Assistant Superintendent of Operations Kaleb Lawrence gave the Wood County Board of Education an update on turf projects in the district Tuesday night saying they are addressing track concerns at Parkersburg South and adding in an access road at Williamstown High School. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis gave a proposal to the Wood County Board of Education on Tuesday night for school names, mascots and colors for the news schools being built in North Parkersburg and Vienna.

“We are in the midst of exciting times in Wood County,” Willis said.

She said the naming process involved extensive community consultation, including meetings with Local School Improvement Council representatives, staff from merging schools and community members.

A new elementary school in Vienna will see Vienna Elementary and Neale Elementary merge into one school. Willis said sticking to the tradition of naming schools after the vicinity of which they are located, the new school would simply be named Vienna Elementary.

She said the school will feature the blue and gold colors of West Virginia University at Parkersburg, directly reflecting the college’s generous land donation on the former Ohio Valley University property.

Students from Martin Elementary were recognized by the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night for raising $680.15 for the World Wildlife Fund to help endangered tigers. Pictured from left: Martin Elementary teacher Sherry Morris, students Myla Sprouse, Wrenley Dawkins, Nickolas Brown, Gracelyn Janssen and Paisley Tibbs and Principal Thomas Wheeler. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“Our goal is for the school buildings to complement each other,” Willis said. “And Wood County Schools will honor these wishes as a thank you for the donated property.”

She said the new Vienna Elementary’s mascot will also reflect the relationship with WVUP as they will use a version of the college’s Riverhawk mascot and name it Neale, honoring the soon-to-be-closed elementary school.

In North Parkersburg, Willis said administrators worked with staff at Criss and Emerson Elementary, which will merge into the new elementary school, to name the new school.

“There was a desire to have a fresh start and a new name,” Willis said.

She said holding to another long standing tradition of naming schools after past presidents, the new school would be named Lincoln Elementary.

Jackson Middle School students were recognized by the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night for having a book published with local author Don Stansberry about West Virginia wildlife. The book, titled “The Wild of Wild Wonderful West Virginia, is priced at $20 and will fund the school’s Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program. The school has order forms available for purchasing the book and copies can be picked up at West Virginia Central Credit Union in Vienna. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“I was very torn, and spent time reflecting on a name to propose for this school,” Willis said.

She said Lincoln issued a proclamation for West Virginia to become a state on June 20, 1863, and the state’s first governor was a Wood County resident.

“What a time for us in history,” Willis said.

She said for the new school, the school colors proposed would represent all four school communities that will be affected with the construction of the new school in North Parkersburg. She said blue would represent VanDevender Middle School and Lincoln Elementary, who both use those colors, and green would come from Criss and Emerson Elementary.

“This would represent a bridge and a connectedness to the new schools,” Willis said.

Jackson Middle School students were recognized by the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night for placing first in the Explore: the New Manufacturing student video contest. Students worked with local manufacturer Mr. Bee’s to create a documentary showcasing the intricate potato chip manufacturing process. From left, Kairi Matteson, Judah Moore, Jonas Shahan, Gabriel Floyd and teacher Cherish George holding student James D’eramo’s certificate, who could not attend the meeting. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

She said to honor both the former Lincoln elementary and VanDevender Middle School, which will be torn down as part of the project, they will use the former lion mascot from Lincoln and name it Vandy.

“There’s no vote on the proposals this evening,” Willis said. “After receiving feedback on the proposals, the goal is to have a recommendation to the board on June 24.”

She said the district is set to host multiple school tours on June 28 that includes the former Maplewood School on 12th Street in Vienna, being demolished to to make way for Innovation Drive, which will lead to the new Vienna Elementary School and WVUP campus, VanDevender Middle School and Fairplains Elementary from 1-4 p.m.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Kaleb Lawrence talked to the board about the district making significant progress on two major field construction projects at Parkersburg South and Williamstown High Schools, with several key improvements planned.

He said at Parkersburg South, the district is addressing multiple needs, including installing a new scoreboard and accommodating track and field facilities.

Parkersburg South JROTC students were recognized by the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night for receiving the Distinguished Unit Award with Merit which places the unit in the top 20% of JROTC units worldwide. The cadet-lead unit achieved an average of 20.22 community service hours per cadet, a total of 1,314.25 hours of community service, participated in six fundraisers raising over $28,000 and six parades and multiple school and community events. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“We want to make sure track voices were heard,” Lawrence said, explaining that the current design meets track coaches’ feedback while being cost-effective.

Lawrence said a highlight of the Williamstown project is a new access road to address long-standing parking challenges.

“That parking lot is a bottleneck,” Lawrence said. “If there ever was an issue, an emergency, that is a problem.”

He said the proposed gravel road will provide a critical second exit from the school, with plans to pave it in future budget cycles.

Lawrence told the board both fields remain on schedule for completion, despite recent weather challenges. He said that while rain has caused some delays, the projects are still progressing well.

Parkersburg South High School art student Grace Milhoan showed the Wood County Board of Education a Mother’s Day gift she created Tuesday night using watercolors and acrylics. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

The next regular meeting of the Wood County Board of Education is scheduled for June 24 at 6 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed online.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com.

Parkersburg South High School art student Olivia McVey talks about her art project to the Wood County Board of EducationTuesday night. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Parkersburg South High School art teacher Abbie Burge and students Olivia McVey, Grace Milhoan and Siarra Jones were recognized by the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)