Connect HS Newsletter
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New Partnership with Hazel Health, a Free Resource for Mental Health Services
Dear Da Vinci Families,
We are excited to announce a new partnership with Hazel Health, an innovative service now available to support the mental health needs of all Da Vinci students in grades TK-12. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive care and resources, Hazel Health offers access to licensed healthcare professionals and services, both at school and from home.
What is Hazel Health?
Hazel Health connects students with a mental health counselor for virtual visits directly from school, or the comfort of your home, at no cost to families. Hazel Health ensures that your child receives timely care for mental health support.
How it Works
- School-Based Care: Students and families can work with the Da Vinci Counselors to set up appointments for teletherapy at designated times from campus. Students will be supervised in a safe and privatized space for therapy sessions.
- If your student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and there is a concern or question about how this general education offered service would be incorporated into their school day with their current special education programming and services, please contact/consult with Dr. Lynn Rodriguez, Director of Special Education to answer any questions or seek clarification (lrodriguez@davincischools.org). Otherwise, families with an IEP or Section 504 plan should reach out to their case manager/counselor to meaningfully incorporate this service during your day.
- At-Home Care: Families can schedule telehealth visits from home. Appointments are accessible and can be done on your own schedule between 7am-7pm, Monday through Friday.
Services Provided by Hazel Health:
Mental Health Counseling: Hazel Health provides support for anxiety, depression, grief, and other mental health concerns.
Why Hazel Health?
- Convenient Access: No need for appointments or travel time. Support is provided virtually when your child needs it.
- No Cost to Families: Services are free for all students at Da Vinci Schools, ensuring that every family has access to care.
- Confidential & Secure: All services are confidential, and student privacy is a top priority.
Getting Started
To begin using Hazel Health, simply complete the consent form listed on the website https://getstarted.hazel.co/district/davincischools. You can also reach out to your school counselor for assistance in signing up. We are thrilled to bring this important resource to our Da Vinci community and are confident that Hazel Health will help us keep students happy, healthy, and ready to learn.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students’ well-being.
Best regards,
Erin Whalen
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Da Vinci Schools
ewhalen@davincischools.org
Informational Zoom meeting for Costa Rica Immersion Trip!
¡Hola, Connect High School students and families!
Connect High School is excited to announce our 2025 International Immersion Trip with Prometour! We will be travelling to Costa Rica from February 22, 2025 to March 2, 2025 and doing a homestay with local families, attending Spanish classes in the mornings, and experiencing Costa Rican culture at its core through activities such as dance and cooking classes, zipline tours, and walks through the rainforest.
We have a final informational meeting available: Wednesday, 9/18/24 at 6:00pm via Zoom passcode 679284.
Here is the link for the flyer and the itinerary.
If you are interested, curious, or have questions, please join the initial informational sessions, as Patricia, our Prometour representative, will be joining to answer any questions you may have!
Feel free to email Lauren at ltakahashi@davincischools.org if you have any questions.
We look forward to new and exciting learning opportunities and adventures in 2025!
Fall 2024 Greater Los Angeles NACAC College Fair
Greetings!
I hope that you are doing well. I wanted to share information about the upcoming Fall 2024 Greater Los Angeles NACAC College Fair at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Over two hundred college and university representatives from around the country met with 10,000 students and parents at this event in previous years.
Below you will find useful information to assist students and their families to take full advantage of this once-a-year opportunity.
Online Student Registration – Students may now register online prior to the college fair and bring their printed or electronic barcode to the fair. Online registration is optional, but highly recommended to save time when talking to college representatives. NACAC does not offer mass registration. The College Matchmaking feature has been updated and will be available when students register for the fair so that students get matched to colleges and universities based on their respective interests.
Volunteers Needed for the Fair.
Best,
University of Rochester’s MVP application
University of Rochester’s Multicultural Visitation Program (MVP) offers a funded campus visit for prospective students from a wide range of backgrounds and allows them to experience Rochester on a more personal level. We invite current high school seniors attending school in the United States (including permanent residents, refugees/ asylees, and undocumented/DACA students) who otherwise financially might not be able to visit campus to apply for MVP.
Prospective students who are accepted to MVP receive free travel to and from Rochester, specialized programming, and a two-night stay with a current student host in a residence hall. The fall 2024 MVP Experience will take place from Thursday, November 7- Saturday, November 9 in conjunction with the November 8 Research Rochester open house.
Which students could be a good fit for MVP?
