Da Vinci Science

Thank you, students, parents, families, and teachers for a wonderful SLC week! We always enjoy having the opportunity to communicate, connect, and celebrate students’ progress and learning. We also need collaboration and teamwork to support and guide students to success- thank you!

We resume our regular schedule for Week 11, along with college visits.

• Fall Parent Surveys– your feedback is very important to us! If you have not done so already, please complete the Parent/Guardian Survey Fall 2022:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/dv_parent_survey_fall22
• Canvas Support- if students or parents need support with Canvas, please contact IT at studentsupport@davincischools.org 
• Spirit Week is coming up Week 12: 10/31-11/4  

• Semi-formal Dance– “A Night to Remember” will be held November 5th from 6:00-9:00. Tickets are available at myschoolbucks.com

Important Upcoming Dates:

• 11/1, Friday: No School – Veterans Day Holiday
• 11/5, Seminformal Dance
• 11/10, Thursday: Exhibition Night (grades 10th, 12th, & Spanish Dept.)
• 11/21-11/25, Monday-Friday: No School – Thanksgiving Break
• 12/8-12/15, Thursday-Thursday: Presentations of Learning
• 12/15, Thursday: Last day of Semester 1
• 12/16, Friday: Professional Development Day, No School
• 12/19-1/6: Winter Break 
• School Calendar Link

Week 11 Schedule: 

Hello Da Vinci Scholars and Families,

Check out the new RWL opportunities below:

For students interested in sports, hospitality, and fitness:
Bay Club is offering a 12-week course that exposes students to different areas of the Bay Club business while providing valuable experience to those interested in a career in hospitality, sports, fitness, and more. The course runs from Monday, October 24-Saturday, December 31, 2022. For more information and to attend a career fair, fill out this form today.

For students interested in music:
The Music Foundation is offering virtual modules for young people who are exploring careers in the music industry. Check out their sessions here. 

For students interested in exploring different careers:
Kollab Youth will be launching its Winter Cohort Virtual Workforce Development Program for Teens 13-19.  This program will start January 16, 2023, and helps youth to explore different career industries every week like Technology, Entertainment, Food Science, Money Management, Mental Health, Construction, Carpentry, and more! Participating companies include Kaiser Permanente and Target.  Virtual classes are held every Wednesday and Thursday at 4:15 pm. Students are eligible for field trips, jobs, and internships after they complete the 9-week program. Low-income youth are encouraged to apply. To apply, click here.

For students interested in film:
Applications are open now for the Fresh Films Weekly Filmmaking Program! Join the Film Crew and make movies every Thursday starting October 27! The program is 100% FREE and no experience is necessary! Space is limited so APPLY NOW! Registration ends October 20! Virtual options are also available. In-person classes are held at the Boys and Girls Club at Los Angeles Harbor. 

For students interested in video games, art, production, music, and journalism:
Women in Games offers a free digital-only event on Discord on October 26th – 28th. Students will see industry professionals including a few well-known faces who will drop into a Discord channel to take part in roundtables. Professionals will advise students on pathways into video games, review portfolios and share insight into what they do. There will also be a series of keynote speakers, who will join a line-up of programmers, artists, producers, musicians, journalists, voice actors and many more for three days of expert advice. Students can sign-up for free right here.

We are excited to announce that Marissa Crook has been named Athletics Director of the Wiseburn Da Vinci Athletics program. Marissa assumed her duties last week.

For the past 12 years Marissa has worked to create and improve Physical Education and Athletic programs at the schools she has served. Marissa brings experience in building athletic teams and programs from the ground floor as an inaugural coach and athletic director. As a former high school and college athlete, Marissa has a passion for providing students with opportunities to thrive in both their academic and athletic endeavors.

Marissa’s focus is on building a positive and respectful culture of athletics whose members represent our schools and the WDV Athletics program with pride. “I am excited to be part of Da Vinci Schools and to serve in the Wolves’ Athletic Program. I hope to see many student leaders and athletes engaged in the community as exceptional ambassadors of the spirit and dedication of Da Vinci Schools and Athletics.”

Marissa is coming at an exciting time for Wiseburn Da Vinci Athletics which moved to the Pioneer League this school year. The new league benefits our student-athletes by providing a more competitive experience, more consistent game schedules, additional team levels, shorter travel times, and more.

Marissa earned her Bachelor’s in Kinesiology-Physical Education from Cal State Northridge, a teaching credential from Cal State Bakersfield, and a Master’s in Kinesiology from Fresno Pacific University.

