The Natomas Unified Podcast Channel

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Author Traci Sorell

Listen to our latest Conversations with NUSD podcast with author Traci Sorell as we continue to celebrate National Native American Heritage Month. Sorrell is a member of the Cherokee Nation and shares her love of writing, tips on how to create a powerful literacy work, and some insight into her children’s book Powwow Day. If you would like to read "Powwow Day", copies of the book will be available at our K-8 campus libraries for students to borrow. To learn more about Sorell and to see her other books, visit tracisorell.com.

Joey’s Food Locker - Helping Families in Need Since 2015

Joey's Food Locker is our district's food pantry at Natomas High School that offers free food to families in need.  Osvaldo Ortiz, a Community Resource Specialist with NUSD, chats with us about how the community can continue to help families in need by donating money, shelf-stable food, and their time to help distribute bags and translate. 

Joey's Food Locker was first established in 2015 and is dedicated to the memory of Joel Michael Schwieger Jr., son of NUSD's Adult Transitions Program teacher, Joel Schwieger. 

For more information on how to volunteer or donate, click here.

From Food to Adventurous Story

Writing was always a creative outlet for Helen Ketteman and one day, over a meal of Mexican gorditas, she thought of a story idea that would feature a brave gordita on a wild adventure, akin to the fairytale classic, the Gingerbread Boy.

Listen to this podcast as Natomas Unified promotes literacy and shares Ketteman's love of story building; her infusion of Spanish words in her book, Señorita Gordita; and how important it is to read with your family each day. 

You can buy Ketteman's books from her website or from Amazon. 

Click here to watch our Feast and Learn at the NUSD Table video on how to cook gorditas. 

Celebrate Filipino American History Month with author Lori Nakamura

In this podcast we highlight Sacramento-area author Lori Nakamura's book, Pamilya, or family in English. This episode is in support of our Core Value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as our district celebrates Filipino American History Month.

The book is illustrated by her sister and Inderkum High School graduate, Leah Abucayan. In the story a boy details his family, school, and social life in a Filipino American household. Nakamura says people of all backgrounds can enjoy the book because at the heart of her message, is that we all face similar feelings, albeit as part of different situations. 

If you want to purchase Pamilya or her other book, Love is More Contagious; visit amazon.com, or contact Nakamura on Instagram. 

NUSD’s Resources to Stop Bullying

In this podcast, we highlight the resources we offer students and families if your child is being bullied in recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month in October. Dr. Michele Hamilton, a Director in the Office of the CAO's Department, shares the signs that your child is being bullied or being a bully, and how Natomas Unified can help. 

We also talk about our new Anti-Bullying contest. All Natomas students are encouraged to share their creativity by creating positive memes which depict kindness, inclusivity, and friendship. Contest details may be found here.

Anti-bullying resources we offer, here.

 

 

Dr. Robyn Castillo Reflects on her first 100 Days at NUSD

Natomas Unified's Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo has been with our district for 100 days. To commemorate this day, Castillo reflects key on moments, short-term goals she has accomplished, and what she has planned for the rest of the school year.

Castillo has also been a prominent figure at many of our community events. Follow @NUSDSuperintendent on Instagram to follow her ongoing journey.

NUSD Recognizes Suicide Prevention Week

Advisory: This podcast discusses suicide. Please take care when listening to this episode of Conversations with NUSD.

Natomas Unified recognizes September 10th - 16th as National Suicide Prevention Week. Our school district continually strives to connect families, students, and staff to resources that will help support them socially and emotionally. In this episode, host Kay Recede, with the Communications and Family Engagement Department (CAFE), sits down with Earl Pavao, Executive Director and Anthony Da Marto, Director, both of the Student Services and Support Department.

They talk about warning signs, separating fact from fiction about who is impacted and why, and resources the school district offers its families to support recovery. 

NUSD's mental health resources may be found here.

If you, or someone you know may be feeling depressed or experiencing suicide ideation, please know there are people who care and want to help. Call 988 for the suicide and crisis line for both English and Spanish.

 

Make Each Class Count: Recognizing National Attendance Awareness Month in August

Attending class on-time, everyday will help students on the path to academic success. As schools nationwide prepare to celebrate National Attendance Awareness Month in September to raise attendance rates, Natomas Unified is reminding families now to make each day of school count in August. 

 

Attending class every day, on time, is integral to a student’s academic success. So, how are educators working to encourage students to come to class every day, on time?

