North Thurston school board takes big step to help address region’s need for more child care
The North Thurston Public Schools board on Tuesday took another step toward improving child care in the Lacey area, approving the schematic designs for a multi-million-dollar Young Child & Family Center.
The new center, which will be built north of Nisqually Middle School on Marvin Road, is expected to serve 600 students, ages 3-5, according to district information.
The effort to create the center has multiple partners, including three primary ones: North Thurston Public Schools, South Sound YMCA and the city of Lacey and its parks department. The center is to offer both early learning and community amenities, such as a water feature known as a splash pad and a rec center.
NTPS will provide the pre-K learning in 18 classrooms, with room to add classroom space, while the YMCA typically provides wrap-around services, such as programs before and after school.
The Olympian previously reported that the early learning-focused Bezos Academy, which is coming to Seven Oaks Elementary, also showed interest in possibly coming to the Young Child & Family Center. That is still to be determined, district spokeswoman Amy Blondin said.
The cost for the early learning portion of the center is budgeted at $41.6 million. That money is being raised through a capital levy voters approved last February. It passed 54.6% to 45.4%, according to Thurston County Auditor data. The community amenities are an additional cost, Blondin said.
Why is there such a need for child care? Many childcare centers closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving working parents scrambling after they were required to return to work sites.
The state Department of Children, Youth & Families identifies most of the North Thurston Public Schools service area as an “extreme childcare access desert,” according to district information.
Although childcare data wasn’t shared during the board meeting, board President Gretchen Maliska said she had a conversation with a family on Tuesday who said childcare was a real issue.
“By providing these services in our educational system, we open up those spaces within our community,” she said.
The Young Child & Family Center is expected to open in fall 2027.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
