The Decorah School District’s search for a new conference will continue after their request to join the Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) was denied.
Decorah and Charles City are both currently in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC), but the league will dissolve after the 2024-25 school year. Up until June 30th, Waverly-Shell Rock (WSR) was also in the NEIC, so all three schools have been looking to join new conferences starting with the 2025-26 school year.
Earlier this month, all three entered into separate mediations with the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic in their efforts to find new conference homes. Last week, requests for Decorah to join the UIC and for WSR to join the WaMac Conference were both denied.
Charles City was the only school to receive the outcome they desired, with the Comets approved to join the North Central Conference (NCC) starting next July 1st. Charles City will be a non-voting NCC member for two years and gain full-member status with the ‘27-28 school year.
Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin and WSR Superintendent David Hill say school officials remain committed to securing the opportunity for their students to participate in a conference for extra-curricular activities as provided for by the Iowa administrative rules. Those rules also allow for the schools to get a review of their denials within 45 days with Education Director McKenzie Snow or her designee.
While the Vikings are set to “play out the string” in the NEIC this school year, the Go-Hawks will compete as an independent.
Cresco-Crestwood, New Hampton and Waukon are also completing their final run with the NEIC this school year, with all three set to join the UIC starting with the ’25-26 school.
