Martin Elementary second-grader Braylyn Gracy talks to Wood County Board of Education member Rick Olcott about her exceptional reading accomplishment Tuesday at the Parkersburg South High School LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase event. Gracy completed 102 of 102 reading lessons and said she enjoys books. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Board of Education met in special session Tuesday to approve levy rates for the fiscal year 2025 and to participate in the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events.

The Wood County Schools Excess Levy Call, also known as a continuing or renewal levy, has been in place since 1945 and has been renewed every five years by local voters.

The continuing levy will be 19.40 cents for Class I property, 38.80 cents for Class II property, 77.60 cents for Class III property and 77.60 cents for Class IV property based on each class of property per $100 valuation.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the levy rates and then went to Parkersburg South High School for the first of three LSIC Showcase events.

“They showcase their academics and what they’ve been working on this year,” Superintendent Christie Willis said. “It’s their time to showcase what projects that they’ve been working on with the students.”

Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis, second from left, poses for a picture with members of the Parkersburg South High School student council after receiving a shirt at the school’s LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase event Tuesday. Members of the student council pictured are: back row, Landon Henthorn; front row, Cate Evans, Willis, Savanna Dennis, Alexi Petty and Wyatt Tomlinson. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Those students were also on hand to share the things they have been learning this year. Martin Elementary second-grader Braylyn Gracy told members of the board she has completed 102 of 102 reading assignments this year. She said she really enjoys reading.

Martin Elementary fifth-graders talked about their reading of the book “Wonder.” The book is a story about a 10-year-old boy named August Pullman who has facial differences, and because of his medical condition, he was home-schooled through fourth grade. “Wonder” is about August’s first year of school as a fifth-grade student at Beecher Prep.

Students then shared the part of them they loved the most. One chose their mouth because it helped them win the spelling bee. Another said his brain was his favorite body part.

“It’s more of a conversation,” Willis said about speaking to the different schools and their students. “I feel like you come away with a good understanding, and get to talk to the kids, versus more of that just standing in front of the board.”

She said each school is given a lot of freedom on how they choose to represent themselves. She said most will come up with a theme or game that will help showcase the things they do every day in their school.

The Parkersburg South High School choir, led by choir director and district Teacher of the Year Jennifer Ratliff, performs the National Anthem at the school’s LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase event Tuesday. The choir also performed the school’s alma mater and “Home Among the Hills.” (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

The next showcase event will be held April 22 at Williamstown Middle/High School and the final one will be April 25 at Parkersburg High School. The events will last from 6-8 p.m. and are open to the public.

“If you want to see what’s going on in your community schools, you can walk around to any of them they’re all represented,” Willis said. “The principals are here, there’s some teachers here and there’s students that attend and you can just say, ‘What is it that you’re working on this year?’ And they will be happy to tell you.”

Edison Middle School students Lillian Traugh and Mia Archer stand in front of their social studies projects Tuesday at the Parkersburg South High School LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase event. Both Traugh and Archer won their school, regional, county and state social studies fairs with their projects. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)