students learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math. They are offering a virtual course where students ages 11-17 will engage with analog astronauts and participate in activities and presentations. There will be prizes, gifts, and scholarships for selected participants. Students must have a computer to participate.

The Virtual Dates are:
June 16-18
July 28-30

The time sessions will be from 10am-4pm PST with a 30 min lunch break in the middle of the session.

You may register by clicking here. To learn more about analog missions, please see this website.

If you have any questions please contact Ms. Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

Week 37

We had a successful last week of core classes! The students have worked very hard this year and we are so proud of them. It was particularly fun to see lab dissections, students designing and making their own headphones during the BEATS competition, and students learning about the chemistry of coffee making and engaging in a taste-testing competition. 

In honor of Memorial Day, there will be no school on Monday, May 29th. Enjoy the three-day weekend! We are looking forward to POL week next week where we continue to celebrate, culminate, and present student learning. 

  • Course Selections for 2023-2024 School Year – 9th grade and 11th grade were provided course selection forms for their class requests for next school year (10th grade will get theirs this week). Requests are made electronically through this form: 23-24 Course Request Form. Please reference this DVS Career Pathways document for course options. If you have questions or need guidance regarding course selections, please see your counselor. Corinne Valle (9th and 11th) cvalle@davincischools.org or Carolyn Ruiz cruiz@davincischools.org (10th, 12th)
  • Grade Finalizations: As teachers are grading and finalizing grades, PowerSchool will be turned off this weekend until grades are finalized.
  • Extended Learning Rooms: When not presenting or watching presentations during POL week, students will be augmenting their learning in Extended Learning Rooms. 
    • 9th and 10th grade students will be spending most of their time completing standardized (MAP) testing in English and math. This will be valuable information in order to prepare and support them more effectively next year and beyond. In addition, they will have sessions to explore their interests and careers with the Da Vinci Institute staff as well as resources for mental health with guest speakers from Pepperdine.
    • 11th grade students will be in a series of sessions pertaining to career-related guest speakers, college admissions information, and leadership development activities in preparation for their last year in high school.
    • 12th grade students will be ramping up their preparation for graduation, which includes fun, celebratory activities (cap decorating, lei making, photo signing, etc.) as well as sexual and drug awareness education. We believe that this information is essential for seniors as they embark on the next steps in their lives.
      • CHYA Presentations: Dr. Green and Nurse Lucero will be presenting the health & sexual education curriculum (“CHYA”, or “California Healthy Youth Act”) to seniors on May 31st and June 1st. Click this link to read the notification letter from Dr. 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 Saya Wai, DVS Dean of Students, at swai@davincischools.org
      • Drug Awareness and Prevention: Da Vinci Schools is aware and concerned about an increase of substance use and risky behavior in our communities. This mirrors trends that are being recognized across Los Angeles County and the nation. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep the health and well-being of your child and our school community a top priority, seniors will be participating in Drug Awareness and Prevention education on May 31st and June 1st.
      • Graduation Ceremony Information – DVS Class of 2023 Graduation will be held on June 8th, at 5:00. Please see this document for DVS Graduation Ceremony Information.

Week 37 Schedule:

Important Upcoming Dates

  • Monday, 5/29: Memorial Day Holiday, no school
  • Tuesday, 5/30: 11th Grade Del Aire Park Field Trip, 9th Grade Ice Skating Field Trip
  • Tuesday, 6/6: 9th Grade Del Aire Park Field Trip
  • Thursday, 6/8: DVS Graduation at 5:00 pm
  • Summer School (for credit recovery): Session 1: June 13-June 30, Session 2: July 11-July 27
  • School Calendar Link
  • First Day of School for the 2023-2024 school year will be Monday, August 14th. 

Posse Foundation Scholarship Opportunity

Hello Junior Families!

I want to share an excited opportunity with you about the Posse Foundation Scholarship. Every year, The Posse Foundation works closely with high schools, like Da Vinci Science, to recruit students who demonstrate leadership and academic potential to become a Posse Scholars. If selected, a Posse Scholar wins a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend one of Posse’s partner colleges or universities (Bucknell University, Dickinson College, Hobart & Williams Smith Colleges, Kalamazoo College, Middlebury College, Northwestern University, Pepperdine University, Tulane University, University of Wisconsin- Madison).  Below are informational materials on the Posse Foundation:

Posse Foundation Information Guide

Posse Foundation Scholarship: Parent FAQ 

If you would like DVS to consider you as a nominee for the Posse Scholarship and you demonstrate leadership and academic potential, please complete the Posse Foundation Scholarship Nomination Request form by Wednesday, June 7th at 4pm.

Also, the Posse Foundation is hosting an informational session via Zoom on May 30th from 5pm-6pm PT.  Please use the following link to join the information session.

https://possefoundation.zoom.us/j/88907406613?pwd=NVBmSDZrUlJSOFlnRDkyT1Q0cTdQQT09#success

 

Please reach out if you have additional questions!

Ms. Marquez, College Counselor

fmarquez@davincischools.org

 

 

Week 36 Schedule

We are almost at the finish line for this school year! It has been a busy week, and we continue to be grateful for all of our students, families, and staff. We have been working hard and will continue to work hard to finish this year well. Please be assured that Da Vinci Science will continue to thrive, service, and love our students to the best of our abilities. We truly enjoy seeing and being with our students every day. 

Two and a half weeks to go… and we are looking forward to graduating and celebrating the Class of 2023! More details about Graduation specifics to follow.

