The Ector County Independent School District board of trustees unanimously approved Tony Parris on Thursday as the new Ector Junior High principal.

Parris, who's served as an educator at Ector for 10 years, said he's excited about the appointment.

"I'm very excited," Parris said. "I can't think of a better place to be a principal. It's an awesome school."

ECISD superintendent Hector Mendez said Parris has a history with the campus and its Advanced Placement program.

Mendez said Parris has also grown in his responsibilities as an administrator, which helped him top the list of possible candidates for the position.

"We believe he's the best person for the job," Mendez said.

Parris, 48, fills the position left vacant when former Ector principal Roy Garcia assumed the top administrator role at Permian High.

Parris said he would face some challenges as the head principal at Ector in that each year the school works to improve its Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills scores. He plans to help the school become the first recognized junior high.

"We've got to get to that next level," he said.

Trustees also unanimously approved:

>> A memorandum of understanding between ECISD and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin related to expenses for an upcoming reading institute for school district kindergarten through second-grade teachers.

>> Out-of-state travel for officers on the Permian High Panther Paws dance team to travel to New York City and participate in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.