VHSL Press Releases provide information on League activities and programs of particular interest to the media and its readership.

MEMORANDUM TO:  Virginia media

FROM:  Ken Tilley, executive director and Bob Button, assistant director

RE:  Redistricting and Reclassification

DATE:  Sept. 21, 2000

The Executive Committee of the Virginia High School League adopted a plan on Thursday, Sept. 21, for assigning member schools to district, region and group classifications effective with the 2001-02 school year for a two-year period.

The plan presented by the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee was approved 26-0-1 following several amendments based on appeals presented Wednesday by member schools.

"The committee was very sensitive to issues of travel and academic standards raised by a number of schools, particularly with the new emphasis on SOL testing, but that was balanced with a concern for fair competition based on the size of schools," said Ken Tilley, VHSL executive director.

In other action, the Executive Committee supported efforts by the League’s lawyers to defend the League’s position in the Title IX lawsuit over the alignment of girls sports seasons. The issue will be addressed with the membership and with school superintendents in meetings scheduled for October.

Independent of the lawsuit, the Executive Committee noted that alignment of seasons should be an agenda item for its December meeting.

The attached chart shows the final district, regional and group assignments for all VHSL schools, including the assignment of new schools scheduled to open during the two-year assignment.

Prior to giving final approval on Thursday, the Executive Committee heard appeals on Wednesday from member schools, districts and regions that had concerns with the proposal sent forward by the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee. The committee granted seven variances and denied nine requests.

The following amendments to the plan presented by the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee were approved:

A request to make the existing Dogwood a combined AA/A district was approved, 19-2-6, with Appomattox, Gretna and Nelson County participating in Region III, Group AA and Altavista, William Campbell and Chatham in Region B, Group A. Details of this arrangement, including playoff representation, are subject to approval of the respective regions and the Executive Committee. The request was supported by all districts and regions affected. (NOTE: Prince Edward County will join the Dogwood District AA schools following separate action covered later in this release.)

The Redistricting and Reclassification Committee proposal for four districts in Group A, Region D was overturned 25-0-1 at the request of the region, and the current Black Diamond, Cumberland and Lonesome Pine districts will be maintained, with Gate City joining Lonesome Pine.

A request by James Wood, Park View-Sterling, Fauquier, Loudoun County and Broad Run to play down in the Northwestern and new Dulles districts in Group AA, as recommended in the Redistricting and Reclassification proposal, was approved 18-7-2. The schools had the support of receiving districts and Region II.

Rockbridge County won its request, 26-0-1, to be moved from the Blue Ridge District in Region III to the Valley District in Region II.

Pulaski County, which will be a Group AA school, was moved from the Southwest District, as proposed, to the Blue Ridge District, by a vote of 22-2-3.

Lebanon, which is a Group A school but had been assigned to Group AA, won approval 24-0-3 to move to the Hogoheegee District in Group A.

James Monroe will be permitted, by a vote of 24-1-1, to join the Battlefield District, Group AA for participation in field hockey and swimming only. In all other activities, the school will compete in the Northern Neck District in Group A.

The following waivers were denied:

The existing membership in the Seminole District was maintained following a 22-2-3 vote to deny requests by E.C. Glass and Halifax County to play down in Group AA. The Group AAA schools were placed in the restructured Western Valley District by a vote of 25-0-2.

Albemarle’s request to play down in the Group AA, Jefferson District, as recommended in the Redistricting and Reclassification proposal, was denied 22-4-1, and the school was assigned to the Group AAA, Commonwealth District.

Patrick Henry-Roanoke’s request to play down in Group AA was denied 24-1-2. Cave Spring’s request to play down for both years of the assignment or for at least the second year of the assignment was denied 22-3-2. The Cave Spring request was based on the proposed construction of a new school that would split the existing school. The assignments for Patrick Henry and Cave Spring remains with the Western Valley District in Group AAA as recommended in the Redistricting and Reclassification proposal.

Northampton, the only Group AA school on the Eastern Shore, was denied 16-8-2 its request to play down in Group A, as had been recommended, and the existing combined A/AA Eastern Shore District will be maintained.

Prince Edward County’s request to play down in the James River District, as had been recommended, was denied 22-4-1, and the school which will have Group AA enrollment will be placed in the newly combined Dogwood District.

South Lakes was denied permission, 24-0-3, to move from the Concorde District to the Liberty District, both in the Northern Region in Group AAA.

Fieldale-Collinsville, Laurel Park and Bassett in Henry County were denied permission, 25-1-1, to re-establish the Piedmont District as a combined district with Group A schools competing in Region D.

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VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PLAN
GROUP AAA, 2001-02 AND 2002-03

VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PLAN
GROUP AA, 2001-02 AND 2002-03

VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PLAN
GROUP A, 2001-02 AND 2002-03