The Pearl River County School Board of Trustees held a special call meeting Thursday afternoon at the Pearl River Central High School Library to hire two new staff members.

During the meeting, the Board officially hired Austin Alexander as new the principal for the Pearl River Central Middle School for the 2018-2019 school year.

The Board also finalized the hiring of Head Football Coach Austin Owen. He will also serve as the Assistant Athletic/Activities Director for the 2018-2019 school year. He will assume that role when he completes his Interscholastic Athletic Administration degree in July.

“We’re glad to have you here and welcome back to the Blue Devil family,” Superintendent Alan Lumpkin said.

Lumpkin said Owen has met with the coaching staff and will have an opportunity to meet and talk with the players on Friday. He added that Owen will lead the team in spring training.

According to previous coverage, Owen is a PRC alumnus, graduating in 2001. He began his coaching career in 2005 by holding an assistant position at Pearl River Central and later moved to New Hope High School in Columbus. Owen moved back to Pearl River County when he accepted an assistant position with the Poplarville High School football team in 2011.

“Thank you for the opportunity and I promise you that we’ll put a team out on the field that everyone will be proud of,” Owen said. “Every kid in the program is important and I can’t wait to start working with them.”

The Board also added Vol White as an assistant school test coordinator for the Pearl River Upper Elementary for the rest of the current school year.