 

Form Good Habits Early

 

Natomas Unified is committed to providing an engaging and safe learning community where all students will thrive. In our latest episode of Conversations with NUSD Podcast, Shayla Allen, our district’s Social Worker Liaison, who works with families experiencing homelessness and foster youth, explains how instilling good habits starts young. Allen says beginning at the Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten levels help build healthy routines in a student’s life, “This is where our students learn to interact socially with peers, how to get along with peers, and how to be in a structured space,” Allen said. Attending classes on-time, everyday at the lower level also helps students understand rules, structure, and to adapt to a classroom environment. 

 

NUSD: A Proactive Partner in Student Success

 

Allen also reminds our families of our Vision, which is to provide an engaging and safe learning environment for our students, staff, and families. “We strive to make sure our students and families feel secure in going to school,” Allen said. NUSD’s Board of Trustees is committed to providing students with social-emotional support, having approved a budget that includes employing social workers at each of our sites. 

 

Our school’s staff is dedicated to providing environments that help students thrive - such as the Calming Center at Witter Ranch, Lunch Bunch at Jefferson School, and small group activities so students have an easier time adapting to social situations. Programs vary by site, please check with your school’s staff for availability.

 

Helping Families Overcome Barriers

 

NUSD is also committed to helping students experiencing homelessness, get to school safely by providing Walking School Buses (please check with your school’s staff for availability, and even staying dry in wet weather. “Thanks to donations, if our low-income and foster students need bikes, scooters, or skateboards; those are all means to get to school, we also support them in that area, too,” Allen explained. 

 

NUSD also provides families in need with shelf-stable food, and fresh fruit and vegetables, thanks to donations, through Joey’s Food Locker at Natomas High School. The facility serves families from 4 to 5:30 pm every Friday. If you would like to donate money or food, or would like to volunteer, please click here for more information. If you are a family in need of food assistance, please fill out this form.

 

For a list of resources offered to low-income and foster youth, please click here.

Natomas Unified Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo Eager to Meet Community, Excited for the 2023-24 School Year

From rooting for her favorite sports teams to tips on how to engage with your student, Superintendent Dr. Robyn Castillo shares in our most recent podcast episode of Conversations with NUSD, what inspired her to become an educator and why she is excited to work in Natomas. Dr. Castillo is our school district’s new superintendent, having been officially on the job since July 1, 2023. 

 

In this episode, Castillo details her 30 year career in education, having been a classroom teacher for nine years, a Principal, Assistant Superintendent, and an Associate Superintendent. Castillo says her love of learning began at an early age, thanks in part to her mother, who ran a preschool when she was a child. She recalls playing “school” with her sister, teaching her dolls, and writing lesson plans as a child. 

 

Castillo says that when she was looking for job opportunities, Natomas Unified was the perfect fit for her and her family thanks to the location, weather, family ties and, most importantly, our district’s Core Values and Vision for our students. “When I looked at different districts, I wanted to find a district that had Core Values that were aligned with my own educational philosophy. When I looked into NUSD, I saw its work in inclusion, the International Baccalaureate program, Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways; just a lot of amazing things going on and just the dedication to student success,” Dr. Castillo says.

 

Castillo also details some of her First 100 Days plan. “I will focus on building positive relationships with all of our educational partners and to familiarize myself with all aspects of district operations,” Castillo says, “I plan to establish a strong community presence, assess our district’s strengths and areas of growth, and cultivate partnerships that will contribute to maintaining and growing excellence in the district.” She’s been visiting all of our 16 campuses, familiarizing herself with the sites, so she’s ready for the first day of school on August 10th. 

Episode 16: Zach Didier, A ‘High Caliber Kid’ whose Life was Cut Short

NUSD is raising awareness of the current Fentanyl Epidemic by sharing Chris Didier’s story. Didier’s son, Zach, was a Placer County teenager who excelled in academics, music, sports; a well-rounded, responsible son. “Zach was a high caliber kid across the board,” Chris, Zach’s father said. 

In December 2020, the Didier’s lives changed forever, when Chris found his son in the teen’s room, appearing to be sleeping. “As I approached him to wake him up, I sensed a void I never felt before and I knew something was horribly wrong,” Chris recalled. 

Investigators would later learn that Zach may have purchased what he thought was Percocet from a drug dealer at a Roseville mall via Snapchat. The pill was synthetic and contained a lethal dose of Fentanyl. Chris has been raising awareness since Zach’s death and, although a sensitive topic, advises parents to talk with their students with empathy and understanding about the dangers of ingesting such pills. “This is not the time to experiment (with illicit Fentanyl). In the past, the danger was getting addicted and falling down that slippery slope of addiction, but today, especially with counterfeit pills, it could be one time… it could even be half a pill and it is lights out,” Chris advised.

To learn more about Didier’s work to raise awareness, visit: https://stopthevoid.org/