A contractor reviewing North Spencer buildings told the school board on July 20, 2025, that metal roof systems at the middle school and the career-and-technical (CTE) building show advanced deterioration and that full removal and replacement could be required, while playground installation work is under way but at least one playground may not be finished before school opens. The contractor said worst-case budgeting is necessary because crews cannot know the full condition until roof panels and insulation are removed and the deck is exposed.

The contractor told the board the middle school roof has a rubber membrane under the metal panels and that seam flashings, fasteners and gutters are in "advanced deterioration." He said both roofs were installed around the same time and have similar failures. "You're probably looking at a situation where you may be able to get another 3 years out of it, but you're gonna continue to grow with more ... so the longer we wait, the higher the cost," the contractor said.

Why it matters: the roofs affect multiple school facilities and may require a large budget allocation. Board members asked about timelines and staging; the contractor estimated a full roof replacement at a single school would be about two-and-a-half to three months of work. The contractor described the estimate as "very conservatively" prepared to cover a worst-case scenario if the crews must strip both metal layers and insulation down to the deck.

Supporting details: presenters said some localized repairs are being used now, but said repeated short-term fixes yield little long-term value. For the CTE building, the contractor described a two-layer metal roof and proposed removing the top layer, extracting insulation and treating the original metal deck as the substrate for a new system. He also said wall flashings and through-wall conditions are contributing to leaks and must be addressed as part of any roof project.

Playground work: district presenters said playground installation is in progress. A contractor was "on-site" and crews had completed several play sets and some miscellaneous items; crews planned a large equipment installation and concrete pours in the days following the meeting. One speaker said "that those 2 projects probably will be going into school" and another asked whether the playground would be finished before school start; the answer was that some elements "won't be done by the time school starts." The board and staff said they were coordinating contractor access so work occurs before or after school hours where possible.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: the board received the contractor's assessment and discussed options and budget implications; no formal vote or contract award for roof replacement was recorded in the meeting transcript. The contractor said the next step would be for staff and the board to review options and budgets and decide how to proceed.

Other context: the presenters referenced a written report and photographs shared with the board. Patriot Engineering was named as the geotechnical firm in other construction items on the agenda; the roof discussion referenced inspections and photographs taken on-site. Board members and staff said they will review the contractor's report and discuss funding and scheduling at a future meeting.

Ending: staff said they will bring options and budget projections back to the board; no implementation timeline or funding decision was adopted at the meeting.