Dublin ISD will soon undergo a major renovation project as all roofs throughout the district will be replaced.
The school board unanimously approved awarding the district’s hail damage roof repair project to Coryell Roofing and Construction, Inc. through the district’s membership in the TIPS Interlocal Purchasing System.
Superintendent Melissa Summers explained the district has had continuous issues with its roofs due to the area receiving severe hail storms. The district has had some form of significant roof repairs three times in past 15 years.
Summers stated Coryell representative Windell Olsen, who was present at the meeting, had already aided the district on another repair regarding the gym roof which was leaking.
Olsen, who did not do the install, realized the gym roof had not been properly installed and the company was required to repair the roof at no charge to the district – at a cost of about $500,000.
The district approved installing a severe hail rated roof on the elementary campus, intermediate campus and the secondary campus (high school/junior high). Roofing materials are guaranteed up to 1 ¾ to 2.5inch hail.
Summers said over the past five years the district had tried to save as much as they could for needed projects, the roofs being one of them.
The district will be paying their $1.6 million out of pocket including their insurance deductible at $750,000.
The entire project is estimated to be $4.9 million.
The project is expected to start in the next few months and will take place while school is in session.
“We will be in constant communication with the district in case of testing or other needs,” Olsen said.
Olsen also guaranteed that the work crews would eat, shop and stay in Dublin” to aid the economy and that any supplies that could be purchased here, would be.
Delinquent tax collection The district also heard from its delinquent tax collection law firm representatives from McCreary Veselka Bragg and Allen PC in its annual report.
Over the past three years, the firm has collected more than 100% of delinquent taxes (including penalties and interest).
Over 2021-23 they recovered an excess of $75,000 for the district.
For 2024, 98.3% of taxes have been collected with $93,402 remaining.
For delinquent property tax collections July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 there were 215 tax lien notices mailed, 118 foreclosure notices mailed, 26 delinquent tax suits filed and two foreclosure judgments obtained.
Public comment
During public comment, theatre and biology teacher Aimee Spharler spoke about the dynamics between parents, students and coaching staff in the district.
“I do not believe in questioning them in front of our students, or my own child, because that is not fostering a positive coach athletic relationship,” she said. “As a parent we have to make sure we are fostering that.”
She said as an employee she wanted to point out a few things that went on in the district that others may not know about.
“Our coaches spend more hours with our students to grow them not only into athletes but good adults, as well as find a way to motivate them to buy in to the ‘we’ instead of the ‘I,’” she said. “The athletes that are gaining in success are the ones competing in nonteam events. Those are the ones that can only depend on themselves in order to succeed.”
Spharler said she was fortunate to be a parent to several of those athletes and a teacher to every single kid in the district, at one time or another since she is the only biology teacher.
“Your coaches leave their homes early, they get home late because several parents will or cannot take the time to get their children to and from practice or even get them dinner that night,” she said. “And I don’t mean by 20 minutes, I mean by hours.”
“Before the day even starts your athletes are bragging, yes bragging about skipping practice because they are too good for it, skipping reps because they don’t want to and talking about how they lost a game they haven’t even played yet.,” Spharler said. “This culture starts at home, this mentality begins with parents. It begins with you parents coming to our coaches with ideas and how you plan to step up and implement that plan with the coaches. Your child’s teachers and coaches are out of band width, your children would be better served if parents are not screaming from the stands, becoming keyboard warriors or calling for their jobs.”
Spharler said for those parents who are stepping up to help with events, hold their kids accountable to their potential and generally stepping up, ‘we see you’ and say thank you for making their life’s passion easier.
She encouraged parents to get involved with the Dublin Athletic Booster Club and other volunteer opportunities that exist in the district.
“We have people in the community helping out at every sporting event without a dog in the fight but they are here buying into your athletes, meanwhile we have parents complaining that it’s not done to their standard when they also are not stepping up to be the positive change,” she said. “What my fellow coaches/ teachers need is parents to help, step up, get involved and facilitate the positive change that will help encourage our students to not only become better athletes and students but better adults in the future.”
The district will combine its November and December meetings and only have one single meeting on Monday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m.