Families reflective of the diversity that makes the Natomas community so special and unique gathered on Saturday, February 12, 2022, for a Family Fun Day in the Park at North Natomas Regional Park. “It was so nice to see so many of our families looking to connect with other families and enjoy the outdoors and activities together,” said Deidra Powell, Executive Director of Communications and Family Engagement. Engaging families in a variety of ways for the overall success of students is one of the focuses of the department. “We heard from families during our Diverse Conversations that they wanted to have more opportunities to connect with other families, so the Family Fun Day in the Park was a direct outcome of the feedback that we received,” shares Powell.  

The day began with a get acquainted game for the adults and field games for the children. After the warm up activity, the adults and children came together to participate in a dance lesson from Sacramento’s Own Renowned Pepper Von of Step One Studio, now located in Natomas. After learning a fun Hip Hop dance, Von and a group of his instructors led families in a high-energy session of Zumba infused with Hip Hop, Pop, and Carribean style music and moves. “We are so grateful to Pepper Von and his team for donating their time with us. Their energy was amazing, and some of our families have already expressed an interest in participating again next year.” Each child received an activity guide that highlights 101 Achievements of African Americans in Celebration of Black History Month. 

Engaging events like this one are publicized through our district publications that we email to families and are available on our Parent University webpage. Please visit the Parent University page to see a list of upcoming events at https://natomasunified.org/parent-university/.