Randall Reid-Smith, curator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, and Amy Eschbacher, wife of Marching Band Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Eschbacher, presented Parkersburg South Band Director Greg Myers and Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis with a check for $1,000. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Schools Board of Education held its regular meeting Tuesday night at the Wood County Schools Central Office at 1210 13th St. in Parkersburg.

The board gave out multiple recognitions and heard presentations throughout the meeting.

Randall Reid-Smith, curator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, presented the Parkersburg South High School band with a check for $1,000 as part of late South band director Thomas Eschbacher being inducted into the Marching Band Hall of Fame. He said Wood County Schools was one of the few in the state to have a fifth grade band.

“You all have the most incredible arts programs in the state of West Virginia,” Reid-Smith said. “I’m so grateful for your support of the arts.”

Reid-Smith also presented Parkersburg High School with a STEAM Power Grant award and a check for $10,000 for the school’s planetarium. He said it was the only planetarium located in a high school in the entire state of West Virginia.

Parkersburg High School Principal Kenneth DeMoss, Randall Reid-Smith, curator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis and PHS science teacher and planetarium head Summer Bunner pose with a check for $10,000. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Summer Bunner, PHS science teacher and planetarium head, said hopefully in the next few weeks they would have a show available to the public that students themselves will conduct. She said they were preparing two shows, one for the spring equinox and one for the fall equinox.

“That building at Parkersburg High School is a jewel,” Reid-Smith said. “It’s a gem we have in the state. And thank goodness you all had the foresight to keep it, and not tear it down to build a box.”

The board also recognized students in the arts programs from around the region for their achievements through the West Virginia Music Educators Association.

Students from Williamstown Elementary, Williamstown Middle/High School, Parkersburg South, Hamilton Middle School and Blennerhassett Middle School were recognized for receiving a superior rating for the 2023 Solo and Ensemble. A number of students from PSHS and WMHS were named all-state band members; and four students from WMHS were named all-state orchestra.

“We are so proud of our arts programs here in Wood County Schools,” said Ashlee Beatty, director of curriculum and instruction. “I think it is the heart of our buildings. And certainly, we are so proud.”

Williamstown Elementary, Middle/High School students who received a Superior rating at the 2023 Solo and Ensemble. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Greg Burk and Dale Earl, from the transportation department, were recognized for going above and beyond for the safety and well-being of others when they helped remove trees from the roadway after a recent storm. Bryan Crouser was also recognized for helping a student free his finger after getting it stuck in a bus seat.

Wayne Jenkins and Daniel Jonas from PHS were recognized for going above and beyond for an animal rescue where they saved a red-tail hawk on the PHS campus.

Beatty talked to the board, and presented a video, about a recent collaboration Wood County Schools had with the West Virginia Department of Education for their “Ready. Read. Write.” initiative. She said Jessica Espinoza, a third grade teacher at Martin Elementary, was filmed by the WVDE teaching a fluency lesson put together by Espinoza and Joanna Mulligan, coordinator of English Language Arts.

“The goal is to increase literacy proficiency for all students,” Beatty said. “It’s rooted in the science of reading and based on the belief that all students can learn to read proficiency will affect reading instruction.”

Michael Erb, communications coordinator for Wood County Schools, spoke to the board about a crisis media plan. He said it was an internal document for administrators and would be a front-line communication for schools and facilities.

Parkersburg South High School students who received a Superior rating at the 2023 Solo and Ensemble. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“It’s very important for us to be able to talk to the parents, to talk to the community, to let them know what’s going on,” Erb said. “In the absence of information people will guess, they will create their own, they’ll listen to people who really aren’t there to help them. We want to make sure that we are getting as clear and concise a message out as possible.”

Jason Hughes, director of the Wood County Technical Center and Caperton Center for Applied Technology, gave an update regarding things happening in Career Technical Education. He said the center hosted tours for every high school in the area with students from ninth, 10th and 11th grades attending. Hughes said after the tours students were given a QR code to sign up for classes.

“We had 1,121 students sign up for a program,” Hughes said. “The number one program of interest was culinary arts, or ProStart (restaurant management) at 222 students. Next was cosmetology at 143. The third was medical skills.”

During public comment Henry Sasyn talked to the board again about the need for the swim teams in the area to have a facility to practice and train. He talked about the recent success both PHS and PSHS had during the state tournaments.

