Students at Dublin ISD will have a new learning environment next year as the school board approved the building of a greenhouse to aid with agriculture and horticulture curriculums.
The board was originally approached with the idea by FFA instructor Sophie Hayhurst at the February board meeting where she presented a couple of options for the school board.
“Currently, DISD has 32 in floral design classes, busting at the seams,” Hayhurst said at the February meeting. The greenhouse project would allow expansion in this area, even potentially giving a pathway and certification in agricultural topics in the future.
The greenhouse will measure 30 feet by 60 feet by 10 feet, and will be a one bay greenhouse with a head house. The headhouse is an addition to a greenhouse that serves as the “work center” and typically includes storage, office and classroom space without reducing growing space. The space would also allow for fish in aquaponics that do not need as much as sun as what the greenhouse space provides.
The greenhouse will also have a single automation system for watering.
The board voted to allocate $250,000 for the project by amending the 2023-24 budget with most of the funds being moved from CTE funds already budgeted.
In addition to the greenhouse itself, a foundation will need to be poured for the structure and plumbing and electrical will have to be completed, Superintendent Melissa Summers said.
The greenhouse will be built not too far from where the FFA building is, near the Secondary School.
“This is good stuff for our kids,” DISD Board President Bob Cervetto said.
The board unanimously voted on the greenhouse (Anjelica Salyer was absent) and the $250,000 cost.
The board also approved a memo of understanding between DISD and Tarleton State University for dual credit courses. The district is adding U.S. History and English to their agreement with Tarleton, already having a College Algebra dual credit course.
All of these are also offered through Ranger College, but the agreement allows students to have another option to receive college credit.
Summers explained that Tarleton would allow students to be taught the courses by Dublin’s own teachers, with a higher success rate for the students.
“They will allow our teachers to instruct for the dual credit if they attend summer school instead of having to have a Master’s Degree,” Summers said.
The board approved a resolution recognizing Senior Mariana Ortiz as the State Powerlifting Champion after she received a gold medal in State.
The board’s annual report of required educational training hours was presented.
“Everyone has done excellent,” Cervetto said.
The board has a friendly competition with each other to see who can garner the most hours and this year’s winner is board member Ryan Mitchell. The board also unanimously approved making May 6-10 Teacher Appreciation Week with a Rotary lunch.