While the district continues its search for a new superintendent to replace the retiring Greg Ebeling, the Pella School Board could be tasked with another decision that could have long term impacts on students in the coming years.

At Monday’s meeting, the board received details about an invitation to join the Raccoon River Conference for athletics and activities. The conference made up of several schools surrounding the Des Moines metro in central Iowa has sent a letter for Pella to join its ranks.

Ebeling says an initial survey of the athletics coaches has showed overwhelming support — but non unanimous, to join the new league and leave the Little Hawkeye Conference. Most of those coaches cited difficulty in finding non-conference opponents in many sports and the enrollment growth of those at the top of the current league, while Pella itself is anticipating at least some decline in students in the next five-to-ten years.

Ebeling also indicated that despite the addition of Ames and Des Moines Christian to the Little Hawkeye Conference next academic year, current members Pella Christian and Oskaloosa have been exploring options of a potential move out, which may change the landscape of the league to one featuring much larger members in the coming years, especially if those two decide to ultimately leave.

After this school year, the Raccoon River Conference will be made up of ADM (Adel), Ballard (Huxley), Bondurant-Farrar, Boone, Carlisle, Gilbert, North Polk (Alleman), and Winterset. Invitations have also been sent for the RRC to Nevada, who has declined, and Van Meter, who is exploring the possibility.

Regardless, the school boards of the current Raccoon River Conference will need to approve the invitation, which could happen in December. If that happens, the Pella School Board will have action on joining the league sometime in January, which comes during the superintendent search process. Pella Activities Director Matt Fouch has been asked to come up with a presentation for the board for their December 15th meeting.

Find audio from this week’s Pella School Board meeting here: