Events and Family Engagement
Diverse Conversations
Throughout the school year, the Communications and Family Engagement team hosts Diverse Conversations to provide a welcoming environment for families to share their diverse perspectives. The focus is to engage with families that have often been underrepresented.
The sessions are designed for staff to share important information, but to spend more time listening to families. Visit the Parent University webpage to register for the next session.
Students Learn Black History All Year
Improve Your Tomorrow Mentors Young Men of Color
Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) has been a partner with NUSD for nearly a decade, 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 man of color's life. When they are in college, they are less likely 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.
IYT Recognized for Positive Impact on Youth
Natomas High School was the setting for a visit from CA Attorney General Rob Bonta to reaffirm the essential needs for organizations such as Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) and AmeriCorps and the federal funding that both rely on to provide much-needed services for our youth. The AG held a press conference at the school where he addressed the importance of the organizations before engaging with scholars in the IYT program at Natomas High School and working alongside them as part of a service activity at Joey’s Food Locker.
Special thanks to Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo, Trustee Ericka Harden, and Trustee Sumiti Mehta for supporting the event and Natomas High School Principal Marcel Baker for creating a welcoming environment for all guests.
Literary Library Highlighting Black / African American Authors
The Natomas Unified School District has made investments in having cultural books available in school libraries so that students in our diverse community can see themselves reflected in the books that they read. Some of the books purchased this school year are highlighted in the slide deck below.
The Natomas Unified School District values 'parents as partners in their student's success.' We understand it takes a collaborative relationship with families and school staff to yield the best results for students. This page highlights some of the current and past family engagement events.
For the first time in 2024, Natomas Unified held a Black Students Graduate Achievement Celebration that was hosted by the district's three Black Student Unions from Inderkum, Leroy Greene, and Natomas high schools. The ceremony included the presentation of Kente Stoles, an African tradition in West Africa, and was attended by family, friends, staff, and community supporters.