  • Course Selections for 2023-2024 School Year – 9th grade and 11th grade were provided course selection forms for their class requests for next school year (10th grade will get theirs this week). Requests are made electronically through this form: 23-24 Course Request Form. Please reference this DVS Career Pathways document for course options. If you have questions or need guidance regarding course selections, please see your counselor. Corinne Valle (9th and 11th) cvalle@davincischools.org or Carolyn Ruiz cruiz@davincischools.org (10th, 12th).
  • Extended Learning Rooms: When not presenting or watching presentations during POL week, students will be augmenting their learning in Extended Learning Rooms. 
    • 9th and 10th grade students will be spending most of their time completing standardized (MAP) testing in English and math. This will be valuable information in order to prepare and support them more effectively next year and beyond. In addition, they will have sessions to explore their interests and careers with the Da Vinci Institute staff as well as resources for mental health with guest speakers from Pepperdine.
    • 11th grade students will be in a series of sessions pertaining to career-related guest speakers, college admissions information, and leadership development activities in preparation for their last year in high school.
    • 12th grade students will be ramping up their preparation for graduation, which includes fun, celebratory activities (cap decorating, lei making, photo signing, etc.) as well as sexual and drug awareness education. We believe that this information is essential for seniors as they embark on the next steps in their lives.
      • CHYA Presentations: Dr. Green and Nurse Lucero will be presenting the health & sexual education curriculum (“CHYA”, or “California Healthy Youth Act”) to seniors on May 31st and June 1st. Click this link to read the notification letter from Dr. 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 Saya Wai, DVS Dean of Students, at swai@davincischools.org
      • Drug Awareness and Prevention: Da Vinci Schools is aware and concerned about an increase in substance use and risky behavior in our communities. This mirrors trends that are being recognized across Los Angeles County and the nation. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep the health and well-being of your child and our school community a top priority, seniors will be participating in Drug Awareness and Prevention education on May 31st and June 1st. 

Week 36 Schedule:

Advisory Friday!

 

Important Upcoming Dates

  • Monday, 5/29: Memorial Day Holiday, no School
  • Tuesday, 5/30: 11th Grade Del Aire Park Field Trip, 9th Grade Ice Skating Field Trip
  • Tuesday, 6/6: 9th Grade Del Aire Park Field Trip
  • Thursday, 6/8: DVS Graduation at 5:00pm
  • Summer School (for credit recovery): Session 1: June 13-June 30, Session 2: July 11-July 27
  • School Calendar Link
  • First Day of School for the 2023-2024 school year will be Monday, August 14th. 

Announcements From Real World Learning Director (this post includes two opportunities for youth)

Southern California’s Annual Youth Leadership Summit for High School Students with Disabilities

The Youth Leadership Summit is a five-day leadership program from July 16-21 for students with disabilities, held at Cal Poly Pomona University.

Attendees will learn advocacy and leadership skills from alumni and professionals with disabilities and create a “Personal Futures Plan” to help reach their future education, independent living, and career goals.

Attendees will interact with leaders with disabilities, which may include celebrities, politicians, entertainers, and other adult role models with disabilities. Participants also make lifelong friendships with other Southern California attendees and have mentorship opportunities with alumni.

There is no COST for the students to attend. They must fill out an application to be considered.

Click here to view flyer for details.

Women’s Fire Camp

The Women’s Fire Alliance is collaborating with El Camino Fire Academy to put on a Women’s Fire Camp June 3-4. The camp is for students ages 16+ and will run for two days from 8am-5pm each day.

This is a rigorous camp. Be prepared to participate hands on with firefighter equipment, professional firefighters, and perform a Biddle Physical Ability Test. RSVP here!

If you have any questions please contact Ms. Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

5/12/23

The word to describe this week– is beautiful! It was beautiful to see all the love and appreciation from DVS students and families to our Teachers and Staff. Thank you to all of you for feeding us all week with notes, gifts, treats, snacks, and lots and lots of food! You really made teachers and staff feel like VIPs! Thank you! 

We also had our Senior Awards Night, it was beautiful to celebrate the many accomplishments and achievements of students in the class of 2023. It was a great evening of story-telling and celebrating students for all their hard work and contributions to our school and community. 

We also had a most memorable Community Dialogue celebrating AAPI month with beautiful dances representing Tonga, Tahiti, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Our students and staff did an amazing job representing and sharing their talent and culture with the whole school. 

Last, we would like to wish every mom out there a beautiful and Happy Mother’s Day! 

Week 35 Schedule:

Important Upcoming Dates

  • Thursday, 5/18: School Site Council Meeting #4, 4:30-5:30pm using this Zoom Link.  
  • Monday, 5/29: Memorial Day Holiday, no school
  • Thursday, 6/8: DVS Graduation at 5:00pm
  • Summer School (for credit recovery): Session 1: June 13-June 30, Session 2: July 11-July 27
  • School Calendar Link
  • First Day of School for the 2023-2024 school year will be Monday, August 14th. 

2023 Summer Career Training Programs – Apply by May 22!

Da Vinci Families,

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a number of Summer Career Training Programs around the trades, entrepreneurship, aviation, and space system designs. All programs will take place at our 201 N. Douglas campus, and will be free and open to all current Da Vinci high school students, including graduating seniors. Space is limited! DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MONDAY, MAY 22.

Please see the flyer for more information about each program:

  • L.A. Urban League’s Biz Camp Summer Program
  • Summer Trades Program
  • Summer Aviation Program
  • Stellar Camp

If you have any questions please contact Ms. Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real-World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

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