The Natomas Unified Podcast Channel

April is Autism Awareness Month and Natomas Unified is spreading awareness and acceptance! In this episode, host Kay Recede, Communications and Family Engagement Coordinator, speaks with Melissa Moore, a Community Advisory Committee member, and whose 10-year-old son, Eli, is on the spectrum and Sarah Wheelock, an NUSD Special Education Preschool teacher. 

 

The two share their experiences with educating students who are on the spectrum. How spreading awareness begins with acceptance; the acceptance that everyone is different and that’s ok; meeting students where they’re at, learning their take on the world is a bit different and that gives insight into who these students are; and learning that communication is more than just words. 

 

NUSD Resources:

 

https://natomasunified.org/departments/student-services-and-support/special-education/

Natomas Unified is proud to share its steps in preparing for statewide expansion of Transitional Kindergarten classes. To date, NUSD has added four more TK classes in the 2022-2023 school year, an increase from the eight offered in the 2021-2022 school year. 

Teachers have been undergoing training, and new curriculum is being piloted in language arts and social-emotional learning. We’re seeking input from teachers, parents, and students to help shape its courses for NUSD early learners. 

TK courses are integral, as 90-percent of brain growth happens before a child enters kindergarten, research shared by the organization First Things First has shown.

Listen as Amanda Garcia, an Early Learning Coordinator with NUSD, explains how Natomas is preparing for the expansion of TK classes to all 4-year-olds by 2025.

Links mentioned in this episode: 

Natomas Unified

Natomas Unified's Early Learning Survey

Video - Transitional Kindergarten and its Expansion at NUSD

NUSD is proud that five of our campuses are authorized International Baccalaureate schools, and two more are currently pursuing authorization. One in three NUSD students attend an IB school. IB provides students with the skills and confidence they need to navigate ever-evolving obstacles, which will help them prepare for college and beyond.

Listen as Kristen Martin, an NUSD IB Coordinator and Trevor MacKenzie, a world renowned teacher based in Canada, explain the benefits of IB learning and why fostering a child's curiosity matters.

Preschool playgroup sessions are free and fun learning experiences offered to Natomas Unified families. Sessions usually consist of playtime, music, and movement with other families and children. Children must be at least 10 months to 5-years-old to participate.

“Play is the foundation of everything for child development. That’s where you learn how to socialize, to make friends in a positive way,” Pam Nabor-Martinez, an NUSD Child Development Specialist said.

The playgroup sessions are a great way for kids to learn and socialize. “So the pandemic kind of hit him pretty hard. He got really anti-social, so I started bringing him out more after the pandemic. Coming here, meeting friends, we can see a difference. At first, he doesn’t want to play with anyone, but he’s opening a lot more,” Jenny Du, a parent said. 

Parents must attend the 1.5-hour sessions and kids must not be currently enrolled in the preschool program to register. 

Session three begins January 31st to March 10th. Session four begins March 28th until May 12th. To sign up, please email Nabor-Martinez at: pnabor-martinez@natomasunified.org

As part of the Natomas Unified’s Core Value of valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, we wanted to share with the Natomas community the history and importance of Kwanzaa which begins December 26 through January 1st.  

 

Kwanzaa was first created in 1966 by activist Dr. Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from parts of Africa. It is a non-secular holiday and a way for community members of African descent to honor their history and traditions. We invite you to listen to this podcast with Minister Imhotep Alkebulan, who is well known for leading Kwanzaa celebrations in the Sacramento region.

Links: 

Official Kwanzaa site

Minister Imhotep Alkebulan’s Organization

 

 

NUSD speaks with the authors of the new book, "Behind Their Screens: What Teens are Facing and Parents are Missing". Drs. Emily Weinstein and Carrie James collected insights from more than 3,500 teens about how they navigate the digital world. In this podcast, they share some of the greatest lessons learned in their research and writing this book - and the need for new talking points for parents in engaging with their kids about social media. 

Leading with empathy, knowing when to "unfollow and mute", and how to have better conversations with your teens are just a few topics discussed in this episode. 

To learn more about the book: https://www.behindtheirscreens.com/

The authors also share tips on: https://smartsocial.com/

NUSD continues to share our efforts to improve our students' literacy skills with guests Lan Orr and Juliane Link-Oberstar, both teachers on special assignment.

From the "main topic" to punctuation and grammar, Orr and Oberstar explain how each rubric will help elevate a child's reading and writing skills, and how these lessons can help families engage with one another. 

More Resources: 

https://natomasunified.org/literacy-series-update-what-is-a-writing-rubric-and-how-it-is-helpful/

November is recognized as "Native American Heritage Month" and NUSD is proud to celebrate our community members of Native American descent. Fun fact: Natomas is a Maidu word which means "north place" or "upstream people".

 

In this episode we speak with Crystal Blue, an NUSD parent, of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians; Raquel Gonzales of the Shingle Springs Rancheria Band of Miwok Indians; and parent/staff member Isaac Bojorquez, of the KaKoon Ta Ruk Band of Ohlone-Costanoan Indians of the Big Sur Rancheria, from Monterey County.

 

The trio shares a little bit of history of the tribes around Sacramento, the work to reawaken Native languages, and how community members can learn more through events such as "Big Time". 

 

More resources: 

Sacramento Native American Health Center

Native Land Map

State Indian Museum

Native American Heritage Commission

California Indian Heritage Center (in development in west Sacramento)

NUSD is committed to improving all of our students' literacy skills. Mark Bornstein, an NUSD Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), explains how we use rubrics - which is a way we evaluate a child's writing - and use those measurements to help a child in areas they may need support. 

A group of NUSD teachers reviewed and discussed student writing levels and agreed on five key scoring elements of writing that a student’s writing is scored on. Breaking the writing into five elements helps to identify specific areas of strength and areas for growth. These  five scoring elements are as follows:

• Topic or Main Idea (K-5) /Thesis Statement (6-12)
• Development
• Organization
• Use of sources (K-5) and Selection and Citation of Evidence (6-12)
• Standard English Conventions

This is part one of a two part series focusing on our literacy efforts.

Larry G. Meeks Academy is a great program for scholars in need of a more flexible schedule. Scholars throughout Sacramento and in counties near Natomas, are encouraged to enroll.

 

Listen as Dr. Esther Perez, Meeks Academy's executive director, and Sunny Bun, a Meeks Academy teacher, explain the benefits of enrolling at the school as they take virtual learning to the next level. 

 

Click here to learn more about enrollment.