Da Vinci Science

We still have spaces available for volunteers from our community to serve as POL panel members! If you would be interested in coming and being a POL panel member for one or more POL sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of this coming week, please email me at swallis@davincischools.org and let me know when you’re available! (Parents will not be assigned to serve on the POL panel during their own child’s POL.)

Thank you for encouraging your students to prepare well for their POL and for being a “practice audience” for them as they do so!

We are proud of our students for finishing the final semester of regular instruction well and excited for Presentations of Learning next week!

1. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend their child’s POL in person! Also, we are looking for volunteers from our community to serve as POL panel members! If you would be interested in coming and being a POL panel member for one or more POL sessions, please email me at swallis@davincischools.org and let me know when you’re available. (Parents will not be assigned to serve on the POL panel during their own child’s POL.)
2. Students are expected to wear professional attire for their POL, and we are happy to help students still in need of putting together a professional outfit! Students who are in need of professional clothing can stop by our front office next week and check out the options. Thank you to all the families who donated professional dress clothes!
3.  Report cards will be mailed home on Friday, December 17th. These will include students’ overall course grades as well as their performance in each of the essential skills of the course.
4. Powerschool access has been turned off while teachers finalize grades for the semester. It will be turned on at the beginning of second semester.

Parents: We know that Presentations of Learning (POLs) can be a stressful time for students and their families. The two most important things you can do to help your student during their POL is (1) assure them that it is ok to make mistakes and (2) have them practice their POL many times to as many people in your household as possible. If you are interested in watching your student’s POL, please contact their teachers and let them know. We would like to be sure that you don’t miss this opportunity. Also, please note the visitor policy if you plan to attend: Visitors to Da Vinci Schools must show proof of either a COVID vaccination or negative PCR/Antigen test (taken within the last 72 hours) in addition to wearing a face covering while indoors to ensure the safety of our school community.

Students: Please know that this presentation, while important, is mainly an opportunity to practice public speaking in front of a live audience. This is an important skill to develop, and teachers understand that you have not had a chance to practice many live presentations due to the pandemic. We ask you to do your best, but we are not expecting perfection. Please practice your presentation for your friends and family as many times as you possibly can. The more you practice, the more confident you will feel on the day of your presentations.

Students, we’re all cheering for you!

Registration for El Camino College Spring 2022 Dual Enrollment is NOW OPEN! Here is the class information:

Psychology 101- General Psychology
(Synchronous Class)

This course is an introduction to child development from conception through adolescence with an emphasis on the interaction between the maturational processes and environmental factors relating to physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth. While studying developmental theory and investigative research methodologies, students will observe and interview children, evaluate individual differences and analyze characteristics of development at various stages. Also, the effect of cultural influences on development will be studied.

3 units; 3 hours lecture

Transfer CSU, UC

Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Start Date: Tuesday February 15th, 2022

Who: Juniors and Seniors from DVC, DVD, and DVS

What: College courses at Da Vinci, through El Camino College. Courses meet transfer requirements for all Cal State and UC campuses, as well as most private colleges and universities.

Why: Get a start on your college credits! It looks great on your college applications.

Cost: Free! The state of California and Da Vinci Schools pick up the costs, including textbook fees. Donations to help cover the cost of the textbooks from families that can are appreciated.

Where: Classes will be held virtually on the El Camino College student portal.

If you are interested, make sure you apply to El Camino College Spring 2022 term and turn in the attached completed dual enrollment form with your student ID number and/or the application confirmation number to your counselor by Thursday December 16th, 2021 by 12:00pm. Classes start on Tuesday February 15th, 2022. To be eligible to take a dual enrollment class, the student will need to pass all their academic classes, have no credit recovery for a-g classes, and be a junior or senior. Space is limited and we are accepting forms on a first come first serve basis!

For more information click on the following links:

Spring 2022 DVD-DVC-DVS College Course

Applying to El Camino College

Do I Need to Apply Again?

Application for Admission Help

Dual Enrollment Application

Happy Friday, DVS Families! It was a terrific week coming back from Thanksgiving break, and the end of the semester is quickly approaching! This post/email is a bit longer than usual because there is a lot of info to share about the last 2 weeks of the semester:

Student Grades: This is an important time to sit down with your student and check their grades in their classes in Powerschool. Click here for the Powerschool website; login information was included on the grade reports that were sent home earlier this semester and you can email Brittany Alvarez at balvarez@davincischools.org if you need your child’s username and password. The last day for students to submit late work is next Friday, 12/10.

Presentations of Learning: “POL” preparation begins next week for students in grades 9-11! (Seniors will be taking final exams instead of doing POLs.) Click here for an information sheet for families with details about presentations of learning. The Presentation of Learning (“POL”) is a tradition at the Da Vinci Schools in which students prepare and deliver a formal presentation to a panel of their teachers. POLs give students the opportunity to develop their speaking and presentation skills and are an opportunity for students to reflect publicly on their learning and in some cases are a final opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of a topic. Because these are formal presentations, students are expected to wear formal attire.

Each student will earn a letter grade for his/her POL based on the total score and the grade scale shown. This letter grade will be reflected on the student’s transcript but is not calculated into their GPA. The POL is worth one credit, which is the same amount of credit earned for most seminar courses.  All POLs will be scheduled between Monday 12/13 and Thursday 12/16.

CHYA Presentations: The health & sexual education curriculum (“CHYA”, or “California Healthy Youth Act”) presentations by Dr. Green will begin during advisory class on Monday. Click this link for a list of the topics that will be covered; the content of sessions 2,4,5, and 6 will be covered in a webinar during advisory on Monday 12/6 and the content of sessions 1,3, and 7-10 will be covered during POL week. 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 Steve Wallis at swallis@davincischools.org.

First semester report cards will be mailed home on Friday, 12/17. Students will have a 3-week winter break, and the second semester begins on Monday, January 10th:

As always, please let us know how we can best be supporting your student in the last 2 weeks of the semester!