Marissa was selected from a pool of 146 candidates. The top three candidates were interviewed by a joint Wiseburn Da Vinci Interview Panel composed of Wiseburn and Da Vinci administrators, Wiseburn community members who are parents with students attending both Wiseburn and Da Vinci schools, student-athletes, and coaches. We are deeply grateful to our panel members, as well as to Wiseburn Superintendent Dr. Blake Silvers for his athletic director expertise and for helping us through this process. We also wish to express our gratitude to Tori Grafeman, WDV Assistant Athletics Director, who did a wonderful job in her role and continues to be a highly valued member of the Da Vinci organization.

Marissa can be reached at mcrook@davincischools.org. Welcome to the pack Marissa! Go Wolves!

For the latest Athletics news and announcements, subscribe to our new WDV Athletics blog at athletics.davincischools.org.

 

Hope all students enjoyed the short week and had a nice two days off. We had two great of professional development. DVS teachers and staff attended and presented at the Transforming Learning Conference hosted by the Da Vinci Institute. There were many sessions and discussions around best, innovative practices in order to guide students to successful post-high school lives. We always appreciate learning from our industry partners!

• SLC Week is this Week 10. Oct. 17-21. During SLC week, Monday dismissal will be at 2:55, and Tuesday-Friday Dismissal will be at 2:25. Students should know their SLC times. If not, please see Grade Level communications for specific SLC times and links below:
  • 9th grade 
  • 10th grade
  • 11th grade
  • 12th grade
• Please note, due to SLC week, there will be no college visits this week. 
• Fall Survey for Parents – your feedback, thoughts, and perspective are valuable to us. Please fill out the Parent Fall Survey so we can gather this valuable data. Thank you!
• Parent Office Hours with Grace: Parent Office Hours with administration will be held every even week. Since it is Week 10, we will be meeting at this zoom link this Thursday, October 20th from 4:30-5:30. This will be a casual time of updating, chatting, and Q&A.
• Semi-formal Dance– “A Night to Remember” Will be held November 5th from 6:00-9:00. This will be an all schools event in the backyard. Ticket information to follow from the Student Leadership Team.

Upcoming Events and Important Dates:

• 10/17-10/29, Monday – Thursday: Student-Led Conferences

• 11/11, Friday: No School – Veterans Day Holiday
• 11/5, Semi-formal Dance
• 11/10, Thursday: Exhibition Night (grades 10th, 12th, & Spanish Dept.)
• 11/21-11/25, Monday-Friday: No School – Thanksgiving Break
• 12/8-12/15, Thursday-Thursday: Presentations of Learning
• 12/15, Thursday: Last day of Semester 1
• 12/16, Friday: Professional Development Day, No School
• 12/19-1/6: Winter Break 
• School Calendar Link

Week 10 Schedule: 

Seniors Families!  We encourage you to attend the Cash for College event hosted by El Camino College this Saturday, October 15 from 10am-12pm. This FREE event is for seniors and their families to receive help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) and Chafee Grant for Foster Youth applications.

All students and families are welcome and you do not have to be a current or future El Camino College to attend.  See flyer below for details

 

FREE FOOD PROVIDED BY IN-N-OUT!

 

Thank you to all Da Vincians who joined us on Thursday 10/6 for our Financial Aid Workshop for Senior Families.  In this workshop, we provided a general overview and explanation of the federal student financial aid process. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) were explained along with grants, federal loans and scholarships.  The session was recorded and can be found HERE

Important Reminders and Resources on Financial Aid:

• The FAFSA opened on October 1^stand is due March 2^nd for CSUs, UCs, and California Community Colleges. The FAFSA deadlines for private and out-of-state universities vary.  Please check their respective websites for financial aid deadlines. We encourage you to apply early!  Here is a helpful overview of the FAFSA and the documents needed to complete the application. 

 

• To complete and sign a FAFSA electronically, both the student and the parent need an FSA ID.  CLICK HERE for information/a helpful video on creating an FSA ID.

 

• If you are applying to a private college, you many need to complete the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.  The CSS Profile is used to assess the student for institutional aid, which may include merit-based aid.  Here is a list of colleges that requires the CSS Profile.

 

• If you are an undocumented student, you may be eligible for the state aid and institutional aid.   Please complete the DREAM Act Applicationto apply for these funds. Please connect with your counselor if you need support with this process.

 

• If you are or were a foster youth, you may qualify for the CHAFEE Grant. Please connect with your counselor if you need support with this process.

