Winners of our Annual Back to School Photo Contest
Congratulations to the families who submitted these three photos! These families will receive prizes from our community partners Dos Coyotes, Pizza Guys in Natomas, and Jamba Juice. We are so grateful to everyone who participated in this year’s Back to School photo contest. Our partners were generous so we’ll be able to provide a meal from Dos Coyotes or Pizza Guys to 16 of our runner-ups.
Natomas Unified Expands Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
Natomas Unified continues its diversity equity and inclusion efforts. This school year, we continue to work with Dr. Sharoky Hollie, a national educator who provides professional cultural responsiveness development.
Dr. Hollie will focus on systemic oppression, inequities, and cultural responsiveness as part of our ongoing commitment to provide a positive, collaborative learning environment and as part of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion three-year plan.
Continued Focus on Strengthening Student’s Literacy Skills for 2023-2024
Literacy will continue to be a major area of focus for Natomas Unified. While families may hear more about writing, it is important to know that reading and writing go hand in hand and when paired together, they strengthen student’s reading, comprehension, and writing. We look forward to our literacy journey this year and sharing updates, and tips for families to support our efforts at home.
Promoting Safety at Our Schools
Check out our staff as part of our safety efforts at our schools. This Campus Safety Specialist is easily identifiable with his new school pride uniform top. This makes it easy for students to know who to reach out to for help or safety related items at their school sites.
Students: Join the 2023-24 Student Voices Advisory Committee
We encourage Natomas Unified high school students to join the district’s Student Voices Advisory Council! The group is a wonderful way to share feedback and input with NUSD, as we continue to move forward in a positive direction.
The group meets virtually, based on students’ availability, each month. We will also meet once or twice this school year in-person, to provide an opportunity for students to connect.
Interested? Contact the Communications and Family Engagement team at [email protected] by August 31st.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Inderkum’s Flag Football Team Featured on News10
The Inderkum Flag Football team showed what the determination, skill, and grit it takes to be a part of the sport. Thanks to the California Interscholastic Federation sanctioning the sport, the team’s inaugural season is now underway. Click here to watch the student athletes play, in case you missed News10’s report on IHS’s Flag Football team.
Diverse Future Teachers Program offers Resources, Financial Aid, and Flexibility for Future Educators
The Diverse Future Teachers program helps future teachers, counselors, and educational leaders realize their dreams. Watch this minute long video to hear current NUSD employee Markus Benjamin share what drove him to complete the program.
The program offers benefits such as:
- Pay 80% of the cost of your one-year teacher credential program
- Provide an NUSD Macbook for use during your credential program
- Provide a $500 monthly allowance for 12 months if you choose to live within NUSD boundaries during the duration of your credential program
- Provide monetary incentives if you meet requirements for:
- Diversity: $5,000 (i.e. lived in a ZIP code that matches our demographics; bilingual; demonstrated academic interest in subjects such as gender, race, multicultural studies; involvement with organizations that support underserved students)
- Earning teaching credentials in “hard to fill” subject areas: $5,000
- (i.e. Math, Science, mod/severe Special Education, World Language)
To apply to the Diverse Future Teachers Program, click here. You have until September 4th.
Board Welcomes and Swears-In New Student Board Member
ParentSquare Tips and Tricks
A Quick How-To on Changing ParentSquare Instant/Digest Settings
Got Square? Hopefully you do. Did you know that 11,155 users have confirmed their students in ParentSquare, and we’ve already collected over 6,000 Annual Notification Forms electronically through the Square? That’s impressive. Don’t get left behind with staying engaged with your student’s school and teachers. Join the Square today. Visit staging.natomasunified.org/parentsquare to learn more. Meanwhile, we’ll offer some simple tips from time to time to help you maximize your ParentSquare experience.
If you would like to change your notification settings, follow these steps:
1. In the upper right hand corner, underneath your name, click “My Account”.
2. In the left hand side, click “notification settings” which will be underneath “settings”.
3. Once in “notification settings” you should be able to toggle between “off”, “instant”, and “digest” to control whether you get instant notifications sent to your email, text, and the app. Please note, you will not be able to change the “urgent alerts” setting. And that’s it!
