12/16 Safety Meeting Recap

The SPD African American Community Advisory Council and Garfield HS PTSA hosted a meeting on 12/16 to discuss safety at Garfield HS and in the surrounding community.

GHS thanks the SPD African American Community Advisory Council and their chair, Victoria Beach, for partnering with us to host the meeting. Here are the solutions and major suggestions that came out of the meeting: 

• Principal Hart asked for parent volunteers. The school is still developing the ways in which it is best for parents to engage. (Note SPS volunteer requirements:  https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/volunteer/)
• Dr. Hart asked the district for an additional security specialist and more mental health supports including at least 1 counselor and a social worker (letter writing campaign to come).
• Park and Rec’s Teen Life Center agreed to help with extra patrol during lunch and after school. The Garfield Community Center is open to encouraging more public use of it’s spaces and the track.
• SPD is committed to increasing patrols after school and to help with an environmental assessment (CEPTED) to look at ways we can increase security through environmental design. 

This will be an ongoing effort and partnership between Garfield,  Parks and Rec, our neighbors Nova, SPS District leadership and PTSA.