“Now, what we need to do is, what can we do to support the sport of swimming in Wood County,” Sasyn said. “In eight years, three state championships by South and one third place by PHS boys.”

Hamilton Middle School students who received a Superior rating at the 2023 Solo and Ensemble. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

He said it was a growing sport and needed facilities for more students to join.

The next board of education meeting will be March 14 at the Wood County Schools Central Office at 1210 13th St. in Parkersburg. The meeting is open to the public and will streamed online.

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Williamstown Elementary, Middle and High School

* Directors: Jed Corra, Ashley Clark and Amaris Kibbe

Blennerhassett Middle School students who received a Superior rating at the 2023 Solo and Ensemble. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

* Rylin Dick- Violin WES

* Jude Hogan- Violin WES

* Alyssa Kibbe- Violin WES

* Lydia Snyder- Violin WMHS

* Jolie Floding- WHS

* Lukas Mourat- Violin WMHS

* Payton Woodard- Violin WHS

* Noah Mourat- Violin WMHS

* Jenna Carr-Violin -WMHS

* Sophia Adkins-WMHS

* Mason Mercer -Violin- WHS

* Chancey Roberts-WHS

* Jillian Carr- Snare & Marimba Solo- WMHS

* Chancey Roberts & Julian Guckert- Snare Duet WHS

* Taylor Weppler & Elliana Hanlon-Alto Sax & Trumpet Duet- WMHS

* Truit Robinson, Adam Tucker, Nathanael Cramlet, Sean Frye and Gabriel Maceira- Brass Quintet-WHS

* Hayden Bills, Grace Hatcher, Alyssa Borkowski- Woodwind Trio- WMHS

* Willem Nuhfer, Iris Tanner, Katelyn Richards, Chase Pickering and Jillian Carr-Percussion Ensemble- WMHS

* Lucie Clark- Piano-WES

Parkersburg South High School

* Director: Greg Myers

* Claira Goff and Garrett Lewis-Saxophone Duet

* Audrey Sundstrom, Abigail Ferrell, Claira Goff and Garrett Lewis-Saxophone Quartet

* Audrey Sundstrom, Michael Kestner, Abigail Ferrell, Bryce Parsons, Brodie Battin and Della Mathers- Jazz Combo

* Caleb Rowan

* Della Mathers

* Erin Carmicle

* Alyssan Dowler

* Abigail Ferrell

* Audrey Sundstrum

* Caiden Griffith- Piano

* Audrey Sundstrom- Piano

Hamilton Middle School

* Director: Scott Kitchen

* Audrey McPherson

* Sarra Wile

* Tyler Bell, Allayanii Gutierrez, Nicolas Medina, Graycen Kinnison and Cooper Gherke- Percussion Ensemble

Blennerhassett Middle School

* Director: William Cosby

* Abigail Griffith

* Evan Mace

* Nevaeh Gonzalez

* Brooklyn Taylor

The following students will be performing at the WVMEA Conference Solo and Ensemble Concert:

* Evan Mace-Marimba- BMS

* Chancey Roberts- Timpani- WHS

* Sophia Adkins- Flute- WMHS

* Audrey Sundstrom- Piano- PSHS

* Audrey Sundstrom, Abigail Ferrell, Michael Kestner, Della Mathers, Bryce Parsons and Brodie Battin-Jazz Combo- PSHS

All State Band Members:

* Caleb Rowan-Tuba- PSHS

* Daniel Life- Trumpet- PSHS

* Della Mathers- Clarinet- PSHS

* Alyssan Dowler- Clarinet- PSHS

* Erin Carmicle- Bassoon- PSHS

* Gabriel Maceira- Tuba- WHS

* Sara Jung- Clarinet- WHS

All State Orchestra Members:

* Noah Mourat- WMHS

* Lydia Snyder- WMHS

* Payton Woodard- WHS

* Garrett Hatfield- WHS

Students who will be performing at the WVMEA Conference Solo and Ensemble Concert. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

West Virginia All State Band Members. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

All State Orchestra members Noah Mourat, Williamstown Middle/High School, Lydia Snyder, WMHS and Payton Woodard, WMHS. Not pictured is Garrett Hatfield. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)