Da Vinci Science

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:

• Staff are required to wear upgraded masks (three-ply surgical masks or higher-level PPE).
• On-site rapid testing for students with exposure or symptoms will resume for Da Vinci students January 10, 2022 during regular testing hours 8:15am-3:45pm daily. Students should pre-register here if this is their first time testing at school.
• Masking is now required for all outdoor activities where physical distancing is not feasible, except while eating or drinking, due to the new health order from the LACDPH. Students are strongly recommended to wear masks that are well-fitting, non-cloth masks of multiple layers of non-woven material with a nose wire.
• COVID-19 testing is required for all students and staff who are close contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID due to a school-based exposure, regardless of vaccination or booster status.

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!

• Masking is now required for all outdoor activities where physical distancing is not feasible, except while eating or drinking, due to the new health order from the LACDPH. Students are strongly recommended to wear masks that are well-fitting, non-cloth masks of multiple layers of non-woven material with a nose wire.
• COVID-19 testing is required for all students and staff who are close contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID due to a school-based exposure, regardless of vaccination or booster status. Affected employees and students may participate in testing at their school site (more info below)
• Staff are required to wear upgraded masks (three-ply surgical masks or higher-level PPE)

• Pick up an At-Home COVID Test Kit on Thursday or Friday of this week. This drive-thru event will take place at 201 N. Douglas Street and is open to families from all Da Vinci school sites:
• Thursday, January 6: 3:00-6:00pm
• Friday, January 7: 7:30-10:30am
• Each kit contains 2 tests. The recommendation is that parents/guardians administer one test at home to their student when you receive the kit and then again on Sunday, January 9 or in the early morning of January 10, 2022.
• Please report at-home test results here
• 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.

Additional options for obtaining a test can be found at the following:

• https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing
• https://www.heal360.com/
• https://samedayhealth.com
• https://911covidtesting.com
• Your healthcare provider
• Local CVS/pharmacy
• Some local urgent care facilities
• An at-home COVID test
• Please note *Wiseburn school sites Tues/Thurs PCR tests previously advertised are now unavailable to the public due to capacity limitations

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!

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!

Thank you, thank you to all of you who contributed notes and goodies to our staff!! We are grateful for the support from our wonderful DVS students and families!

When we come back, the week 15 and 16 schedules will be as shown. Your child’s progress reports have been mailed to your home, and we encourage you to continue to review their grades and assignments with them as we near the finish line of first semester! The last day for students to turn in any late work is Friday, December 10th.

We hope you have a restful, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving break!

Dear Parents and Guardians of Da Vincians,

Da Vinci Schools acknowledge that parents/guardians are the primary sexuality educators for their child/children and we are committed to partnering with you to provide supplementary resources to support you in this role. California requires school districts to provide students with integrated, comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education at least once in middle school and once in high school. Da Vinci Schools has adopted the “Teen Talk” curriculum which includes the below core components:

• Covers topics of sexual and reproductive anatomy, conception and fetal development, birth control, pregnancy options, STIs and HIV, gender and sexual orientation, media analysis, relationships, sexual crimes, consent, communication and decision-making
• Establishes a foundation for understanding sexual health and common language for communicating respectfully
• Helps students identify resources (e.g., parents/trusted adults, school personnel, healthcare providers)
• Encourages communication with parents/trusted adults, including an interview assignment
• Uses gender inclusive language

More info on the curriculum used can be found here:  https://www.health-connected.org/

DVS will be presenting our Sexual Health Education series for our students the weeks of Dec 6 through the 17th. Hybrid instruction utilizing both webinar and in-person presentations will be followed by question and answer sessions. The large group webinars will be interactive (polls, check-in questions) and will take advantage of Zoom’s integrated Q&A function. Questions submitted during the webinars may be answered at the end of the session, or at the following week’s in-person presentation.

Parents/guardians have the option of excluding their child from sexuality education instruction. If you do not want your child to participate in comprehensive sexual health/HIV prevention education, please do so in writing to the Principal. Students who are excused will be assigned alternate activities for the period.

Questions can be directed to the School Nurse, Emily Green at egreen@davincischools.org.

Thank you!

Emily Green, School Nurse, RN, PhD

Fax: 310-356-3224

Have you been wanting to capture your family members (and pets, too!) for your annual holiday greeting cards? If so, here’s your chance to do that AND support our FRC Team 4201 at the same time thanks to our very own Da Vinci parent and an entertainment industry award-winning photographer Matt Beard (https://www.mattbeard.com/)!

The photo shoots will take place on Saturday, November 20th from 9am-6pm in the Da Vinci Blackbox theater; available time slots can be found at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4DA9AA2FA0F85-vitruvian

For a donation of only $249 you will be able to bring between 1-10 members of your family or closest friends (pets welcome too) for a photo shoot. Proceeds will go toward supporting our FRC team!

You will receive all of the photos from your shoot, as a web-gallery with the full resolution digital downloads so you can easily save them, share them, or print them at home. You can also order a wide variety of different prints from the website itself (Canvas, Fine-Art Paper, Ornaments, Holiday Cards, Coffee Mugs, etc.) at a discounted price.

Thank you for your support and Happy Holidays!

-Team 4201 Booster Bots

It’s not too late to contribute to the Thanksgiving baskets we are giving to the DVS teachers, counselors, and academic coaches to say THANK YOU for all they do to teach and support our kids! There are baskets in our office, one for each staff member, and students can come drop off notes and items in their baskets tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday morning.

There is nothing that means more to school staff than words of appreciation or encouragement! Please consider handwriting a note of thanks or typing one digitally here: DVS Staff Appreciation Notes We will be printing these digital messages and including all words of appreciation in the baskets.

If you are interested and able to purchase something to show your appreciation, please consider using this list of the DVS staff’s favorite things for ideas. If you’d like to make a general contribution to be shared amongst the whole staff, you can send an e-gift card to dvsappreciation@gmail.com. Your gift will be used to purchase items for the baskets and your name will be included with the basket.

Thank you for all of the support and encouragement you give to our staff as they support your kids on their journey!

Seniors’ Cap & Gown photos are now available for viewing and purchase! You can access them here: https://staceelianna.smugmug.com/DaVinciSchools/Class-of-2022

Galleries are all password protected and the passwords are their student ID numbers.

Make-up appointments for cap & gown photos are available during our winter break on January 4-6, 2022. Students can sign up for a makeup appointment using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F45AFAF28A64-class

If you have any questions specific to your cap & gown photo order, please contact the photographer Stacee Lianna directly at seniors@staceelianna.com. Thank you!