In a 6-0 nothing vote last night, the Rochelle Township High School board approved a resolution to withdraw from the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference and join the Interstate 8 Conference. Absent from the meeting was board president Tom Huddleston.
RTHS will leave the NI Big 12 conference following the 2018-19 school year. Ottawa, LaSalle-Peru. Morris and Geneseo also plan to leave the conference and join Plano and Sandwich high schools in the Interstate 8 Conference.
RTHS Superintendent Jason Harper and Principal Chris Lewis both said enrollment, competitive balance, and travel were the 3 major reasons for the change.
Harper said that since RTHS left the NCIC, they have had only 5 conference champions in the Western Sun and Northern Illinois Big 12 Conferences.
Lewis said they plan to look for an 8th school to join the league.
This will be the third conference for RTHS since the left the NCIC.
Resignations last night included Erin Michaelson as Social Studies teacher and Joshua Rodriguez as English Language Learner and Spanish teacher.
Hirings included Dale Bergeson as a technology instructor. He must first complete the endorsement process.
Kevin Crandall has been named "Athletic Director of the Year" in Class 3A/4A Division 3 in the association he belongs to. Crandall is 1 of 6 candidates for the "Athletic Director of the Year" award for the state.
