October 11th, 2026

Hi Da Vinci Connect TK-8 Families,

It was wonderful seeing so many of our families at SLCs last week! It’s always inspiring to watch our students share their learning with their families and to see families and teachers showing up for our kids in such thoughtful and meaningful ways.

We'd like to offer the opportunity for families to add their own memories to our community Ofrenda starting on Monday! You may feel called to honor your loved ones who have passed by leaving a copy of a photo, a note of remembrance, one of their favorite things, etc. All loved ones (people and pets!) are welcome to be represented on our Ofrenda. The Ofrenda will be available through Dia De Los Muertos at the start of November.

We want to honor Indigenous People's Day on Monday 10/12. Please check out this wide variety of resources from the LA County Library! Including this Land Acknowledgement honoring the the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples, who originally inhabited and still care for the land that we occupy in our communities today.

We also want to share that we will be holding Earthquake Drills on 10/13 and 10/16, and Shelter in Place drills on 10/20 and 10/22. Our staff is well equipped to support students through these experiences and have practiced staff-only drills to be best equipped to facilitate these with students in ways that feel clear, safe, and supportive.

We invite you to take a few moments to complete the Da Vinci Schools Family Survey. Your feedback plays a vital role in shaping the learning environment at your child’s school and across our entire organization. The KELVIN survey was sent via email on Monday October 5th.Your honest input helps us celebrate what’s working and identify areas where we can improve. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful completion of this survey!

We’re so excited to share that our wonderful school counselor, Marcel Emerson, and his wife, Daisy, welcomed their sweet baby, Marley, on October 2nd! Both Mama and baby are healthy and doing well. We’re sending the whole family so much love as they settle into this special new chapter. Congratulations, Marcel and Daisy! 

Warmly,

Robin (she/her) and Nydia (she/ her)

Parent Advisory Committee!

First Meeting THIS Monday 10/12 via ZOOM

Thank you to everyone who signed up to participate in our Parent Advisory Committee! Our first meeting is on Monday 10/12--anyone is welcome to attend even if you're not on the committee!

Picture Day!

Monday 10/12 for M/T and Thursday 10/15 for TH/F!

We are excited for picture day--students will take individual portraits, class photos, and our 8th graders will take a special "graduating class" photo on each day! Once photos are completed our photographer will send proofs and a direct link for purchasing! On Picture Day, if your student wants to wear a "nicer" picture day outfit, please have them bring a change of clothes that they can play in for the rest of the day.

Message from Nurse Emily

My name is Emily I am the school nurse and Director of Health Services and last 2 weeks I was able to speak in Core 1& 2 classes for a short presentation and discussion on friendships and boundaries and consent. We covered body space, how to talk to a friend about limits and body boundaries and the importance of personal space, how to practice sharing your preferences and listening to your body signals. 

While I know this content may have been new for some, overall the students did fabulous and were engaged in talking about their "bubbles" and some of the conflicts they have had in friendships. Students practiced asking friends if they wanted a high five or fist bump, they practiced saying yes, no and maybe, and practiced their reactions to if a friend says no to a request. We told them their homework was to start practicing getting and giving consent for everything from high fives to playing a game and how practice will be important since we and our friends and families are not mind readers and it is important to share your own preferences and boundaries. 

A resource library of storybooks about body safety, consent, privacy, and more: Books

Teacher Led Math Workshops

We’ve decided to replace PEC 2 this semester with workshops offered by individual teachers based on the specific needs of their classes. These workshops will primarily focus on helping families get up and running with Zearn and CPM, though there may be other offerings as well. Please keep an eye out for these opportunities, as they will be shared directly by individual teachers.

The Levitt Lab Info Sessions are here!

If you or your student is curious about the new High School program Kaitlin launched this year, the first of several info sessions for The Levitt Lab is here! RSVP here to learn about this innovative new High School option at Da Vinci!

Multicultural Fair 2026!

~Save the date~

October 21

Time: 3-5pm

Location: Connect Tk8 campus

Click HERE to sign-up to participate.

The Multicultural Fair is an exciting way for families to get to know each other, collaborate, and make core memories as a community.

