Dear DVS Families, I hope you all are well! It has been a busy and full week for students and staff at DVS, and we continue to be proud of the kindness, resilience, and hard work of our students. Next week is a short week, with a student-free professional development day on Friday:
Here are a few photos of DVS students learning Shakespeare, doing chemistry labs, and collaborating on engineering design projects… enjoy!
Hello DVS Families,
We hope that you and your families are continuing to stay safe and healthy during such an unprecedented time. In efforts to support you and your families navigate these times, below are some resources that the DVS counseling team hope you can find helpful. In the event you need additional support, please do not hesitate to contact your student’s respective counselor.
Stay well,
Corinne Valle (last names A-F)
cvalle@davincischools.org
Carolyn Ruiz (last names G-M)
cruiz@davincischools.org
Francisca Rodriguez (last names N-Z)
frodriguez@davincischools.org
Health and Wellness Resources for Students and Families:
South Bay Families Connected (SBFC)
Health-related Resources for Adults and Families in the South Bay:
Supporting Kids’ Self-Esteem:
Grief Support:
OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center
Food Bank Locator:
Tool for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Help:
Meditation & Mindfulness App. (free for those who reside in LA County):
Hello Seniors!
TGR Foundation, A Tiger Woods Charity is excited to extend the opportunity and invite your high school seniors to apply for the 2022-2023 Earl Woods scholarship.
The Earl Woods Scholar Program was created in 2006 to honor the vision and spirit of Earl Woods, Tiger’s father and mentor, to continue his legacy of caring and sharing. The program goes far beyond financial assistance. Holding one of the highest graduation rates among scholarship programs in the country, our unique program is committed to ensuring every scholar is supported throughout their time in college and beyond. Once selected, our scholars receive continued guidance throughout college with mentorship, personal and professional development workshops and internship placement assistance to ensure our scholars succeed and graduate with their bachelor’s degree.
The scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors, Class of 2022, in select schools in the Los Angeles area with a minimum 3.0 GPA that have plans to enroll full-time in an accredited four-year university in the United States in the upcoming academic year. Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated financial need and a proven commitment to community service.
Our application is now online. Please click on the link below to review the flyer which provides a general overview of the scholar program, eligibility requirements and documents to gather prior to starting the application. Students will also find the link to the application and can click on “Apply Now” or use the QR code to apply. The application is due by March 15, 2022.
Selected recipients will receive a scholarship of up to $5,000 (renewable for up to four years) and will be provided with holistic student support throughout their college career. Finalists will need to be available for an in-person interview on Saturday, April 30. Recipients will be announced in May.
Hello seniors!
Here is an upcoming scholarship opportunity for you to apply to! Sandpipers has provided financial assistance to college-bound students since 1941 and is the oldest continuing aid program in the South Bay. Supporting more than 50 students per year, the program is unique in funding qualified recipients throughout the four continuous years of their undergraduate studies. View the video about the Scholarship Program here: https://www.sandpipers.org/scholarships
High school seniors living in the South Bay (both citizens and eligible non-citizens as defined by the U.S. Department of Education) are eligible to apply for a Sandpipers Scholarship for the 2022-23 school year. Detailed eligibility requirements are stated below.
The entire Sandpipers Scholarship Application is online and can now be accessed with this link: https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/78786-Sandpipers
All applications are due on Monday, January 31, 2022 at 5 PM, no exceptions.
Note: children and grandchildren of Sandpipers’ members are not eligible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your counselor.
Just a reminder, our weekly Wednesday office hours for parents and guardians is today from 4:30-5:30pm! Please feel free to drop in and say hello, ask any questions you have, and share your ideas and perspectives with us!
Here’s the link: https://tinyurl.com/SteveGraceOfficeHours (no password required)
It was another terrific week at DVS with seminars and office hours starting back up, and our students continue to do an excellent job following our COVID protocols to keep our community safe! Next week is a full 5-day week, and Zoom parent office hours will be on Wednesday at 4:30 as usual.
Have a terrific weekend!
Dear DVS Families, we hope you all are well! It has been great to see students back on campus – we are proud of the resilience of our students and staff, and we eagerly look forward to the healthy and safe return of our students who were unable to be at school this week! Next Monday is a school holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and seminars will resume on Wednesday. We will also have our next School Site Council meeting on Wednesday at 4:30pm via Zoom in place of our normal parent office hours.
We appreciate everyone’s efforts to keep school safe by complying with mask regulations and distance precautions, and for staying home if you are experiencing any COVID symptoms or not feeling well. Students can also take a free COVID test here at school during school hours.
If your student is going to be absent from school, we ask that you email Ms. Alvarez in our front office at balvarez@davincischools.org to let us know. If possible, students should continue to engage in whatever learning and work that they can so that there is less to catch up with upon returning. If a student is absent, they should do the following:
1. Check their Grade Level Tracker for assignments (Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12)
2. Check each teacher’s Google Classroom for class information, documents, and teachers’ availability for Zoom Office Hours – join teachers’ Zoom office hours if possible!
4. Check school email daily and email teachers with any specific questions or needs for additional support
We are here for you and want to be as helpful as possible in this challenging time – please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can support you!
Steve & Grace will be holding weekly “office hours” for parents this semester on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30pm starting today! Please feel free to drop in and say hello, ask any questions you have, and share your ideas and perspectives with us!
Here’s the link: https://tinyurl.com/SteveGraceOfficeHours (no password required)
I hope your families are all healthy and well-rested from our break – we are excited to welcome students back to campus for school on Monday morning! Students will begin the day in their Advisory classes where they will receive their new class schedules and important information related to updated COVID safety protocols and practices. (Please note that students’ schedules may have changed for second semester as we balance classes.)
For students who are unable to come to school, class information and assignments will continue to be available via Google Classroom and in grade-level assignment tracker sheets (Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12). Students can also contact their teachers about their availability for virtual office hours via Zoom. Please contact Brittany Alvarez in our office at balvarez@davincischools.org to notify us if your child is going to be absent from school.
COVID-19 Health & Safety Information
As we prepare for the return to school next week, we are cognizant of the spread of COVID-19, and in particular, the Omicron variant. We strongly encourage students to take a COVID test prior to returning to campus beginning Monday, January 10, 2022. When you complete the test, please report your test results using this link. A negative test is not required for students and staff to return to school on January 10, but in the event your child exhibits any flu-like or cold symptoms, your child should get tested and remain at home.
The following safety measures are now in place at all Da Vinci schools:
We continue to monitor the new protocols for TK-12 schools in a health order and a new exposure management plan from the Los Angeles County Public Health officials to ensure appropriate mitigation strategies are in place during this surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.
Through this challenging and uncertain time, and we appreciate your support as we work to keep DVS open safely for our kids to learn!
Additional options for obtaining a test can be found at the following: