CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State Board of Education members hired Jorea Marple as state superintendent of schools Thursday evening.

Marple, currently second in command at the state Department of Education as deputy state superintendent, is the first woman to be named the state's chief of schools. She will earn an annual salary of $165,000.

Marple will officially take over March 1. Over the next couple weeks, she'll work with current Superintendent Ted Mattern, state school board President Priscilla Haden said.

"We're fortunate to be able to have the two of them work through this transition," she said.

Board members met in closed session for a little more than an hour and said they reached "consensus" on the decision. No roll call vote was taken, but there were no "nays" voiced as board members voted on Lowell Johnson's motion to hire Marple.

Haden did not say whether some board members favored the other candidates during the closed session before they decided to reach consensus.

"I'm not going there," she said.

Marple, a Sutton native who was superintendent of Kanawha County schools from 1993 to 1998, said she was "humbled ... excited and I'm passionate about the opportunity" to work with teachers, principals, lawmakers, community leaders and others.

Marple's mother died in Georgia Monday, about one month shy of her 95th birthday. After Marple was hired, her son told her "how much this would have meant for my mother, who was an educator.

"She was a strong individual who was a devoted teacher," Marple said.

The other finalists for the job were Mark Manchin, executive director of the state School Building Authority, and Carolyn Long, chairwoman of the West Virginia University Board of Governors.

Board member Wade Linger said Haden had encouraged -- and state board members agreed -- to reach consensus by the end of the selection process. Linger agreed that philosophy benefits the state school system and serves as a vote of confidence for the successful candidate.

Board members debated during the closed session, Linger said, and it's no secret that he would have favored a longer and more extensive search for applicants.

Still, Linger said all three applicants were "stellar candidates" from West Virginia who were capable of doing the job.

Both Manchin and Marple decided to hold their interviews in open session so the public could watch. Long, who went first Thursday morning, asked that hers be closed.

In his interview, Manchin said if he were chosen as state superintendent, he would start a comprehensive, statewide literacy plan. He said, "If you can't read, you can't learn."

"I think we have built a home on a foundation that is starting to crumble," he said.

Manchin said being superintendent of McDowell County schools for five years had an incredible impact on him. There, he learned that the ones who suffer most are the poorest children.

He choked up when he talked about a young girl in McDowell County who needed -- and received as part of her individualized education plan -- a cochlear implant.

Over time, the girl's speaking ability improved. She told Manchin and others, "I want to be a doctor."

"That's what it's all about," he said.

He also praised the state board members, former state superintendent of schools Steve Paine and Marple for their work on "Global 21," the newest direction for state public schools, meant to help students compete internationally. It calls for more hands-on learning in the classroom and an understanding of technology, critical thinking and communication skills.

But Manchin said he's heard from educators around the state that they need to catch their breath and get up to speed on the new Global 21 initiatives, because "perhaps we've gone a little too far."

During her interview, Marple said that Global 21 has been "a very organized, consistent journey."

State educators have worked to improve curriculum and make technology more available, created data systems to monitor student performance and offered more after-school and summer programs.

Marple recognizes that state test scores need to improve, but recent ACT and SAT results show some positive trends, she said.

"We have a long way to go," she said. "Changing how we teach and what we teach is not a small task.

"Improvement is not a singular action," she said. "It's about doing a multitude of things to improve student performance."

State board member Gayle Manchin took part in Thursday's deliberations and vote, even though a state teachers union leader had asked her to recuse herself. Manchin's husband, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, is Mark Manchin's cousin and appointed him to head the state School Building Authority. Joe Manchin also appointed his wife to the state school board.

On Thursday, Gayle Manchin asked Marple about the idea of asking lawmakers for more money when state budgets are very tight.

Marple quoted the New York Times and said if you want to prepare children for the future it's really about sparing no expense. Still, she understands there's a finite amount of funding for education.

She believes that technology is one of those "big ticket" items that must be addressed, and wants technology "to be in the hands of every student."

Board member Mike Green asked Marple how to get reluctant parents involved in their child's education.

"Sometimes it's just not possible to get parents involved," she said, and there's no "magic bullet" to fix the problem.

"You can make a difference for that child when they walk through the door," she said. "We have to make it work for them when they're in school."

Board member Bill White asked both Marple and Manchin about their leadership styles.

"As a leader I think you have to encourage people, you have to empower people," Marple said.

Marple said she wants to surround herself with people who "are smarter than me" and who "work harder than I do."

Manchin, who said he's a "big-picture guy," just like White, told board members he's tough but fair and is just as likely to hug a person as he is to push for her best.

"I surround myself with people who know detail," Manchin said. "If you surround yourself with good people, you're going to be successful with that model."

Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.