Attention: Core 4 Families 

You are cordially invited to join the Family Action Network to take the lead in co-planning the event. Our upcoming FAN planning meetings will take place on the following dates: 9/24, 10/8, 10/13, and 10/15 from 2-3pm in the parent center.

Are you a parent who likes to volunteer? Are you interested in building a fun experience at our annual school events? Please email Activities Coordinator Jahmal Durham for details on how to get involved: jdurham@davincischools.org ...

Home Schooling Workshop Series with Magdalena Garcia!

First Workshop October 14th, 10:30am-12:00pm

Parent Advisory Committee!

*LAST CALL* Student and Family Members Needed!

The Parent Advisory Committee is an opportunity for parents, students, & staff to work collaboratively to:

• review the school program, 
• review data and identify needs, &
• make recommendations regarding the School Safety Plan & the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

Our Meetings for the year are scheduled for the following dates and times:

Monday October 12th from 5:00-6:00pm via zoom

Monday November 9th from 5:00-6:00pm via zoom

Monday February 8th from 5:00-6:00pm via zoom

Monday March 8th from 5:00-6:00pm via zoom

Monday April 12th from 5:00-6:00pm via zoom

Please indicate your interest HERE!



Thank you for your interest! Appointed members will be notified via e-mail in the coming weeks, prior to the first meeting on 10/12

Real World Learning Opportunities

Looking for fun field trip ideas for your homeschool days? Please explore this comprehensive list of Real World Learning Opportunities around Los Angeles!

Curriculum Support

Stephanie Lee will be serving as our Parent Educator Support Specialist for the next few months while we work on a long-term solution. She has been both a parent in our community and a teacher, so she is uniquely positioned to offer guidance and support.

Please use this link to set up a time with her. She can help with any curriculum questions you may have!

Family Action Network Meetings!

Updated Family Action Network Meeting dates!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to kick off our regular Family Action Network (FAN) meetings for the 2026–2027 school year! These collaborative sessions are the perfect opportunity to learn how you can get involved and help shape our upcoming community-building events.

This year, our community will come together for four major school-wide traditions:

• Multicultural Fair – October 21, 2026

• Speaker's Jam – February 24, 2027

• STEAM Carnival – April 7, 2027

• Annual Talent Showcase – June 4, 2027

To make these events a success, we need your unique ideas, energy, and voice. Please join us for our FAN Co-Planning Meetings in the Parent Center from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM on the following dates:

• October: 10/8, 10/13, 10/27, and 10/29

• December: 12/1 and 12/3

Whether you can make it to one meeting or all of them, your participation makes a meaningful difference for our students. We look forward to collaborating with you!

Take action in now by sharing your ideas here: FAN Interest Survey!

Sign-up HERE to participate in the Multicultural Fair 2026

Happening~ October 21^st from 3-5 pm on the Connect TK8 campus.

If you have questions, feel free to email our Activities Coordinator Jahmal Durham at jdurham@davincischools.org

Art with Mr. Mason!

Wednesdays from 2-3pm via zoom!

Join Mr. Mason each week via zoom for a live art lesson! You can also check out his google classroom below for access to over 350 archived art lesson videos to access at anytime! NEW art videos are posted every week!

Google classroom link:  https://classroom.google.com/c/NTQ5ODk5MTQzNzZa?cjc=3vs27ai

Class code: 3vs27ai

ZOOM link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2029821176

Meeting ID: 202 982 1176

Daily Read Alouds on Zoom!

M-F 9:00am

Want a connective way to begin your homeschool days? Join Nancy each day at 9:00am on zoom for a virtual read aloud! This invitation is for all ages, regardless of grade level or cohort! You can join her on zoom HERE

Da Vinci Connect Gear!

We are honored to partner with Mychal's Learning Place for our printing needs. Take a look at our online store to purchase Da Vinci Connect t-shirts and hoodies, in youth AND adult sizes!

Email Connect K-8 Front Office |

Email Nydia | Email Robin | Office Phone (310) 725-5800

K-8 Parent Educator Resource Website | Family Handbook| School Calendar