Meet some of the Unsung Heroes from our Student Services and Support Team!
Evelyn Martinez supports NUSD in so many ways that often go unnoticed. Her work ethic is amazing, and she is always willing to go the extra mile to work until the project or task is complete. Her skill set is vast and ever changing with the ultimate goal of providing access for our Spanish speaking community.
Rosemarie De Alba has been instrumental in the COVID Community Testing Clinic since our first clinic in June with Sacramento County Department of Public Health. Not only has she staffed the clinic and assisted with registration and packaging and delivery of test kits, but she has also spent countless hours organizing the data, and training volunteers/staff at our vaccination clinic.
Sharon Thurmond goes above and beyond on a daily basis. Her calming and caring nature contributes to the wonderful school atmosphere at Natomas Middle School and the rapport she has developed with staff, students and families. This fall, she developed a video for families stressing the importance of being current on vaccinations which resulted in an increase in students accessing the NUSD immunization clinic to receive their immunizations.
Lori Yates is so committed to her work that you will more than likely find her among the last few staff members to leave the building. She loves her work and making a difference in the lives of students which makes work a true pleasure. You can find Lori every Thursday helping community members at the Natomas Unified COVID Vaccination Clinic.
One amazing unsung hero in NUSD is Two Rivers’ own Becky Pryor. Becky has worked for NUSD since 1988. She works tirelessly to make sure her Two Rivers family is well taken care of, this includes all staff, students and parents. Becky has a kind heart and always looks for the best in everyone. As a lead secretary, Becky is not only an amazing, do it all secretary, but a natural leader for the entire school. Two Rivers is so lucky that she chooses to keep coming back each year as she gets closer and closer to retirement. Thank you Becky for all that you do for students, staff, and parents.
Most community members may never come in contact with Lauren Schnitizler because she’s steadily working behind the scenes managing our websites, social media, and special multimedia projects. But our staff know her for always being willing to go the extra mile whether it’s early in the morning, after hours in the evening , and even on the weekends. Her technical expertise is always needed, and she always delivers. When the pandemic hit, and the district had to shift quickly to distance learning, Lauren created and managed 16 distance learning websites and our Digital Backpacks to make information easy for families to find, and so much more all the while managing the district’s active social media presence and performing her other duties. With information constantly changing throughout this pandemic, she has been quick to move to make sure families have accurate timely information. Thank you Lauren for being one of our Unsung Heroes.
Mark Storace never stops moving. From the time he arrives in the morning until the time he leaves in the evening, Mark is starting a project, in the middle of one, or wrapping one up to keep our schools and facilities clean, safe, and properly functioning. During the pandemic, he has worked tirelessly to ensure our facilities are COVID safe. From reorganizing classrooms, making sure we have proper spacing, maps, layouts, and fully stocked PPE, Mark gets it done. And this is in addition to his regular duties associated with managing Maintenance and Operations. We couldn’t think of a better individual to call our Unsung Hero.
A big thank you to our team of nurses that work behind the scene each Thursday getting the vaccine ready for the community at the Natomas Unified Vaccination Clinic. These Unsung Heroes helped us to cross another milestone today of vaccinating 11,200 community members in total since we started. Way to go Natomas!!!! Hear about the work they do from NUSD’s Kathy Phillips.
We would not have been able to vaccinate 8,930 community members without our team of Nurses. They truly are unsung heroes. They are on the front line and behind the scenes making it happen for a healthy Natomas. Margie Ballou, a retired RN for 43 years, has helped us to recruit 40 other retired nurses to volunteer at the Natomas Unified Vaccination Clinic. A big thank you to all of our nurse volunteers and to all of our NUSD Nurses for their continued support – Anna Brocker, Susan Casper, Carla Cooley, Shay Jeffries, Chelsey Lara, Vanessa Lee, Christie London, Kathy Phillips, Robyn Preston, and Kristen Youngman.
