Donja Harding Named NUSD Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to our newest Teacher of the Year Donja Harding of Leroy Greene Academy (LGA)! Donja learned the news Thursday morning during a surprise visit from Superintendent Chris Evans and other staff members from the district office and LGA. The recognition is well-deserved. Those who work closely with her all agree that she is a leader and contributes positively and widely to the LGA campus. Some of the comments about her from her colleagues include:
- She is well-prepared whenever she teaches her class.
- She is patient and has concerns for the students she is teaching.
- She spearheads and champions her brainchild, the LGA Annual Culture and Connectedness Summit.
- As a seminal member of the Ethnic Studies course, Mrs. Harding participated in the selection of brand-new curricular materials and facilitated meaningful class discussions around sensitive topics like race and class.
- She took the lead in implementing the culture and climate summit for all students this year with a focus on DEI training.
- She is responsible for big shifts on our campus and in students’ lives.
- She is an active member of the AVID school site team,
- Mrs. Harding presents to our staff often and when she speaks, our faculty listen.
We are so proud and honored to have her represent our teachers as District Teacher of the Year. Take a look at the video to hear why this work is so important to her.
Celebrating Our Teachers and Nurses
All week we celebrated our teachers and nurses for all that they do to support students! On Wednesday, staff was provided with a light breakfast with bagels, fruit, and coffee for all staff to enjoy at each site and the central offices. On Tuesday, they will be treated to a Free Farmer’s Market where staff will be able to “shop” from a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. We can’t thank them enough for their hard work and commitment, but we can bring a smile to their faces with delicious food selections.
Literacy Spotlight
Maria Cortez’s Classroom and the Step Up to Writing Program
Our district has been focused on honing students’ informational writing skills. In Maria Cortez’s class, her students have been using the Step Up to Writing program to help them write topic sentences, detailed sentences, and the conclusion. Watch this video to hear from Cortez and students.
Spring Update on Learning Recovery and Intervention Guide
This is a brief update to let you know that our spring version of the Learning Recovery and Intervention Guide is going into the mail starting today and should be arriving at homes in the next several days. We are mailing a copy to each family of all students in grades TK-11. As a reminder, this guide includes information specific to your student, a description of some of the supports available, and a spotlight on our district’s writing instruction.
For families with email addresses and text numbers on file, we will also be sending an electronic version later next week. This will come from a third party.
Family Engagement
All NUSD Schools to Use ParentSquare for Enhanced Family Engagement – Sign Up for Training Today!
As a reminder, Natomas Unified schools will begin using ParentSquare to help streamline communication between families and their student’s schools. Although the official launch is this summer, we encourage staff to register and attend any one of the multiple trainings offered. Visit the NUSD Parent Webpage to register. https://natomasunified.org/parentsquare/.
