Kaleb Lawrence, assistant superintendent of operations, talks to the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night about the district’s ongoing bond projects. Lawrence also spoke to the board about creating a new Director of Safety and Security position. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — After receiving an in-depth review of the $2.5 million school safety budget — covering spending plans, contingency funds and priorities for the upcoming years — the Wood County Board of Education voted to approve a new Director of Safety and Security position.

Kaleb Lawrence, assistant superintendent of operations, said the salary for the position will come from levy funds earmarked for safety and security and not the district’s general fund.

Lawrence said the nearly $2.5 million budget is being allocated this year for enhanced safety features through Centegix, new radios, camera updates, professional development, and $400,000 for school resource officers. He said a contingency of $748,000 is being carried over for future needs.

“Our goal is if a school calls us and says, we’d really like to do this to make our school safer. We have a chunk of money to be able to do that,” Lawrence said. “Every year, we’re carrying over almost $250,000 if we don’t spend all of that $748,000 this year, and we carry over $500,000 of that by year two, you’re going to be right back to $738,000.”

Lawrence presented what he said could be the highest salary for this position, saying it would be in the range of $120,000.

Wood County Board of Education members Ron Tice and Judy Johnson look at artist renderings of the Madison Elementary School addition on Tuesday night. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“I went to the pay scale and found the highest, the doctorate and 35 years experience,” Lawrence said. “So I showed you the highest that job could ever be. The probability of finding somebody, with the doctor degree, plus 35 years experience, it could happen, but not very probable.”

Lawrence originally proposed it be more of a Director 3 position. He said Director 1 and 2 positions are not required to be on call after school hours or attend board meetings.

“People you see at the board meetings right now are Director 3s and assistant superintendents,” Lawrence said. “If we get a director position to be consistent across our job postings in the county, we would be asking that person to do Director 3, Director 2, Assistant Superintendent responsibilities.”

Board member Ron Tice asked that the position be changed to a Director 1.

“I don’t have any problem revisiting this next year at this time and moving it to the Director 2. But starting now, I just want to see what kind of job this person can do.” Tice said. “I just feel more comfortable starting him out as a Director 1, to see what we actually get.”

Wood County Board of Education members Debbie Hendershot and Randy Modesitt look at work being done to the Parkersburg South High School baseball and softball complex as construction work continues. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

The board voted 4-1 to change the position to Director 1 with Board President Justin Raber being the lone no.

Lawrence also talked about ongoing concerns with student safety on school buses by exploring options for hiring bus aides. Initial hopes to fund the aides through state programs or transportation reimbursements were unsuccessful.

“As it looks right now, to get…the aides on the bus for that safety would be better for us to pay for them extra duty on the levy. And I believe that posting is ready to go out tomorrow,” he said.

Lawrence said not every bus would get an aide and that it would be used for a few buses needing an additional adult for safety support on an as-needed basis.

Katie Wetherby, senior architectural staff/associate project manager, presented the board with designs created by the firm for the new Vienna Elementary School that is being built on the former Ohio Valley University campus, now the new West Virginia University at Parkersburg Innovation and Technology Center.

“I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to show you where Vienna stands right now,” she said.

The new school will encompass approximately 54,000 square feet, providing space for 522 students.

“The base bid will have an 1,800 square foot activity space. But we do have an alternate that will allow for a 6,800 square foot gym,” Wetherby said.

Construction is slated to commence this winter pending successful bidding, with the opening aimed for April or May 2027.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com