- Juab District Administrators share their concerns about the new realignment procedures
|
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Rick Robins, Juab High School Principal, said he had concerns with the new realignment procedure being considered by the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA).
"This is a concern since it means that Juab would be competing with schools almost two and a half times its size," said Robins.
On September 29, 2010, the Board of Trustees approved the number of schools and regions in each classification. The approval was based on feedback provided through the UHSAA website and at a public hearing held on September 29, 2010, at the UHSAA offices.
Robins and Superintendent Jim Shank attended the hearing.
Prior to the meeting, Robins sent a letter to all Region 12 principals. In that letter, he said he wanted to share some concerns he had with the proposal.
"I just wanted to share with you my perspective on this that may be unique considering I came from the 4A ranks," said Robins.
Robins also shared those concerns with the Juab School District Board of Education.
He said he was in favor of moving to a ratio system that removed politics from realignment, however, he thought the board of trustees should proceed with caution.
Recommendations and analysis from the Realignment Classification Committee, a committee made up of representatives from each classification and both the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, were instrumental in the discussion and final approval by the Board of Trustees.
The following are the number of schools and regions in each classification for the 2011-2013 alignment period: 5A—24 schools (four regions of six schools); 4A—24 schools (four regions of six schools); 3A—28 schools (four regions of seven schools); 2A—20 schools (two regions of ten schools); and 1A—36 schools (five regions).
The Board of Trustees will meet again to consider the placement of schools into regions based on October 1, 2010 student counts.
A public hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. in an attempt to get feedback from the various districts, schools and communities. The public hearing will be held at the UHSAA offices (199 East 7200 South) in Midvale.
In addition to the hearing on November 17, the UHSAA Board of Trustees is seeking comment through the following link: http://www.uhsaa.org/realignment/comment.htm.
The assignment of schools to regions will be finalized on November 18, 2010, by the Board of Trustees, allowing time for schools and regions to organize and schedule for the two-year alignment period.
The first contests under the new alignment will take place the fall of 2011. The enrollment data upon which the alignment is based will be less than one year old.
"Geographic alignment and competitive balance should still be considered," said Robins. "This new plan that involves the 3 to 1 ratio will not have a significant impact on 4A and 5A schools."
He said only a few will feel the benefit or loss.
"While I was at Springville, I never heard a coach complain about competing with 5A schools. They are so similar it does not make much difference if you are 1,500 enrollment or 2,300," he said.
The large schools have the capability of dealing with ratios and students in those large schools move from school to school almost daily. With open enrollment, it is even easier.
"Since coming to Juab, my perspective on this issue with 3A schools is vastly different," Robins said. "Class 3A stands to suffer the most with this ratio plan."
Yet 3A was the class least capable of dealing with ratios.
"Our students mostly stay in their community high school their entire four years," he said. "Schools our size competing with the likes of Snow Canyon, Dixie, Salem Hills, and Maple Mountain could be devastating."
He said that those schools have the population size and tax base to provide greater opportunities to students than did Juab High.
"I know this because I was one of them a short time ago," said Robins.
He would be disappointed in UHSAA if our current region ends up getting split.
"I believe we have developed and renewed some great rivalries and traditions," he said. "We are very similar in demographics and enrollment."
In addition, Robins said, the schools now competing with each other were also geographically very close making it affordable for parents and fans to travel to events.
Most importantly, all of the schools competing with Juab were rural.
"I think mixing rural and urban school is not the answer," said Robins. "No matter how this falls, I am asking UHSAA to please consider keeping our region together."
A two year, rather than four year, alignment period allows for adjustments more often as enrollments rise and fall at a number of schools.
Meanwhile, the UHSAA board of trustees said they hoped that this method of assigning schools to classifications will increase fairness and efficiency by providing for equity between regions in qualification for the post-season.
Two members from each classification were assigned to the new Realignment Committee.
|
