High school realignment still up in air

MIDVALE — Alarming and increasing fuel costs will cripple and possibly eliminate sports programs at some schools if certain elements of the second realignment draft remain in the 2009-13 alignment plan that will be finalized next month.

That was the message sent by administrators from Dixie, Emery, Carbon and the Nebo School District at the final realignment hearings at the Utah High School Activities Association offices on Tuesday. The UHSAA's board of trustees listened to the arguments presented by 11 high schools and five school districts. It was the last opportunity for school administrators to voice their concerns before the alignment plan for 2009-13 is finalized at the next board of trustees meeting on June 10.

The overwhelming theme of the hearings on Tuesday was travel costs and it included some staggering examples. Nebo School District Superintendent Chris Sorensen attended the hearings to simply thank the board of trustees for taking the Washington County schools out of the Utah Valley South region. They were included in the rough draft second proposal, but removed when the second draft was officially revised last week.

If schools such as Spanish Fork and Springville had to travel to St. George on a consistent basis, Sorensen said it would have raised travel costs for his district by $300,000 per year. Carbon principal Robert Cox, who did not make a presentation at the hearings but was allowed to address the board, said fuel costs might wipe out his athletic programs.

Dixie principal Craig Hammer didn't say his situation is as dire as Cox's, but did voice some concerns. The St. George schools, at the first realignment hearings last month, expressed the desire to be in a 4A league with Utah County schools. After examining the costs of doing so, they've had a change of heart.

"We do not want to travel," said Hammer, who requested that the St. George schools remain in 3A. "We can't afford to travel."

Representatives from Juan Diego and Judge Memorial also made presentations regarding travel. The two schools requested to be moved from the 3A Central region to 3A North. They will likely join a league featuring Bear River, Morgan, Grantsville and Ben Lomond, rather than the east, which would mean taking long bus rides to places such as Emery, Carbon and Union.

Travel wasn't the only reason why school administrators requested hearings on Tuesday. A look at the other developments: