There’s still work to be done on some difficult but critical issues, but the Tukwila School District now has the team in place to resolve them equitably.
The school district is lucky to have Nancy Coogan as its new superintendent. She comes with the credentials to deal with race and cultural issues that the district has faced in recent times.
In her most recent job, in Seattle, she was responsible for diverse schools that mirror those in Tukwila.
And feel good that the Tukwila superintendency is not just another step on her career ladder. She really wants to be here.
She’s doing all the right things, listening to her staff and, importantly, to her diverse community. She’s already facilitated a retreat on cultural competency.
The School Board liked her enthusiasm and energy. I like that, too. But she’s got another quallity: she’s down to earth. She willingly climbed up on the exercise bars at the Foster High School track for my photo shoot with her.
I took photos of her at the iconic Foster rock, too. She understands what that rock means to the community, thanks to her unofficial district historian, Pat Larson.
Larson is the new principal at Foster, although she’s not new to Foster or Tukwila. She grew up in Tukwila and is a Bulldog herself. She’ll provide the stability needed in a position that’s been filled by six people in the last seven years.
The district also has new administrators who will oversee human resources and finances.
But it will take an entire village to raise the Tukwila School Disrict to a new level. That means that students, parents and community leaders all will need to work together. It’s good to hear that the City of Tukwila and the Tukwila School District will meet regularly to discuss issues of common concern. That’s a key partnership and I am certain there are others the district could form, including with the Chamber of Commerce.