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Students who financially might not otherwise be able to visit campus. Students can define this for themselves – we do not require proof of family finances for MVP.
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First-generation college students and others who have questions about the transition to life on a residential campus.
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Students who are committed to a broad definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion who want to interact with Rochester’s wide array of affinity groups and departments that offer support.
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Students who are genuinely interested in the University and are an academic match. We hope this program helps attendees evaluate their Rochester fit. Students who apply to MVP are demonstrating interest, which is a component of our holistic admission application review.
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Students who attend school anywhere in the United States – we will purchase round-trip plane tickets for those coming from further away, offer a seat on a reserved New York City Charter Bus, or work with local students on their visit plans.
MVP Application
Acceptance to MVP is selective due to limited space. You will be asked to upload your unofficial high school transcript, a signed permission slip, and to submit two short written responses. We advise reviewing application requirements and preparing separately before returning to submit.
The deadline to apply is Friday, October 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET. We will notify all MVP applicants whether they are selected for the program or not by October 16.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please email us at mvp@rochester.edu or call the Office of Admissions at (585) 275-3221.
Upcoming 12th Grade Post-High School Informational Night
For 12th grade students and families:
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Zoom (link will be emailed to 12th grade families)
Dear 12th Grade Students and Families,
We are excited to invite you to our Post-High School Informational Night on Zoom, where we will be discussing important steps and resources to support your post-secondary plans. This session will cover topics such as:
- Navigating the college application process
- Exploring alternative post-secondary options (trade schools, gap years, etc.)
- Important deadlines and requirements
- Resources for financial aid and scholarships
Whether you’re planning to attend college, explore other opportunities, or are still undecided, this event will provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions.
Submit Your Questions
We encourage families to submit their questions ahead of time using this Google Form. Please submit your questions by Tuesday, September 10, at 4:00 PM, so we can address them during the session.
Recording Available
If you’re unable to attend, don’t worry! A recording of the webinar will be available for both students and families.
We look forward to seeing you there!
CHS Performing Arts Seminar Sign-Up (FALL ’24)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSegFxahQR0V-H5CypaFQppAgjpL5WPW0vJNJ_ezYzgQRRggVw/viewform
If you are interested in a Performing Arts seminar, please sign up on the link above. PLEASE NOTE:
SEMINARS take place on campus at CHS from 1pm-1:50pm on Wednesdays—first day is Wednesday, 9/11.
ENSEMBLES take place on T/TH from 2:40-3:55pm at the 201 campus (shuttle provided)—first day is Tuesday, 9/10.
Connect HS Newsletter
Click here to read the latest Connect HS Newsletter.
First Community Learning Day – October 11th
Dear Da Vinci Families,
We recently shared with you information about an exciting new initiative this school year known as Community Learning Days (CLDs) in response to our community’s desire to provide more opportunities to bring students together across our five high schools. CLDs are all about options and designed to offer students the flexibility to explore their interests and build community with students and staff attending Communications, Connect High, Design, RISE and Science.
With our first CLD approaching on Friday, October 11th, we want to provide you with some important updates:
- This week in Advisory, students learned more about CLDs and took a Student Survey to express their interest in learning experiences/activities for the first two CLDs (Oct. 11 and Nov. 8).
- All students – whether they participate in on-campus or off-campus learning – will have access to free breakfast and lunch.
- On-campus programming will run from 8:30am-12:30pm. We have some exciting on-campus options planned such as college and career workshops, financial literacy, Real World Learning experiences, hands-on learning in the Ceramics Studio, performing arts experiences, athletics activities, community service, and more.
- Students requesting to learn off-campus must have a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian. Permission slips will be provided to students by Sept. 13th.
- During the week of Sept. 23, students will receive notice of enrollment for one of their selected workshops (on-campus) OR receive approval to engage in off-campus learning (permission slip required).
- Oct. 11 is Da Vinci’s first CLD Day!
- During the week of Oct. 21, we will send out a Feedback Survey to hear what you think so we can continue to improve!
As a reminder, there are four CLDs scheduled this school year (Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Feb. 10, Apr. 21). We can’t wait to embark on this exciting new journey together.
Gratefully,
Dr. Matthew Wunder
CEO/Superintendent
Da Vinci Schools
Cal Grant Opt Out Form
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) 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 Sylvia Soria via email at ssoria@davincischools.org no later than September 28, 2024. 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: Cal Grant GPA Opt–Out Form