The Natomas Unified School District is committed to communicating and engaging with parents, staff, and the general community. Subscribe and listen to candid conversations that provide informative topics for families in support of student success. If you have an idea or topic that you think could be developed into an NUSD Podcast, please reach out to us at [email protected].
2023-2024 School Year Podcast Episodes
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Episode 4 – Attendance Awareness
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement, with Shayla Allen, NUSD Social Worker Liaison
Episode 3 – Get Ready for the 2023-24 School Year – High School Students
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement, with Ben Odell, Director with the Office of the Chief Academic Officer
Episode 2 – Get Ready for the 2023-24 School Year – Elementary Students
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement, with Amanda Garcia, Early Learning Coordinator
Episode 1 – Natomas Unified Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo Eager to Meet Community
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement, with NUSD Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo
2022-2023 School Year Podcast Episodes
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Episode 15 – NUSD’s LEAP Program
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with NUSD Director Yee Yang
Episode 14 – Autism Awareness Month: Spread Awareness and Acceptance
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Educator Sarah Wheelock and parent Melissa Moore
Episode 13 – NUSD Prepares for Transitional Kindergarten Expansion
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Early Learning Coordinator Amanda Garcia
Episode 12 – Understanding NUSD’s International Baccalaureate Programmes and how it Supports Students Now and Beyond
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with IB Coordinator Kristen Martin and World-Renowned Teacher Trevor MacKenzie
Episode 11 – NUSD Offers Free Playgroup Sessions for Parents and Young Kids
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Child Development Specialist Pam Nabor-Martinez
Episode 10 – NUSD Celebrates Diversity: Learning About Kwanzaa
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Sacramento-region Minister Imhotep Alkebulan
Episode 9 – Tips to Help Parents and Teens Navigate Social Media Together
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with the authors of the book “Behind Their Screens”
Episode 8 – NUSD’s Literacy Efforts, Part 2: Breaking Down Rubrics from the ’Main Topic’ to Grammar
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with teachers Lan Orr and Juliane Link-Oberstar
Episode 7 – NUSD Celebrates Native American Heritage Month
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Crystal Blue, Raquel Gonzales and Isaac Bojorquez
Episode 6 – NUSD’s Literacy Efforts – Focus on Informational Writing
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Mark Bornstein, NUSD Teacher on Special Assignment
Episode 5 – Meeks Academy – Taking Virtual Learning to the Next Level
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement with Esther Perez, Executive Director of Meeks Academy and Sunny Bun, Meeks Academy Teacher
Episode 4 – Learning Recovery – How Parents may use this Resource to help their child
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement and Steven Fong, CAO Executive Director
Episode 3 – NUSD Professional Development Training: Examining Implicit Bias
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement and Tonja Jarrell, Associate Superintendent
Episode 2 – NUSD Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Through Literacy with Author Leticia Ordaz
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement, and Leticia Ordaz, Award Winning Children’s Author
Episode 1 – Heredia-Arriaga Elementary’s Dual Language Immersion Program and How to Enroll
Host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement and Liz Aguirre, Principal, and Lina Bornstein, Teacher
2021-2022 School Year Podcast Episodes
Host Lisset Mijares, Coordinator III, Communications and Family Engagement with guests Vince Caguin, Director of Nutrition Services and Warehousing and Sonia Fernandez Arana, Program Manager of Let’s Eat Healthy
Host Lisset Mijares, Coordinator III, Communications and Family Engagement and Bessie O’Connor, Nutrition Science Project Manager, Dairy Council of California
Host Lisset Mijares, Coordinator III, Communications and Family Engagement and Megan Holdaway, Program Manager, Dairy Council of California
Host Deidra Powell, Communications and Family Engagement and AJ Giersch, Executive Director of Career Technical Education
Host Angela Da Re, President/CEO of Delta Prevention and Jeremy Greene, NUSD Psychologist
Host Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications and Michael Lynch, Co-Founder and CEO of Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT)
Hosts Natasha Rowlett, Kimberly Stepp, and Ranbir Bains
Host Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications and NUSD Parents Satty Rooprai and Sumiti Mehta
Host Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications and Earl Pavao, Executive Director of Student Services and Support and Jeremy Greene, Psychologist.
Host Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications and Family Engagement with guests Dr. Michele Hamilton, Director of Student Services and Support and Jill Adams, LCSW, Social Work Liaison
Host Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications with guests Earl Pavao, Executive Director of Student Services and Support and Carol Swanson, Associate Superintendent of Student Services and Support
Podcast Archive
Listen to past episodes from the 2020-2021 school year.
Episode 15 – NUSD Launching a Brand New Virtual Academy Fall 2021
Episode 14 – Virtual Extracurricular Activities Keeping Students Connected
Episode 13 – Social-Emotional Supports Available to Students
Episode 12 – What to Expect on Day 1!
Episode 11 – Back-to-School Technology Needs
Episode 10 – Social and Emotional Learning and Support in NUSD
Episode 9 – On Track to College
Episode 8 – NUSD’s Parent University Equipping Parents for Student Success
Episode 7 – Award-Winning Constituent & Customer Services
Episode 6 – Newly Designed Elementary Report Cards
Episode 5 – Benefits of students playing sports
Episode 4 – Learn about the Career Technical pathways that are preparing students for success after high school
Episode 3 – Why playing an instrument positively impacts kids
Episode 2 – The importance of attendance and how it significantly impacts a child’s future long-term
Episode 1 – Helpful tips and resources for parents to support their students for a successful school year