UHSAA trustees mulling realignment proposal

It's tough to look into the future and decide which schools will grow and which will shrink. But that's exactly the challenge facing the Utah High School Activities Association's Board of Trustees.

The group met Thursday and for the first time saw a proposal of changes that will go into effect in the 2005-2006 school year. And while no public hearings have been held on the proposal, the UHSAA is anticipating a lot of rumbling. The proposal moves six Utah County schools, including 3A's Lehi, to a fourth region in 5A, the state's largest classification. It moves Cottonwood to 4A and Juan Diego from 2A to 3A in the same region as Judge Memorial.

The next Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Jan. 8, where the proposal will likely undergo some modifications. The UHSAA executive committee, which adopts the final changes, will discuss it two weeks later in their monthly board meeting.

The realignment process is something the state goes through every four years — whether it likes it or not. Excell doesn't see this year's proposed changes as very dramatic, but knows any change is difficult for a community. The proposal is as follows:

5A Classification (27 schools)

Region 1: Clearfield, Davis, Fremont, Layton, Northridge, Sky View and Weber. Region 2: Alta, Brighton, Hillcrest, Jordan, Olympus, Skyline and Viewmont. Region 3: Bingham, Copper Hills, Hunter, Kearns, Riverton, Taylorsville and West Jordan. Region 4: American Fork, Lehi, Lone Peak, Pleasant Grove, Spanish Fork and Timpanogos.

4A Classification (19 schools)

Region 5: Bonneville, Bountiful, Box Elder, Logan, Mtn. Crest and Roy. Region 6: Cottonwood, Cyprus, East, Granger, Highland, Murray and West. Region 7: Mtn. View, Orem, Payson, Provo, Springville and Timpview.

3A Classification (22 schools):

Region 8: Bear River, Ben Lomond, Morgan, Ogden and Woods Cross. Region 9: Granite, Grantsville, Juan Diego, Judge Memorial and Tooele. Region 10: Carbon, Park City, Wasatch, Union and Uintah. Region 11: Cedar City, Canyon View, Dixie, Hurricane, Pine View, Snow Canyon and Tuacahn.

2A Classification (23 schools)

Region 12: Beaver, Cross Creek, Enterprise, Kanab, Millard and Parowan. Region 13: Delta, Gunnison, Manti, N. Sanpete, N. Sevier, RIchfield and S. Sevier. Region 14: Juab, N. Summit, Rowland Hall, S. Summit and Waterford. Region 15: Grand, Emery, Monticello, San Juan and Whitehorse.

1A Classification (33 schools)

Region 16: Bryce Valley, Escalante, Milford, Panguitch, Piute, Valley and Wayne. Region 17 North: Altamont, Duchesne, Manila, Rich Tabiona and Uintah River. Region 17 South: Green River, Monument Valley and Navajo Mountain. Region 18: Christian Heritage, Deseret Academy, Intermountain Christian, Layton Christian, Mt. Veron, Oakley, St. Joseph, SL Lutheran and West Ridge Academy. Region 19: Dugway, East Carbon, Eskdale, Meridian, Tintic, Wasatch Academy, Wendover, and West Desert.

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