Central Lee sends request to Southeast Conference

DONNELLSON – The Central Lee School Board is moving ahead with its plan to join the Southeast Conference.
At Tuesday’s regular monthly summer board meeting, the school board voted unanimously to send a letter dated Monday, June 15th to the Southeast Conference with a request to join middle school activities starting with the 2027-28 school year. Varsity activities would begin with the 2028-29 school year, if the move is approved by the conference and its members.
Board member Mark Hulsebus said he would prefer to see the district postpone sending the letter for three months until the district can get a more accurate look at next year’s certified enrollment.
“If you’re asking my opinion, I think we should wait until August,” Hulsebus said. “But I’m not going to vote against it.”
Board member Matt Doty was also concerned about joining the conference which is made up of predominantly larger schools than Central Lee, including Burlington, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Washington, Mt. Pleasant, Fairfield, and Oskaloosa in 2028.
"What’s the difference between today and September,” Doty asked.
Superintendent Dr. Andy Crozier, who was leading his final meeting before leaving the district at the end of the month to take over as Waukee’s superintendent, said sending the letter now gives Activities Director Tyler Bryant additional time to prepare.
“Don’t underestimate how far in the future Tyler is already planning stuff. It happens two to three years in advance,” Crozier said.
“This gives you two full years. Our seniors and juniors right now are smaller classes, but we know that fifth and sixth grade are some of the larger sizes. So two years from now, fifth and sixth will be entering that season as eighth and ninth grade. We will start to see the first impact for enrollment for the district at that time. The reality is that you’ll be a 3A school in a 1A conference very soon.”
Crozier said the letter puts the wheels in motion.
Doty said he favors the opportunities it presents for the students of the district.
“Does it translate into more athletes in the high school level because we go this route? To me, that’s where the opportunity exits,” Doty said.

Board member Brock Westfall said he could go either way.
“I’ll address the elephant in the room. If we were kicking a** in the conference we’re at now, which I don’t feel we are, I would have no problem with this. It would be a no-brainer,” he said.
“My hesitation – if we lose certified enrollment and we go down what is that going to make us look like. But I do like the opportunity it provides and I like being prepared to play tougher teams to get us to the next level of post-season.”
Crozier said if six or seven years down the road it isn’t making sense, they can make another change and make a case for that change.
“The reality is even if your kindergarten numbers are down, it doesn’t change the next 10 years,” Crozier said.
The move will affect conference activities and sports, but not district sports such as football because football is set up by class and district and not per conference. However, logistically, the same schools make sense to schedule for district savings.
Central Lee has been a member of the Southeast Iowa Superconference (SEISC) for more than 30 years. The change would need approval from the Southeast Conference Schools and from the Conference Realignment Committee appointed by the Iowa Legislature. 
Based on current enrollment trends, Central Lee is expected to compete as a Class 3A school in nearly all sports within the next few years. The district also has added several activities and athletic programs in recent years, including girls soccer and boys and girls bowling, which are not currently recognized within the SEISC structure.
District officials noted that lower-level competitions within the SEISC were sometimes reduced or canceled because of participation numbers among smaller schools.
In addition to athletics, Central Lee leadership aims to continue discussions about expanding conference-based opportunities for students involved in activities like choir, band, science fair, and clubs.
The district also cited Central Lee’s enrollment size, geographic location, range of activities, and academic reputation as factors that make the district a strong fit within the Southeast Conference.
In a related issue, the board also approved small fee increases for activities passes with the Southeast Conference charging $7 per event and Bryant said it made sense to incrementally move that direction.
In other action, the board approved the purchase of two used 12-passenger vans with less than 20,000 miles and a minivan for special education transportation purposes. The cost will come from the district putting off buying another school bus. The total cost is anticipated to be just below the cost of the new school bus.