The Wood County Board of Education received a land donation from the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Foundation Tuesday night to build the district's new Vienna Elementary. WVUP President Torie Jackson, left, talked to the board about the donation. Also pictured is Superintendent Christie Willis. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG – West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Torie Jackson, on behalf of the college’s foundation, presented the Wood County Board of Education on Tuesday night with a donation of eight acres that the district will use to build the new Vienna Elementary.

Board President Justin Raber said he was excited to begin a partnership with the college.

“We’re truly looking forward to this partnership, as well as the great things that the university and the foundation are doing up at that center,” Raber said. “It’s truly a, you know, once in a lifetime opportunity here and throughout the state.”

The new school will be built on the former Ohio Valley University campus, now the new West Virginia University at Parkersburg Innovation and Technology Center, and will encompass approximately 54,000 square feet, providing space for 522 students.

Jackson said she was also excited about the partnership.

“Because when we improve education at all levels, we’re definitely improving our community. So it’s our pleasure,” Jackson said.

The board also heard bond project updates from Pickering Associates CEO and President Ryan Taylor and Sean Cottrill, assistant director of education design, that included additions to Madison Elementary and construction on the new Lubeck elementary and the Parkersburg South High School softball and baseball complex.

“They’re putting in their under drainage, utilities, they’ve got the curbs poured, they got some of the fencing, some light poles. Foundations are in. They are not messing around,” Taylor said.

Weather permitting, he said construction should be finished in time for the teams to begin playing on the fields in the spring.