Principal's Corner

Dear Natomas Middle School Families,

Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! My name is Patrick Birdsong, and I am proud to serve as the principal of Natomas Middle School—a campus committed to student success, safety, and community. We enter this school year with renewed focus and purpose as we continue to align with the Natomas Unified School District Vision: “All NUSD students graduate as college and career ready, productive, responsible, and engaged global citizens.”

Beginning this year, Natomas Middle School will officially serve only 7th and 8th grade students. This transition brings exciting opportunities for us to better support our middle schoolers during a critical time in their academic and social development. With a tighter grade span, we are able to focus our efforts, resources, and expertise specifically on the needs of young adolescents—offering more targeted support, enrichment opportunities, and community-building experiences that help students thrive.

In line with this shift, we are also moving away from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This decision allows us to streamline our instructional approach, align more closely with district initiatives, and focus on providing a rigorous, standards-based curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application. Our goal is to prepare students for the demands of high school and beyond, while also nurturing their growth as responsible, engaged members of our school community.

Here is a little information about me:
I bring to Natomas Middle over 25 years of educational experience serving K–6 and K–8 schools in both Sacramento and the Bay Area. Prior to joining NMS, I served as principal at Witter Ranch, Pioneer Elementary, Michael J. Castori, and Golden Valley Charter.

I earned my degree in Social Science from California State University, Sacramento. I received my teaching credential in Urban Education from San Francisco State University and completed my Administrative Credential in Urban School Leadership at CSU Sacramento.

My wife and I raised our two children—a daughter and a son—in Sacramento’s Curtis Park neighborhood.  Our daughter is a recent college graduate, and our son begins his senior year.
Again, welcome to the 2025–2026 school year. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please stop by the front office or contact me at (916) 567-5540. I look forward to working with you and seeing our students succeed.

Sincerely,
 Mr. Patrick Birdsong
 Principal, Natomas Middle School
 Email: pbirdsong@natomasunified.org