DaVinci Connection – November 17, 2022

Please consider making a gift today to help us reach our 22/23 fundraising goal of $200,000!

Fundraising is critical for public charter schools because they receive considerably less government funding than traditional district schools. In fact, we receive $2,600 (18%) less per student than our neighboring district to provide an exceptional education to each student.

DaVinci’s leadership team has a tremendous vision for making our incredible school even better. One that ensures alignment with our strategic plan and our promise to provide a world-class art and science learning environment. Enriched learning experiences throughout the school year cultivate and support our focus across the curriculum to help students understand and appreciate the significance of these two disciplines in everyday life. With support from the school development committee’s fundraising efforts, these learning experiences become a reality through supplemental curricular programs as well as additions to our building/campus, such as:

• Artist in Residence (music, drama, and visual arts)
• In-school field trips
• Middle School Environmental Learning Center Trips
• Adding a robotics lab
• Deck for the pond to facilitate science lessons

We are also excited to raise funds for items to improve the audio equipment in our Performing Arts Center! These items include:

• Wireless microphones (plays, musicals, and board meetings)
• Wired microphones
• Audio signal transmitters and receivers
• Protective cases

Click the button below to donate

DaVinci Families,

I wanted to make you aware of a conversation that is happening at the board level so that you can attend the next board meeting or log in to stream it on Monday, November 28th. For 3 months now I have been previewing this conversation with the board to propose a regular late start schedule. Options on the table could include a monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly 9:00 AM school start time to allow for Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings for teachers.  

We are NOT considering changing the school start time to 9:00 am every day, but potentially one day a week. The benefits of adding this to our calendar and how it is a mission driven decision will be enumerated at the meeting. We will discuss potential challenges for families and brainstorm how we might address them as a school.

You are invited to sit in on the conversation so that you have some contextual information for why this is being proposed. We understand that a schedule change will raise a lot of questions for families and we will continue to share more information about this proposed change as we get closer to the board making a final decision. All changes that could affect the school calendar are always brought to the board for a vote and parents and guardians are encouraged to get involved in the process by staying informed.  

The link for streaming the next meeting live and the school board agenda will be available next week on our website here: https://davincicharterschool.org/our-school/board-of-directors/

Thank you for your continued support of DaVinci Academy and I wish you the happiest of Thanksgiving breaks.

Holly

Thank you for supporting the Student Council Committee Toys for Tots drive! They are about halfway to their goal of 300 toys!

How to participate:

Through December 5, students, families, and visitors can drop off new and unwrapped toys in the designated Toys for Tots drop boxes located on each floor. The floor that collects the most toys will win a prize! (for example: non-uniform day, movie day, etc.)

Toys collected so far…

• First Floor – 54
• Second Floor – 30
• Third Floor – 93

Every toy really does count, children of all ages need toys again this year. By donating a toy, you can bring the gift of joy to an underprivileged child. Please consider supporting our student council’s Toys for Tots drive to ensure no child goes without a present this Holiday Season.

Should you have any questions, please contact Mandy Paumen at mpaumen@davincicharterschool.org

Thanks!

DaVinci Academy Student Council Committee

There is still time to sign-up for the 6-8 Ski/Snowboard Club through our partnership with Centennial Community Education. Be sure to review the information here and register for this awesome opportunity by Monday, November 28!

As the trimester comes to an end with grades being recorded and the holidays fast approaching, the Mental Health Team would like to share some information about anxiety in children including what it looks like and what you can do to help.

Anxiety is a general term used to describe a feeling of extreme worry or unease. Feeling anxious is natural after something upsetting happens. But when a child feels anxiety that lasts a long time and prevents them from doing things they enjoy like going to school or seeing friends, then it becomes an anxiety disorder. Children can be diagnosed with several different anxiety disorders.

Anxiety has many symptoms and can look very different from child to child. Here are some common signs that a child might have an anxiety disorder:

• Trouble sleeping
• Complaining about stomach aches or other physical problems
• Avoiding certain situations
• Being clingy around parents or caregivers
• Trouble concentrating in class or being very fidgety
• Tantrums
• Being very self-conscious

Here are some examples of anxiety disorders children may experience:

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children feel extremely upset when they have to be away from parents or caregivers. This anxiety goes beyond what other kids their age normally feel.

Social Anxiety Disorder

A disorder characterized by such intense self-consciousness and fear of embarrassment in social situations that the individual avoids social events; also known as social phobia.

feel extremely self-conscious around other people. They are so afraid of being embarrassed that they avoid social situations and even speaking in class.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, persistent and unreasonable worry about everyday things. Their worry is not caused by anything specific and it is bad enough to get in the way of daily life.

Panic Disorder

Children with panic disorder have frequent, unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks cause physical feelings that can make kids think they are dying or having a heart attack. An anxiety disorder characterized by recurring panic attacks and, in between episodes, the fear that another panic attack is imminent.

Specific Phobia

Kids with specific phobias are very afraid of one or more specific things. This fear is of something that isn’t normally considered dangerous. Phobias Disrupt kids’ lives when they go out of their way to avoid the things they’re afraid of.

Almost all types of anxiety are best treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).CBT is based on the idea that how we think and act both affect how we feel. By learning to change negative thoughts and unhealthy actions, kids can change their bad feelings. For some children, taking medication for anxiety in addition to going through therapy makes treatment more effective.

Mindfully Yours,

DaVinci Academy’s Mental Health Team

Phoenix Hathaway (K-4 Counselor) www.calendly.com/mshathaway (763)-754-6577 ext. 1204

Diana Muske (5-8 School Counselor) (763) 754-6577 ext. 1310

Courtney Ferderer (K-8 School Social Worker) www.calendly.com/mrsferderer (763)-754-6577 ext. 1215

We have reached the end of the first trimester! Teachers will be working on grades this week and report cards will be finalized soon. Once report cards are completed, they will be posted to the Parent Portal and families will be notified. Please contact the main office if you do not currently have access to the Parent Portal. If your student has an incomplete grade, any missing work should be completed by December 2nd and their grade will be updated.

Parents: If you are dropping off outside food for your child(ren) to the front office (other than forgotten lunch boxes), please ensure that your child(ren) knows the food is coming, and that it is their responsibility to come to the office and pick it up. The office team is not responsible for delivering food to students during lunch times.  

Uniform Clothing Donations: Friendly reminder that uniform donations are only designated during school conference periods. Please remember that donated uniforms must be recently laundered and free of stains, rips/holes, and defects. 

Thank you for your cooperation.

A big thanks to those of you who have downloaded the Silent Dismissal app! It is very helpful to our staff working outside at the end of the day. We got a taste this week of the cold weather that is to come and we sure appreciated the times that we could put our hands away because parents were using the app to dismiss their own child.
For those of you who still need to download the Silent Dismissal app below are directions to get you started.

Please remember: the Silent Dismissal app will not work until you email or call the school and provide your phone information.
SD Settings and App Instructions

On a related note, we would happily accept donations of hand warmers for our outside staff.

Thank you!