Wood BOE moves meetings to Jefferson Elementary
PARKERSBURG - The Wood County Board of Education will temporarily relocate its meetings to allow for more community participation while maintaining social distancing.
Beginning Oct. 27, the board will meet in the Jefferson Elementary Center auditorium, located next to the Wood County Schools central office at 1210 13th Street in Parkersburg.
Board President Justin Raber said in recent months the meetings have seen record attendance, in part because they also have been broadcast online. But he added the demand for in-person attendance also has increased even as social distancing has made physical gatherings more difficult.
“Community input is vital as we face numerous challenges and decisions concerning our students, staff and facilities,” Raber said. “We want to see even more stakeholders participating in this process, so allowing seating for more people while still following all of the COVID-19 precautions is a win-win situation for Wood County Schools and the community.”
Officials also are looking at different ways to still provide online streaming of the meetings at the new location, whether through Zoom or another platform. More details will be announced for the school board’s Oct. 27 meeting.