Jeanna Plumly, left, was appointed as the new Madison Elementary principal and Kurt Echard, right, as the new principal for Jackson Middle School Tuesday night during the regular meeting of the Wood County Board of Education. Also pictured is Superintendent Christie Willis. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to appoint Kurt Echard as the new principal for Jackson Middle School and Jeanna Plumly as the new Madison Elementary principal.

The board also heard an update on multiple projects from Ryan Taylor, CEO of Pickering Associates. Those updates included:

* Lincoln Elementary (interior design, site plan, and construction)

* Williamstown Turf Project (field, gates, concession stand, roof, weight room, locker room)

* Parkersburg South High School turf project (field, soccer goal markings, shot put, discus)

* Martin Elementary access road and parking lot improvements

* Jackson Secure Entrance Project

* Lubeck School Construction (site preparation, excavation, and civil engineering)

Taylor also asked the board to allow the superintendent to apply for a School Building Authority grant to install a sprinkler system and window replacement for Madison Elementary.

“We would like to apply for a sprinkler system in Madison, and would like to apply for windows in Madison,” Taylor told the board. “You guys are investing in Madison. You’re putting an addition on some other things. It would be very, very nice if we could (install a sprinkler system) to the building and have new windows instead of windows from 1950.”

Maria Francisco, Parkersburg South High School principal, provided the board with an update on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Wood County Schools, Parkersburg South High School and the Erickson All-Sports Committee highlighting positive changes in the management of banners and reserved parking at the Erickson facility.

“In discussion with the Erickson board, they have agreed to turn over the banners to Parkersburg South High School athletics,” Francisco said. “The banners that I’m speaking of are the ones that you will see — the white ones on the poles as you are driving into the Erickson All Sports facility. .. Parkersburg South Athletics is going to now manage the banners coming in, which means we will also get back revenue.”

Read more from Tuesday’s meeting in the Thursday print edition of the News and Sentinel.