Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:25 p.m. on Sept. 10 to add statements from NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino.
The Norman Public Schools Board of Education discussed revisions to its policies and appointed the assistant principal intern at Kennedy Elementary School on its Monday meeting.
Vote on transfer student case
The board denied a student’s request of transferring schools during the meeting. Dirk O’Hara, vice president of the board, said NPS cannot provide the individualized education program services necessary to meet the students individualized education program requirements. The board directs the administration to promptly alert the parents of this decision.
2024-25 benefits and compensation for NPS staff
The board approved the proposed benefits and compensations for the 2024-25 academic school year for teaching staff, support and off escale employees, principals and assistant principals.
Appointment of assistant principal intern at Kennedy Elementary School
After a two-hour executive session, the board returned to appoint the assistant principal intern at Kennedy Elementary.
Migliorino recommended Lisa Goering in the position, which was approved by the board.
Executive session
The board moved to executive session.
Certification of the millage election and sinking fund estimate of needs
NPS Chief Financial Officer Tyler Jones, introduced the certification of the millage election and sinking fund estimate needs.
Jones said the district is seeking for 26.13 millage rate for the upcoming fiscal year. He said this request is due to timing of bond issuances, interest rates, property debt, assessed value growth and different kind of factors the district use in their projections.
Jones said the district has to be responsible as it estimates its future needs.
“Norman’s growing really fast,” Jones said. “We’re issuing bonds trying to grow with Norman.”
A millage is $1 of every $1,000 taxable dollars, Jones said. This means the district would be seeking about $2,613,000 in property taxes.
If the millage slows, bills are going to be increased or the bond issuances would have to be slowed down, Jones said.
“If the millage hits a certain rate then the property taxes go up,” Jones said. “As you see those millages increase, it does increase that property tax.”
NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino said there is no evidence of a negative impact from the TIF on the district based on past TIFs.
However, Migliorino said the district would not collect taxes from the proposed TIF district.
“The benefit would be once in 20 years, 25 years, 15 years, with this TIF, if it is executed and goes on the rolls, actually property values and taxes would go down, because the valuation of the community would go up,” Migliorino said.
After the meeting, Migliorino told OU Daily that the district will not get any ad valorem taxes until anything is developed in the proposed district area. However, if the district does get anything of the ad valorem, it would become chargeable in the state formula, meaning the NPS would get less money from the state.
”The benefit is it increases the valuation of the total overall wealth of the community. Therefore, our bonding capacity goes up because our bonding capacity is based off the sum of the valuation,” Migliorino said.
The board approved the certification of the millage election and sinking fund estimate of needs.
Revision to parents’ bill of rights
McKinney proposed the revision of policies under the Parent’s Bill of Rights, which was presented in the board's August meeting.
Policy 5007 under the parents' bill of rights would need changes to its language. Some of the changes include a parent's right to make health care decisions for a minor child, unless otherwise prohibited by the law, and a parent's right to direct the upbringing of a minor child within the boundaries established by law.
The revision was approved by the board.
Revision to Academic Achievement policy
Hope McKinney, NPS executive director of teaching and learning, presented a revision to the academic achievement policy, which was recommended during the board's August meeting.
The recommendation would remove language prohibiting the automatic promotion to fourth grade of a student who has not shown evidence of reading proficiency and good-cause exemptions for promotion.
The board approved the revision to the policy.
Revision to Parent and Family Engagement policy
Gayla Mears, NPS executive director of support services, introduced a revision to the parent and family engagement policy.
The Title I Family Engagement policy recognizes the importance of family in the lives of students. The revisions to the policy would provide programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents and family members.
Consent items
The board approved all items on the consent docket including the Open Transfer law and an agreement that would allow the purchase of sports apparel and equipment for NPS teams and activity fundraising reports.
Public comments
Jack Herron, an NPS alumn, asked the board members to share to the public how the proposed UNP entertainment district would affect the district if approved by the Norman City Council.
The Rock Creek Entertainment District Project Plan would divide the district into two TIFs. A TIF is used to support redevelopment, infrastructure and community-improvement projects to stimulate private investment within a certain area in need of economic revitalization.
The proposed entertainment district would host concerts and events as well as OU basketball games and women’s gymnastic meets. It would also include a hotel, family and residential areas, retail spaces and offices.
“I want to ask you, as our elected officials, please do everything you can to make them either put (it) out in the paper, put it somewhere, or direct a study of how all this is going to impact the schools and impact the taxpaying citizens. Because I think there’s more to it than revenue thats going to the schools.”
Cynthia Rogers, an OU economics professor, said the district has “more needs rather than revenue" and encouraged the board members to look into the long-term commitment the proposed entertainment district would have as well as how it could economically affect the schools.
After the meeting, Migliorino told OU Daily that NPS wants to do what’s right for the district and its students and is neutral on the project. Until a decision is made, Migliorino said the district will respond and react to it as a whole.
”I hate that this district has been put in a situation that we’re being played as a pawn by some people,” Migliorino said. “If this is something the community puts forward, we’ll deal with it. If they don’t, we’ll deal with it.”
Grant to NPS Oklahoma Aviation Academy
Alex Capellupo presented the Boeing Global Engagement Oklahoma Grant to the NPS Oklahoma Aviation Academy. Boeing donated $125,000 to the nonprofit school, sharing stories of the impact the academy has on students.
"We're excited to see (the Oklahoma Aviation Academy) grow and expand, and are just delighted to be a part of this partnership," Capellupo said.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza.
