• We have two fire drills scheduled for 8/30 and 9/1 (one for each of our cohorts).  The time has not been set yet.  We will update you with time and dates for our other drills as soon as we have them.
• Connect HS Parent Orientation on 9/17 at 9:30am at 550 Continental Blvd. (New AND Returning Parents) See the newsletter for more information.
• Michelle Rainey, Da Vinci Connect Executive Director, has shared with Da Vinci families her families battle with cancer over the past two years.  The Rainey family was interviewed in the Daily Breeze, click here to read the article.  For those interested in donating to help fight cancer click here.

Click here for 8/19 Connect HS Newsletter.

Welcome Back Da Vinci Scholars! It’s nice to see you all back on campus. Please see the announcements below.

For students interested in health-related fields: 

Introduction to Ophthalmology Virtual Course: Project InSight is pleased to offer an opportunity for students to participate in Introduction to Ophthalmology where they will learn about the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye. The course is open to 20 Los Angeles students interested in the medical field or eye health to join the 12-week virtual course this fall. This course will be taught by California Credentialled Science Teachers and will meet weekly beginning September 13 for one hour online after school on either Tuesday or Thursday. For more specific information, please use this link.

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! We are excited to have you as a part of the Da Vinci Connect community and are looking forward to a great year together.

We view your student’s mental health and well-being as a priority for their success at this school. In support of this, we have invested in several resources that you can access whenever you need help. Remember, you are not alone, and it is a true act of bravery and strength to seek help.

We view your student’s mental health and well-being as a priority for their success at this school. In support of this, we have invested in several resources that you can access whenever you need help. Remember, you are not alone, and it is a true act of bravery and strength to seek help.

We encourage students to visit the on-campus resources and save the community resources so they can access them if they or someone they know needs help.

On campus:

• Students can access help by visiting their school counselor. Students can stop by counselors office or email them to set up an appointment.
  • Kene Washington: 9th grade counselor
    • kwashington@davincischools.org
  • Sylvia Soria: 10th grade counselor
    • ssoria@davincischools.org
  • Erin Knott: 11th and 12th grade counselor
    • eknott@davincischools.org

In our community:

Da Vinci Schools has partnered with Care Solace to support our community’s mental health.

If you or a family member is looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance.

Care Solace’s care navigation services are confidential and complimentary to  Da Vinci Schools’s students, staff, and their families. Care Solace’s team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

• See your school counselor OR
• Call 888-515-0595 available 24/7/365 OR
• Visit www.caresolace.com/davincischools and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

In an emergency:

• Call 911 or and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) response
• Go to the closest emergency room for support
• Call the National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org
• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor
• Trevor Lifeline LGBTQQ+ Crisis Support: 1-866-488-7386

Da Vinci Schools’ Robotics Team 4201 The Vitruvian Bots, are having an Information Session on August 18th at 5pm in the DV Black Box OR via zoom at s.team4201.org/zoom.

Check out this website for more information about the team: https://team4201.org/

Thank you Connect students for being diligent about having access to your Canvas accounts for class on Monday.  

In my newsletter I stated that you would get Canvas invites yesterday by 4pm.  Ms. Wells discovered that you will NOT get Canvas invites until school begins on Monday, August 15.

I apologize for the misinformation.  As we launch this school year with Canvas there will be some unforeseen issues, however we are confident that Canvas will better meet the needs of all in our Connect Community!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Tami

(Click here for the 8/11/2022 Newsletter)

We’re excited to welcome 50 new teachers, counselors and support staff to the Da Vinci family. We are honored that so many talented individuals have chosen to make Da Vinci their new home. For some, they are Da Vinci alumni or recent graduates of Da Vinci’s in-house teacher residency program in partnership with the Alder University Graduate School of Education. All total, Da Vinci has 25 alumni employed across our organization.

Da Vinci Schools invests significant resources into supporting new and returning educators who receive approximately 23 days of professional development (PD) each year, including two weeks of training in August at the start of the new school year.

Last week, new teachers from across Da Vinci came together for a full day of new teacher orientation and professional development support with mentor educators from Da Vinci Institute, Da Vinci’s professional learning center. New teachers played team building games, toured all schools, and were introduced to Da Vinci’s signature programs and practices.

With all new and returning educators back at their individual school sites, the focus has been on reflection and goal setting, logistics, project-based and real world learning planning, curriculum building, special education, assessment, school culture, social-emotional learning, restorative justice, addressing equity and opportunity gaps, advisory planning, dual enrollment, all grade level and job-alike planning, and much more. There’s also been plenty of time for fun community building activities and getting spaces ready for students.

This year, teachers and students are transitioning to a new learning management system known as Canvas. Canvas syncs with PowerSchool, our student information system, and is what most colleges use giving students a head-start on knowing how to access course materials and other resources.

Da Vinci is continuing to expand our pool of dedicated educators and support staff. Check out our current openings here. We are so excited to start the new school year! Together, we are preparing students to lead, innovate, and thrive in the modern world.