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(Photo by Shelley Hanson) Student Addilyn Ellwood holds the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance during the Marshall County Board of Education meeting held at John Marshall High School on Tuesday evening. She is the daughter of Danielle Ellwood. Addilyn was also among the many students congratulated for winning at the recent West Virginia Social Studies Fair.

GLEN DALE – Marshall County Board of Education members on Tuesday approved hiring McKinley & Associates of Wheeling to be the architect and engineer for the new Benwood-McMechen School building project.

Following the board meeting, Facilities Director Mike Price said McKinley and two other companies – Thrasher Engineering and M&G – responded to the district’s request for proposals. He said McKinley was the best choice because of its many years of experience with West Virginia School Building Authority-funded projects and that they were a local company.

“When we did our interviews with everybody, McKinley was above everybody because of their relationship with the SBA,” Price said to the board.

He said the next step is to work with the company on the building plans and negotiate their fee for service.

Last December, state and local officials announced Marshall County Schools would receive $9,213,555 in SBA funding for the project. That money is expected to cover 70% of the estimated cost. The remainder needed will be covered by tax levy funds earmarked for the new school.

The original school was built in the 1970s with the gym area built in the 1950s. The new school will be situated on seven acres of land purchased more than a year ago in the Fourth Street area of Benwood. What will be done with the current school building has not yet been decided.

Plans for the new school include having a turnaround area for buses to load and unload students and for parents to drop off and pick up their children.

Price estimated it could take six months to design the new school.

Board President John Miller said no matter who is chosen, Price will be overseeing the project.

“Mike is going to be looking over the shoulder of whoever does the work … all the contractors to make sure we get a quality job done, and they do what they’re contracted to do,” he said.

Miller said he also wanted to make sure the staff at the school get to give their input on the building plans as well.

Meanwhile, the board also handed out certificates recognizing students who recently won at the West Virginia Social Studies Fair and West Virginia Science Fair. They also thanked those in charge of organizing the fairs on the county level: Arica Holt for Social Studies and Jaime Pettit for Science.