Close to three months on the job as the leader of Tacoma’s new tri-jurisdictional baby, Julia Garnett is wading her way through all that the city has to offer for kids.
Four years of talk has gone into the formation of the non-profit Tacoma 360, which is governed by community representatives, members of Tacoma School Board, Tacoma City Council and Metro Parks Commission.
It was approved for funding in 2009 by all three jurisdictions, and in February 2010, Garnett was hired to lead the effort that visionaries view as a possible solution to the city’s education problems.
The idea is to align and strengthen the public school system with the various existing community organizations, creating a network of support for children that will help them be successful from cradle to cap and gown.
Right now, Garnett is immersing herself in learning the ins and outs of the school system, as well as making contact with any and all non-profits and community groups that have a focus on youth.
This includes clubs, academic tutors, mentoring groups, scholarship foundations and after-school, summer and early childhood education programs.
“I’m working on creating an inventory of who’s doing what, where and why ... so we can address the gaps in service,” she said. “Who are the kids we’re not reaching?” Creating a map of all the city’s clubs, programs and activities is what Garnett views as a necessary first step to addressing the issues.
“The inventory is the key for action,” she said. “Let’s describe the universe we’re living in and determine how we want it to look.”
If the map shows there is a lack of social, academic or emotional support options for youth in a certain area, Garnett will serve as a facilitator to fill that. Not by handing out money, but by rallying community support around an issue.
“I’m working to find the right way to harness that community energy to support the schools - and the students’ - success.”
Time out of school for students is not the only factor contributing to Tacoma’s educational issues, but it is a big one, and a good place to start for Tacoma 360. And the inventory will not only allow for Garnett and her vast network of programs and organizations to pin-point where there is a need, it will also serve as a tool for parents and teachers to see what is already out there, making it easy to get their child involved in something outside of the regular school day.
Keeping kids involved educationally, and exposing them to healthy hobbies, like sports or the arts, is key to keeping them out of gangs and focused in school. Garnett is currently meeting with all school principals and counselors, as well as making contact with as many support organizations as possible.
It will not be until her services inventory map is completed this summer that she will call a meeting of the minds to see where Tacoma is really at, and figure out how to get it where it wants to be.
“Tacoma 360 is way too big in its definition right now. It’s my challenge to right the size, and the definition of what we can deliver. Then we can put a specific issue on the community’s agenda, rally support and facilitate the community collaboration to solve that issue.”
