Norman Public Schools announced its new day care initiative and presented bond and work-based learning program updates at its annual State of the Schools Wednesday.
The event was hosted at the new NPS Center for Arts and Learning. It was the first public event to be held at the new facility.
NPS Superintendent Nick Migliorino announced an initiative to be launched next year that will offer on-site, affordable day care services for NPS teachers and employees.
Migliorino said the district had worked on the project for around six years and said he hopes the program can provide peace of mind for NPS employees. The daycare center will be in the Center for Arts and Learning, providing care for children 6 weeks to 4 years old.
“We know the challenge that can be to juggle the demands of work and family, not to mention the cost of day care,” Migliorino said. “This new program is going to be designed to ease that burden for our staff.”
Migliorino said the program has capacity for 75 to 100 kids but will operate at 50% capacity next school year. The center will also provide parent resources such as development screenings and flexible payments.
Migliorino said he hopes the program will allow NPS employees to focus on the work they already do for the district without the worry of finding child care. He said priority will be given to NPS employees but hopes it can eventually be open to the public.
“This work not only supports growing and retaining our workforce,” Migliorino said. “But it creates a positive first school experience for many of our young leaders.”
Migliorino gave an update on work-based learning programs that provide internships to high school students in the district and Norman community.
Migliorino said the program was launched in 2022 with only three student participants and six hours of internship. In 2023, the district saw 770 internship hours with close to 100 businesses participating. During the first semester of this school year, Migliorino said there have been 669 internship hours.
Students can pursue internships in fields such as agriculture; business management and administration; finance; government and public administration; health science; law, public safety, corrections and security; marketing, sales and service; science, technology, engineering and math; and more.
Migliorino credited the Norman Chamber of Commerce and other NPS and city administration for the program's success. He also gave an update on bonds passed in 2019 and 2023 to fund NPS projects and new state-of-the-art facilities.
Migliorino said a portion of a bond given to NPS in 2019 was used to build storm shelters in every school in the district. The remainder of the bond was used to build the final two shelters in McKinley and Monroe elementaries.
The 2023 bond is currently being used to put labs in every elementary school beginning with McKinley and Monroe. Migliorino said the bond allows the district to provide schools with state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering, art and math labs with high-end equipment for students to use.
The 2023 bond is also being used to fund the new Norman North High School football stadium, build the Oklahoma Aviation Academy and opened the Center for Arts and Learning.
“(Bonds are) essential to improving our facilities and ensuring that students have access to modern, safe and inspiring learning environments,” Migliorino said. “From upgraded classrooms to athletic spaces to fine arts spaces, bonds and the product of a bond is going to impact students for generations to come.”
Migliorino gave an update on the NPS associate degree program launched during this school year, which allows students to graduate high school with an associate degree.
Currently, 59 students are enrolled in the program and have gained over 150 credits with an average GPA of 3.6.
“This year, the current year’s juniors — when they graduate from high school next year — they will have the opportunity to walk across the stage and get an incredible high school diploma from one of our high schools or Dimensions Academy and an associate’s degree,” Migliorino said. “That’s transferable to any of our colleges and universities regionally, statewide and all the states in our region.”
Migliorino said, while NPS has been successful, students still struggle financially, with over 57% of students utilizing free and reduced lunch. Over the last 5 years, students with free and reduced lunch has been above 50%.
Migliorino said 142 NPS students are experiencing homelessness, but he said one is too many.
“This is just a reminder that academic achievement is important, but we have a greater responsibility in what we do,” Migliorino said. “And that’s to ensure that every single student has the access to the basic necessities they need."
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele. Ryan Little and Grace Rhodes copy edited this story.
