Welcome Back Message (8.13.21)

TO:  Da Vinci Families
FROM:  Matthew Wunder, CEO/Superintendent

August 13, 2021

We hope you share our enthusiasm for the year ahead. Our staff has been working hard to prepare for your child’s safe return.

Although COVID case rates have recently increased, Da Vinci Schools continue to follow state and local requirements, including the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols for on-campus learning.  We will keep you updated as information becomes available. 

We have a few important reminders and updates to share with you:

  1. School Reopening Requirements:  All protocols for health and safety are required of schools by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH – visit HERE for more information).  Additional guidance for families on health and safety protocols on campus can be found HERE.
  2. Vaccinations. If you are interested in learning more or getting a vaccination, visit the LACDPH COVID-19 Vaccination webpage. You can also email our Health Team at egreen@davincischools.org to get more information or support. 
    1. On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a public health Order that requires all schools to verify that staff are fully vaccinated or be tested at least once per week. More information can be found HERE. This Order took effect yesterday (August 12, 2021). 
  3. Self-Screening. Per the LACDPH, all students and staff will be required to self-screen at home and stay off campus if experiencing any COVID symptoms or if there was a close contact with a COVID positive person in the past 10 days.
  4. Masks. Per the LACDPH, the use of masks will be mandatory when indoors on all of our campuses regardless of vaccination status. Masking outdoors is currently optional for all.
  5. Exposure & Reporting Procedure. Per the LACDPH, students and staff must notify Da Vinci Schools if you test positive for COVID and were on campus in the past 14 days. The designated point of contact for reporting COVID-19 concerns at Da Vinci is Dr. Emily Green, School Nurse, at egreen@davincischools.org. 
  6. Additional Information. For additional information about COVID-19 testing, classroom configuration, outdoor space, and cleaning and ventilation, please see the July 30th update. 
  7. Meals. Free meals have been extended through the 2021-22 school year for all students. Find the latest information on our Meals webpage. It’s incredibly important to still complete the Household Income form to maximize federal funding for all students. This form will be completed in your SchoolMint account as part of the First Day forms that were recently sent out. 
  8. Independent Study. DVC, DVD and DVS families may request a full-time independent study option in Fall ’21 due to COVID-related reasons. If you have questions about Independent Study, please contact Grace Long, Independent Study Coordinator, at glong@davincischools.org. More info / Registration-Commitment Form

Please know this will be a year of making ongoing adjustments based on the latest information we have. Thank you in advance for your continued support. We can’t wait to see you on campus.