The move, which would save Joplin taxpayers money by eliminating some of the distance it is having to travel for away games with its current affiliation with the Ozark Conference, has some opposition among Central Ozark administrators and athletic directors because Joplin High School has 500 more students than Nixa, the next largest school in the conference.
A first vote moved the Joplin request forward. The conference superintendents will make a final decision in December.
Republic Superintendent Chance Wistrom, a Webb City native, and former teacher and coach in the Joplin and Carthage school districts, made his feelings clear at the November 19 board of education meeting:
Wistrom said the benefits of admitting Joplin would be that the large division of the COC would have ten schools in it, it would reduce travel times for western conference members and add another class six opponent.
However, Joplin is 40 percent larger than Republic and a number of other districts and has the potential for rapid growth as newly constructed residential areas fill with people.
The board agreed with Wistrom, and said they would prefer to block Joplin’s admission.
If Joplin's request is approved, the Eagles would join the COC's larger schools division, which includes Branson, Carl Junction, Neosho, Nixa, Ozark, Republic, Webb City, and Willard.
Currently, Joplin plays in the Ozark Conference with Camdenton, Glendale, Hillcrest, Kickapoo, Lebanon, Parkview, Rolla, Waynesville, and West Plains. Joplin is also the largest school in the Ozark Conference.
12 comments:
Why didn't Joplin build two high schools?
Go independent for football at least.
Joplin should have never gone back to a single high school to begin with.
In the late 1980's, the board relented to a member who felt that if we went back to a single high school we would be a major force in athletics.
He was wrong.
Football is the easiest for the long rides. Think about it, most games are on Friday and students could sleep in on Saturday. Week sports and activities, like baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc are hard on students after long bus rides. They have to go to school the next day.
Wait, school is not for academics.
Two schools were suggested to CJ. Huff. He would not entertain the thought of two smaller high schools. Go figure.
If two schools had been built, can you imagine the fight over who would have had to attend with those awful North side people? Classes still would not be started yet and of course the wonderful South school would have had to be completed first.
What funny about all this is snob hill is on the north side of town.....also have you. Seen some of those houses just north west of the soccer fields I think on lone pine. They are also in North district........ North a better school then any of them because of its make up of students.................so drop this north south thing it's getting old......
Just think of the rivals and exciting games we could have....Think of the money that could be raised in ticket sales and food sales......Joplin may have more students enrolled but that doesn't mean they all play. Sports.
9:14, the previous post looks like sarcasm.
Someone please find an interpreter for 9:14
I think he is saying that there are just as many nice houses in Norths district as in Souths and it's time to drop the North is poor thing because it's not. JUST SAYING.....
The interesting thing is when Chance Wistrom played football at webb in the late 80's , webb city played East Newton, Mt Vernon and Seneca all with half the enrollment of webb city Hmmm
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