Opportunities for post-secondary education, high paying jobs and students coming back to invest in their home neighborhood all stem from child academic success.
Growing Together was built on the idea of increasing child success. By providing additional resources to schools to lowering crime rates with mixed-income housing, these tactics have paved the way for businesses to establish along Main Street.
“Everything that we do centers around child success,” says Kirk Wester, executive director of Growing Together. “One of the clearest pathways for a child to succeed is by receiving a high-quality education.”
The Kendall-Whittier neighborhood is home to three strong schools:
Sequoyah Elementary & Kendall Whittier Elementary- Serving grades Pre-K-5th Grade, these schools provide a two-way dual language program teaching students in English and Spanish. And, beginning in 2020, Kendall-Whittier Elementary will be offering Tulsa’s first, neighborhood-based two-way, language immersion program.
Rogers Junior and College High- Rogers serves grades 6th-12th grade and focuses on preparing students for both college and career.
We will know we are successful with child academic success when our neighborhood schools are places that, because of their excellence, are sought out and are ranked among the top schools in our district and city
At Growing Together, we want to partner alongside our public, neighborhood schools to achieve this. Our plan is to take a multi-pronged approach that includes strategy, advocacy and support.
Strategy
First, we will work closely with the public-school district and key partners to develop critical measures of success, a timeline to reach these vital milestones and supports to get there. Additionally, a commitment must be achieved that allows for and secures the support of an alternative path should the outcomes within the timeframe not be achieved.
Advocacy
Second, Growing Together will develop and mobilize parent leaders to be a set of supports and advocates for a high-quality pipeline.
Support
Finally, Growing Together will work to ensure adequate resources to advance our collective outcomes.
For more on our work in education, watch for our Strategic Framework Report coming out early 2020.
