The board of the Norman Public Schools (NPS) is moving forward with a big upgrade for Kennedy Elementary. Earlier this year, the board looked over plans for a big addition to the school. This will replace five portable classrooms with a permanent, unified wing. It will also have a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) classroom, more bathrooms, and better facilities for teachers. This project is still in the planning stage, and if everything goes according to plan, the district hopes to put the construction contract out to bid by January 2026 and start work around May 2026. Miller Tippins is the architectural firm in charge of the design. District leaders say they will carefully plan the construction so that it causes as little disruption as possible, such as doing the most disruptive work on weekends or evenings so that students' daily lives are less affected. At the same time, the school board recently approved a contract for Kennedy Elementary (and other schools) to expand their parking and make other improvements to the site. These changes are part of a larger effort by NPS to improve the infrastructure on all of its campuses, not just the academic side, but also the safety, convenience, and long-term capacity.

Q1. What grades does Kennedy Elementary serve?

Ans. The school serves students from Pre-K through 5th grade.

Q2. How many students attend, and what is the student-teacher ratio?

Ans. Kennedy has about 485 students with a ratio of roughly 15:1.

Q3. What percentage of students receive free or reduced lunch?

Ans. About 91% of students qualify for meal assistance.

Q4. How does the school perform academically?

Ans. State test proficiency is around 10% in both math and reading.

Q5. What are the school hours like?

Ans. Each grade has specific daily schedules for lunch, recess, and specials.