Meet Dr. Rusty Oshita, the medical expert behind the Natomas Unified COVID Vaccination Clinic. Dr. Oshita has been responsible for many clinics in Sacramento County being able to distribute the COVID vaccine. NUSD is lucky to have him. We would not have been able to serve our community without Dr. Oshita for making it possible. He is truly our Unsung Hero! Hear Dr. Oshita in his own words in the video.
It is said that there are three kinds of people: those that make things happen, those that watch what happens, and those that wonder what happened? There’s no guessing which one describes Carol Swanson. When the COVID pandemic hit, Carol quickly pulled a team together to determine how Natomas Unified could help the community heal. First it was launching a COVID testing center that serves residents every Tuesday, and then, the COVID Vaccination Clinic, where they’ve vaccinated 8,930 community members in 6 weeks!
“I am incredibly proud of the NUSD clinic. I have experienced people crying – thanking us for giving them their lives back. I have listened as grandparents share they will finally be able to see their grandchildren. Teachers thank us everyday. At the end of each clinic, we are tired, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Fred Hammer, one of the pastors at The Crossing Church, is one of those individuals who was born to be a servant leader. Whenever asked to get involved with programs and projects in the Natomas Unified School District, the answer is always, yes! When he got the call to help recruit a team of volunteers to work the Natomas Unified School District COVID Vaccination Clinic, Pastor Hammer moved quickly and recruited 15 dedicated volunteers that lend a helping hand each Thursday at the clinic. From manning one of the registration tents to coordinating the traffic flow to being a floater to handle duties as needed, Hammer and his team are an integral part of the success of the clinic. “Wherever we are needed, we will go!” Thank you, Pastor Hammer and The Crossing Church for all that you are doing to help create a healthy Natomas. You are our unsung heroes.
Doug Orr is known for wearing many hats throughout his career in the district, so there was no doubt that he would be critical in overseeing the operations of the Natomas Unified School District COVID Vaccination Clinic. Each week, included with his other duties of overseeing all the departments in the Service Center and Enrollment, he is at the clinic making decisions that expedite the process so that visitors have a safe, efficient and pleasant visit when they come to get vaccinated at Natomas High School.
“Growing up in Natomas and teaching and leading schools and district departments has been an amazing part of my life that has always been rewarding and fulfilling. However, working and leading at the clinic, knowing that Natomas Unified is making this impact for our community is by far the most rewarding work I’ve ever engaged in. To be a part of something that impacts people in such a profound way is an indescribable feeling, and I’m really happy to have played a role in such a large community effort.”
Meet Luis Huerta, another unsung hero, that makes a difference every week for the Natomas Unified COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic. When most of us are still asleep and in our warm beds on Thursday mornings, Luis is at Natomas High School at 4:30 a.m. setting up for the clinic. As a Coordinator of Maintenance and Operations, he never imagined that he would be doing this kind of work for the community. “I am proud to be an NUSD employee. I never thought I would be doing something like this, but it’s great, fulfilling. It’s awesome!” Thank you Luis for all that you do! Hear Luis’s story from his own voice in the video.
Meet Aly Moffatt, a true unsung hero leading many initiatives to help support our Natomas Unified COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic. Along with dedicating her time as an Instructional Assistant, Aly organizes and creates appointment links based on vaccine availability, corresponds with community members and local organizations to set up appointments, and facilitates community outreach phone banks for the clinic.
“It’s important because we are all collectively working to instill a sense of peace of mind and safety back into the community. Taking whatever steps necessary to help to reopen schools and businesses and help the community feel more at ease is simply the right thing to do. Overall, it’s been a very fulfilling and positive experience!”
Thank you Aly for your contributions to creating a healthy Natomas!
Janine Trevino is one of our unsung heroes, working tirelessly behind the scenes of our Natomas Unified COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic. In addition to her regular duties of supporting the service center staff, Janine supports the clinic with planning and logistical needs. “Stopping the spread of the coronavirus means so much to me, as I feel a great sense of pride in working with our amazing staff, volunteers and community partners. The COVID clinic has proven to be both exhilarating and rewarding! The day is filled with positive interactions with everyone working together to create a safe and caring environment.”
Thank you Janine for your contributions to creating a healthy Natomas!