Who We Are

Da Vinci Connect is a public Independent Study Charter school located in Hawthorne, California that serves students in Kindergarten through 8th grade

Da Vinci Connect is part of Da Vinci Schools, which first opened in August 2009 with the launch of two charter high schools: Da Vinci Science and Da Vinci Design. The name “Da Vinci Schools” was suggested by students instrumental to the inception of the organization because Leonardo da Vinci has often been described as the archetypal Renaissance artist, scientist and engineer who learned by doing. Da Vinci Schools’ third school, Da Vinci Innovation Academy (DVIA), was successfully launched in August 2011 to serve Kindergarten through 8th grade students. DVIA became its own charter in the fall of 2013, and renewed its charter in 2018 as Da Vinci Connect.

The fourth school (and third high school), Da Vinci Communications, opened in August 2013. In the fall of 2015, Da Vinci Schools launched a 5th school, Da Vinci Extension, an 11-month university transfer and career pathway program for Da Vinci students who wish to complete their freshman general education coursework at Da Vinci while gaining on-the-job work experience through paid and unpaid internships. In 2015, Da Vinci Schools created the Da Vinci Flex program to respond to a local need to help Da Vinci high school students with credit recovery and individualized learning needs. In September 2016, the director of Da Vinci Flex was chosen from over 700 nation-wide applicants as one of 10 winners of the XQ Super School Challenge and DV Flex was expanded to a full high school called Da Vinci RISE High.

The 20 year horizon: Why our organization exists and enduring truths about us

The Da Vinci Schools exist to provide our students with a rigorous, relevant, and hands-on college preparatory curriculum. We create and support a culture of high expectations for all, where students grow in knowledge and wisdom, develop new skills, and form safe and strong relationships with teachers, peers, parents, and the community. Furthermore, Da Vinci Connect exists to provide a family collaborative instructional model that supports children to become caring, confident learners in a compassionate learning community that respects and values different interests, abilities, learning styles, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds.