Events and Family Engagement
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.
Black Seniors Graduate Achievement Celebration
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 presentation of Kente Stoles, an African tradition in West Africa and was attended by family, friends, staff, and community supporters.
Save the date - May 16, 2025- for the Class of 2025 Black Senior Graduate Achievement Celebration. Information will be provided early March through each schools Black Student Union.
Parent University Offerings with Intentional Outreach to Black/African American Families
Each year, Parent University partners with U-Can to host seminars for parents about options at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
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.
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. To join the next session, register here.
Improve Your Tomorrow Mentors Young Men of Color
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 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.
2024-2025 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.