When students are connected to school, they are more likely to have an enjoyable school experience. This is one of the reasons “creating safe, and welcoming learning environments where students attend and are connected to their schools” is one of Natomas Unified School District’s (NUSD) five goals. “Whether it’s sports, music, clubs, a career technical pathway or an academic program, we want students to be active and engaged on their campuses,” said Chris Evans, Superintendent. “When students participate in something they are interested in, they look forward to coming to school, and when they’re at school, they’re learning.”
New data shared with the Board of Trustees at the 1/15/20 Board meeting supports that notion with NUSD’s student-athletes having a higher attendance, graduation, and A-G course completion rate than the district average in 2018-19. Here’s what we saw for student-athletes in grades 4-6 and grades 7-12.
| 2018-19 | Attendance (Grades 4-6) | Attendance (Grades 7-12) | Graduation (Grade 12) | A-G (Grade 12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Athlete | 96% | 97% | 98.6% | 80.5% |
| District Average | 95.2% | 96% | 94.8% | 62.9% |
We also learned that for the first time in 4 years, we had more females participating in sports than males. Renee Young of Natomas High School is part of that percentage and credits sports for helping her to thrive in school. “Being an athlete takes a lot. You have to have the drive, passion, and good grades while keeping up with your academics and being on time for school.”
In addition to the update on our athletic program, there was also a review of NUSD’s music programs and the impact it’s having on student musicians. Following a similar trend as student-athletes, we learned:
- Student-musicians had a higher graduation and attendance rate than the district average.
- African American, Asian, and Hispanic/Latino music students exceeded the district average on attendance and graduation rates.
Lorien Strong is one of our music students at Inderkum High School who commented that her involvement in the music program helped her to make friends. “It’s a place where you feel like you have another family. You see these people all the time and you become attached. I opened up a lot easier being in this program.”
There are many students like Lorien and Renee who enjoy attending school and are performing well because of the investments the NUSD Board of Trustees has made in providing a variety of options to students. Through the collective support of our Trustees, coaches, and staff, NUSD students continue to make steady strides towards graduating college and career ready. Thanks to our Trustees, coaches, and staff for all of their support!
