THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 1, 1995 TAG: 9508010359
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 113 lines
The Virginia High School League Redistricting and Reclassification Committee has sent two proposals for realignment back to the membership and neither includes a proposed merger of Hampton and Norfolk schools into the Eastern District.
The more radical Plan 1 is based on enrollment figures and divides Groups AAA, AA and A into equal thirds of 95 schools each.
In Plan 1, Bayside and Tallwood shift from the Beach District to the Eastern District; Norcom and Wilson drop from the Southeastern District to Group AA; Nansemond River moves up from Group AA to the Southeastern District; and the Peninsula District moves to the Central Region.
The more traditional Plan 2 merges the three Portsmouth schools into the Eastern District and moves Nansemond River into the Southeastern District. The Beach District remains unchanged and the Peninsula District stays in the Eastern Region.
In both plans Tabb drops from the Group AAA Peninsula District to Group AA and Lakeland remains in Group AA.
``Both plans have merit,'' said Ken Tilley, executive director of the VHSL. ``Both can be defended on rational criteria, both require some sacrifices and compromises and both have flaws.''
Deep Creek principal Nathan T. Hardee, who represents the Eastern Region on the 13-member Redistricting and Reclassification Committee, voted against Plan 1.
``Group A and AA really like it, but I wouldn't have any part of it,'' he said. ``We know somebody is going to suffer. The key is to find the least amount. Norcom and Wilson and the two Beach schools would really howl about this one.''
A motion to send Plan 2 forward to the Executive Committee for final approval was denied on a 6-6 vote with one abstention. Hardee voted for the motion.
The Eastern Region had sought to ward off any surprise or unwelcome changes by making its own recommendations to the committee. They included merging the five Norfolk schools with the four Hampton schools to alleviate the Eastern District's scheduling problems.
``They wouldn't buy it,'' Hardee said. ``Some of the AA members were very familiar with the Tidewater area and right off said that Portsmouth would be a better fit with Norfolk as far as tunnel traffic. . . . plus it would keep the Peninsula together.''
Granby principal Michael Caprio was a strong supporter of merging Norfolk and Hampton, but welcomes the addition of any schools to the Eastern District.
``I can live with Plan 1 or 2,'' Caprio said. ``Our whole purpose is to get some guaranteed games.''
The Eastern Region principals will meet Aug. 9 and are expected to endorse one of the plans, Churchland principal Raymond Hale said. Hale is the region chairman.
Hale expressed concern about Plan 1, which would separate Churchland from Portsmouth neighbors Norcom and Wilson.
``One thing we've worried about from the beginning is breaking up natural rivalries and and keeping schools in a city together,'' he said.
The Redistricting and Reclassification Committee, which is made up of one member from each region plus the chairman, will reconvene Aug. 22. The committee will consider the reaction from each region and then pick one plan and forward it to the 26-person Executive Committee for final approval.
The plan would go into effect for the 1996-97 school year.
The VHSL's Tilley said it is possible that whichever plan is chosen could include some tinkering.
``I'd be shocked if it is anything drastic,'' Tilley said. ``But I don't want to rule it out altogether.''
A major goal of the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee is to balance the three groups and 12 regions in the state.
Currently Group AAA has 109 schools, Group AA has 81 and Group A has 90. The Eastern Region has 34 schools, the Northwest Region 19.
Plan 1 would balance each of the groups equally. In Group AAA, all four regions would have between 23 and 25 schools.
Plan 2 is weighted toward Group AAA, which would have 117 members, compared to 84 each for Groups AA and A. In Plan 2, the Eastern Region would have 36 schools, the Northern and Central Regions would have 29 schools and the Northwest Region would have 23 schools.
The Group AAA representatives on the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee proposed expanding the number of AAA regions as a possible solution. Under Plan 1 there would be seven regions and a wildcard; under Plan 2 there would be eight regions.
The Northwest Region, which stretches from Prince William County in the Northern Virginia to Pulaski County in the West, is a big proponent of additional regions, Hardee said.
The Redistricting and Reclassification Committee voted 13-0 that because of geography the four Eastern Shore Schools would be combined into a Group AA and A District with playoff qualifiers advancing in their respective Groups and Regions.
The committee also voted 13-0 that any realignment be for a three-year period to accommodate scheduling with neighbor states.
There was also overwhelming support for having all groups bring their girls seasons in line. For example, Group AAA plays basketball in the winter and Groups AA and A play in the fall. ILLUSTRATION: [Side Bar]
Plan 1
Plan 2
Graphic
[list of schools under each plan]
Virginia High School League Plans
Plan 1
Plan 2
For copy of graphic, see microfilm
KEYWORDS: THE VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE REDISTRICTING AND RECLASSIFICATION
COMMITTEE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS DISTRICT by CNB