Aging infrastructure, mismatched furniture and poorly lit hallways, and playgrounds past their prime are some of the issues viewed by the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) on its bus tour on October 8, 2025. A two-bus caravan visited the campuses of Dobie Junior High School, Wilder Intermediate School and Watts Elementary School to inspect some of the buildings that could be impacted by a possible bond in May of 2025.
The first bus, led by Paige Meloni, Superintendent of Schools; and Deanna Jackson, Executive Director of Communications & Community Relations. They started their trek at Wilder, followed by Watts and concluded at Dobie.
Bus number two - led by Kelly Kovacs, Assistant Superintendent, and JD Mosley, Chief Operations Officer - began the journey with an inspection of Dobie JHS - originally built in 1974 and last renovated in 2015. The caravan saw limited and repurposed athletic facilities that included old locker rooms and shower areas, a poorly-conditioned grass field, classrooms with no windows, and a cafeteria floor with a combination of tile and terrazzo floors.
“It was never expected to have a weight room,” said Mosley, referring to Dobie’s incarnation as a middle school to intermediate campus and then to a junior high school. “So where do we find a space and an old locker room with a shower - here we are.”
Scott Lehnhoff, SCUC Athletic Director, then guided the guests through the football and basketball facilities, which lack the turf fields and ample space enjoyed by sister school Corbett JHS. “Notice that between the hashes,” Lehnhoff said pointing to the grass field, “it has a lot of dips, a lot of holes, a lot of ankle-twisters. It could definitely use some work.”
Other informative sites at Dobie standard classrooms being utilized for Choir and Orchestra which are not comparable to other junior high and middle schools and the area between the back of the campus and the portables, is affectionately known as “Lake Dobie” when heavy rains make it ipassable between class periods.
“Some of these buildings aren’t up to code any more and they’re ugly,” said Karissa Tidwell, CAC member and third-grade teacher at Paschal Elementary School. She is surprised at how students and teachers deal with outdated facilities. “Our kids are here to get a great education but they’re also here to learn extra-curricular activities, and we need to be able to foster that for them.”
Wilder was the second stop for half of the bus tour. Dim hallways, outdated restrooms and cramped quarters were some of what was seen. Built in 1996 with a wing added in 2015, the campus is experiencing a portable used for choir, a cramped orchestra classroom with scant space for storage, and a library with the original mini blinds.
“I had no idea that the schools we visited were so outdated,” said Yessica Marks, whose children are currently attending Rose Garden Elementary, (opened in 2009), and Corbett Junior High School, (opened in 2009). While she mulls the impact of a potential tax increase if a bond is called and is voted for, Marks understands the importance of good facilities. “We want them to have air conditioning in the schools, and not have leaks and new furniture.”
The final stop for the second bus was at Watts. Many of the issues plaguing the Dobie and Wilder are also present at Watts, which opened in 1999 - with the additional hindrance of outdated playground equipment - now over 26 years old.
A quirky feature is a connecting area known as the “hot breezeway”, which is the only avenue district grounds crew personnel can cross to get to the courtyard to mow.
“We want our students and our families to feel proud of the schools that they’re coming to,” said Tidwell. “We’re doing the best we can, but things that would make every campus and every building the best that it could be - there is a lot that can be done.”
