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NUSD Umoja! Supporting Black/African American Student Success

NUSD Umoja (Unity)!

Umoja means unity in Swahili. Recognizing that raising the achievement and success of our Black/African American students is a united effort with teachers/staff, our families and community partners, we refer to our intentional efforts in this area as NUSD UMOJA! The tree symbolizes life and growth and the hands represent our collective efforts to work together to support and guide our students to successful. 

This webpage is dedicated to the intentional efforts of NUSD to address the needs of our Black/African American students. It is not all-inclusive of all the district's actions but highlights some of the efforts.

Intentional Programs for Black/African American Students

  • Improve Your Tomorrow

  • All Things Pretty

  • 100 Black Men

  • U-CAN (HBCU & Mentoring)

  • BLACK Program

  • Ujima GIRLS

  • BLACK Program

  • iVIBE

  • Ujima GIRLS

  • 100 Black Men

  • TCM Winter Intersession

  • Spring Into Excellence Spring Intersession

  • Spring Into Excellence Summer Program

  • Kinder Readiness

  • BSU

  • Student Voices

  • Black Excellence Ball

  • Black Seniors Graduate Achievement Celebration

  • Parent University

  • Black/African American Parent Focus Group

  • DEI LIteracy Nights

  • Springboard Collaborative - Spring Into Excellence

Why Focus on Black/African American Students?

While there are many areas to celebrate for our Black/African American students such as graduation rates that exceed the state average and high A-G completion rates, staff shared in a Board presentation on November 15, 2023, that there were some areas of concern such as proficiency in English Language Arts and math according to performance indicators such as state testing (CAASPP). Although CAASPP only tests in grades 3, 8 and 11, it prompted staff to evaluate and measure other indicators of performance. Through that work, district staff identified 10 strategies to improve Black/African American student success as displayed in the diagram below.

DEI Vision

Staff provided an update on these actions at the May 15, 2024, Board meeting which can be accessed in the presentation section of this webpage.  The report highlights our actions and  tracks our progress. Here are some examples of work that was already in action to support Black/African students and new programs/resources implemented during the 2023-2024 school year.

 

Examples of Our Work in Action

Cultural Awareness and Curiosity with BLACK Program

BLACK Program

We are excited to continue with the Black Program with Educator and Founder of Freedom Soul Media Education Initiatives (FSMEI) to provide culturally relevant and responsive programming for students, families, staff, and communities. FSMEI worked with approximately 300 students at Natomas Middle and Natomas High School during the winter/spring of 2024 and will expand to Inderkum High School for the 2024-2025 school year.

UCAN's Historically Black Colleges and University Fair

U-CAN Partnership

U-CAN provides leadership services and college preparation assistance to students desiring to enroll in four-year postsecondary colleges, with a focus on admissions to over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. School Sites: Inderkum High School, Leroy Greene Academy, Natomas High School, and Discovery High School. Each year, Parent University partners with U-Can to host seminars for parents about options at Historically Black Colleges and Universities for students and funding options available.

First Black Seniors Achievement Celebration

Black Student Unions

The Natomas Unified School District Black Student Unions from Inderkum, Natomas, and Leroy Greene joined together to celebrate the major milestone of graduating from high school in the district's first Black Seniors Graduate Achievement Celebration Ceremony. The ceremony included presentation of Kente Stoles, an African tradition in West Africa and was attended by family, friends, staff, and community supporters.

Elevating Our Students to the Next Level of Success

Improve Your Tomorrow Mentors and Supports NUSD Young Men of Color to Attend and Graduate from College

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) has been a partner with NUSD for more than five years with the consistent goal of helping young men of color who may be struggling academically and social-emotionally in school to get back on track to graduate and attend college. In this podcast with Co-Founder Michael Lynch, Lynch explains the significant impact a college education can have on a young men of color's life. When they are in college, they are more likely not to be in situations that can result in poverty and incarceration.

IYT has partnerships with Sacramento State University and several other CSUs to offer guaranteed admission to IYT graduates who meet the requirements agreed upon by IYT and the college. It's a win win for students and our community. 

IYT is currently offered at Inderkum, Natomas Middle and Natomas High School, Discovery, and Jefferson K-8 School.

Black Excellence Ball Group

Black Excellence Ball Hosted by Natomas High School Black Student Union to Build Pride

For the second year in a row, families and staff have been invited to celebrate the excellence of students at Natomas High School during Black History Month. This was an idea of the Black Student Union in 2022 to acknowledge and recognize the excellence that exists among the students on campus.

As students names are called, an excerpt from what one of their teachers or NHS staff members wrote about them is read to the audience as each student participant walks across the stage in their dress attire to accept their certificate of recognition.

Families are proud and share in the excitement of their student's success. It's a great way to increase family engagement which is a Core Value of the district and support Student Voice, a priority of the district. Students are able to use their ideas and voice to create an event that promotes confidence and celebrates the hard work and contributions that students bring to their school communities. 

Information and Resources Related to Improvement Plan