The number of school representatives expected to attend next week’s meeting that will explore measures including leaving the PIAA and forming a new high school sports organization continues to grow, and now includes three Indiana County schools. And the PIAA isn’t helping its case, with executive director Bob Lombardi calling district superintendents who plan to be there “rogue superintendents”.
262 school officials, including superintendents, athletic directors, principals, and coaches, have reported that they will be there when the meeting convenes on Tuesday at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in State College.
A list of attendees supplied by Laurel County Superintendent Leonard Rich, and confirmed yesterday to Renda Broadcasting by Homer Center Principal and District 6 official Jody Rainey, includes representatives from Homer Center, Marion Center, and United. Rainey says he’s particularly interested in defining what exactly constitutes a non-boundary school, pointing out that public schools which allow outside students to enroll for tuition are technically “non-boundary”, and a vast majority of districts do that. Another issue for him is the long-standing passing of the buck on the playoff question, with the PIAA claiming it’s the legislature’s responsibility and the legislature saying it’s the PIAA’s. Most of all, Rainey says the heart of the matter is what is best for the students.
The list of attendees next Tuesday includes 108 school districts as of yesterday, 26 of them from District 6. In addition to Homer Center, Marion Center, and United, Northern Cambria and Derry Area will send representatives.