 

If you have any questions, please connect with Ms. Marquez, College Counselor : fmarquez@davincischools.org

 

Hello DVS Family, I hope you had a great weekend and are ready for a great (short) week!  We have an addition to the College Visits (UCLA Ambassadors), scheduled for tomorrow:

Tuesday, 10/11 at 8am: UCLA Ambassadors: Come hear from a current UCLA student discuss their college experience, review general parts of the UC application, and dive into some specific details about UCLA’s admission process.  There will be time for student questions at the end.

Tuesday, 10/11 at Lunch: NewU University

Wednesday, 10/12 at Lunch (1:15pm): Simmons University

All meetings are held in Mr. Perez’s room and all grade levels are welcome.

 

Enjoy your week!

Please see message below from Central Office:

Da Vinci Schools is pleased to announce that Saya Wai has been selected to serve as Dean of Students at Da Vinci Science. Saya will assist principal Grace Long in ensuring that Da Vinci Science continues its trajectory of success. Finding such a highly qualified school administrator in October who knows Da Vinci Science well could have been challenging, which makes this opportunity all the more impactful.

 

Saya is a familiar face at Da Vinci. She has been part of the Da Vinci Science family since 2015, serving as the Biomedical Engineering Pathway Coordinator teaching Principles of Biomedical Science and Medical Interventions. Saya will transition into her new role as soon as a new teacher is selected.

 

Saya received her B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology from UC Berkeley and a M.A. in Teaching from USC.

 

We are excited to work with Saya in this new capacity

We had another busy, yet great week at DVS. It was great to see some parents during office hours this week. It was also great to meet with our Student Cohesion Team- our students are very insightful and I always enjoy seeing their learning in action.

Week 9’s schedule is a bit different. It is a short week for students! Due to two Professional Development days, there will be no school on Thursday and Friday. 

• PSAT/SAT Day: Testing day is Wednesday, 10/12. It will be a long day of testing and our lunchtime will be pushed back to 1:15 pm. We would like to remind students to get a good night of sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and bring water, a scientific calculator, and healthy snacks. If you are able and interested, we would greatly appreciate any healthy snack donations for students for testing day. If you would like, please drop off healthy snack donations to the front office (granola bars, energy bars, easy-to-eat fruits, etc.) before Oct. 12th. Thank you!  
• SLC Week is coming up in Week 10. Oct. 17-21. During SLC week, Monday dismissal will be at 2:55, Tuesday-Friday dismissal will be at 2:25. Students should know their SLC times. If not, please see Grade Level communications for specific SLC times and links below:
  • 9th grade 
  • 10th grade
  • 11th grade
  • 12th grade
• CommUnity Festival, Saturday, 10/29 11am-3pm.This will be a time for the community to gather on campus for fun, vendors, and fundraising for leadership.
• Semi-formal Dance- “A Night to Remember” Will be held November 5th from 6:00-9:00. This will be an all-schools event in the backyard. Ticket information to follow from the Student Leadership Team.

Important Upcoming Dates:

• 10/12, Wednesday: PSAT/SAT Testing Day

• 10/13, Thursday: No School – Professional Development Day
• 10/14, Friday: No School – Professional Development Day
• 10/17-10/29, Monday – Thursday: Student-Led Conferences
• For SLC Week, Monday Dismissal will be at 2:55, T-Friday Dismissal will be at 2:25
• 10/29, Saturday: CommUnity event

• 11/1, Friday: No School – Veterans Day Holiday
• 11/5, Seminformal Dance
• 11/10, Thursday: Exhibition Night (grades 10th, 12th, & Spanish Dept.)
• 11/21-11/25, Monday-Friday: No School – Thanksgiving Break
• 12/8-12/15, Thursday-Thursday: Presentations of Learning
• 12/16, Friday: Professional Development Day, No School

Week 9 schedule:

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dear Da Vinci Students and Families,

We are exploring adding additional language and arts offerings during Zero period (which will be approximately 7:25-8:35am) next semester. The goal is to make any additional offerings available to all high school students, regardless of school site.

Please complete the survey below by Friday, Oct. 14th to share your thoughts and ideas about what additional language and arts classes we should offer. There is also space on the survey to share any other thoughts or ideas you think we should know. There are two separate surveys — one for students and one for parents/guardians.

Student Survey Link: https://forms.gle/JypEbSfU138b1W34A

Parent/Guardian Survey Link: https://forms.gle/y6hbKrNGMfJvVcBS8

We thank you!