What is Tassels for Teens Bike-a-thon & Fitness Walk?

Tassels for Teen Bike-a-thon & Fitness Walk is our annual charity walk in Long Beach, CA where high school students, parents, neighbors, college graduates, community leaders and volunteers show their support and share their passion for EDUCATION!

We’ve been ‘walking the walk” and “talking the talk” since 2003, and to date have raised over $20,000 in support of SCHOLARSHIP and have provided deserving high school & college students monetary awards. Your participation in this year’s Tassels for Teens Bike-a-thon & Fitness Walk will provide financial assistance to college bound teens in our community and give high school graduates who are aspiring to attend college a CHANCE.

Saturday October 14, 2023
7:00a Registration
7:30a Warm-Up
8:00a Start Time

http://tiny.cc/TasselsForTeens

Hello Senior Students and Families,

As you prepare for the college application process, many of you will apply for financial aid.  One of those funding options is our State Grant, called the Cal Grant.  The Cal Grant is funding for college that students do not pay back. The Cal Grant can be used at any University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) or California Community College, as well as qualifying independent (private) and career colleges or technical schools in California.

To qualify, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) by April 2, 2024 and meet the eligibility and financial requirements as well as any minimum GPA requirements.  Eligibility is based on your FAFSA or CADAA responses, your verified high school Cal Grant GPA, the type of California colleges you list on your FAFSA and whether you’re a recent high school graduate. To learn more about the qualifications, please visit www.calgrants.org.

Da Vinci Connect High School is required to submit student’s verified GPA to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). By law families can “opt out” of this process if you do not want Connect HS to submit your student’s verified GPA. If you choose to “opt out”, this means your student will not be eligible to receive a Cal Grant. In order to “opt-out”, please complete the attached form below and return to Erin Knott via email at eknott@davincischools.org no later than October 4, 2023. If you do not return the “opt-out” form, Connect HS will submit your student’s verified GPA to the CSAC to determine your student’s Cal Grant eligibility.

To obtain an opt-out form click on this link: gpa_opt_out

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erin Knott via email at eknott@davincischools.org

The El Camino College Auto Technology Information Session for parents & students is this Wednesday, Sept. 20 from 6:00pm-7:15pm.

Please RSVP here.

For the flyer and links, please click HERE

In honor of National Voter Registration Day on September 19, S.A.G.E. will have a voter registration booth in the Student Union during lunch. The registration process will be entirely done on the student’s phone by scanning the QR codes displayed on the booth. To pre-register, students must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen,
• 16 to 17 to pre-register
• 18 to register to vote
• Have a picture of the last four digits of their social security number
• Preferred – Have your California ID or driver’s license

Thank you for attending Senior Family College Info Night on Tuesday with Erin! CLICK HERE for the slidedeck. Please email Erin with any questions and don’t forget to sign up for your 1:1 meeting with Erin to discuss your student’s post secondary plans!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA4AB2FA13-seniors

Tuesday September 12th 5pm-6pm on Erin’s zoom link below:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://davincischools-org.zoom.us/j/8700340873

Meeting ID: 870 034 0873

In addition to the Tuesday 9/12 Senior College Info Night with Erin (info and link found below) she is hosting individual Senior Family post secondary planning meetings to talk specifically about your Senior’s after high school plans. Click on this link to sign up for your day and time:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA4AB2FA13-seniors

From CSAC Executive Director:

As we start the 2023-24 academic year, the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) continues to prepare for the opening of the 2024-25 federal and state financial aid applications.  After many years of waiting for the simplification of the FAFSA, we are excited that we are in the final stages before FAFSA and CA Dream Act Applications launch in December 2023.

What Do We Know?

The redesign of the application, known as the “Better FAFSA” will make the form much easier to complete by removing several questions, importing tax information from the IRS, and enhancing the user experience.  Not only will we have a “Better FAFSA”, but enhancements to the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) also known as “Better CA Dream Act Application” will open up at the same time.

We know there are changes that simplify the application but may also raise some questions from those who have previously applied for financial aid.  As with any substantial change, there will be a transition period to become familiar with the new format, sequence of questions, and new terminology.  We are all in this new transition together and CSAC is here to support you and the families you work with to make it easier for students to get financial aid.  This huge step in simplifying these financial aid applications will make a positive difference in helping more students get to the finish line and receive federal and state aid.

Key Application Dates to Keep in Mind:

• This year the Better FAFSA, Better CA Dream Act Application opening is delayed from the traditional October 1 to December 2023. The exact date will be communicated once it has been determined, but more than likely it will be the latter part of December.
• The March 2^nd priority deadline has been extended to April 2, 2024, due to the delayed application opening.

September Action Item:

All students, parents, and legal guardians contributing to the FAFSA will be required to have or register for a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. Encourage students and their contributors to create an FSA ID as early as possible in October to be ready for the December opening of the FAFSA and CADAA.

Keep in mind:

• New FAFSA filers will need to create an FSA ID account.
• Renewal FAFSA filers can continue to use their existing FSA ID.
• Be sure students login to ensure FSA IDs still work before the FAFSA opens in December.

In the Spotlight:

FSA provided a live Better FAFSA Demonstration on August 17, 2023.  After much anticipation and only having read about the changes previously, it was exciting to see the actual Better FAFSA in action and on screen.  The demo walked through the student applicant and parent contributor sections from the perspective of a typical dependent student with married parents.  For those students who don’t fall into this category, there will be ongoing training opportunities to help you help students and their families navigate how to address unique circumstances in completing the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act Application. Viewing the demo prior to the opening of the application would be extremely helpful to have familiarity with the new format, layout, and flow.

Watch the Better FAFSA Demo

Please see the below flyer and the helpful information and supports out there if you know anyone struggling.