The Perry Community School District is taking the next step to join the Heart of Iowa Conference for all activities.

At a special School Board meeting in October, Activities Director Scott Pierce asked for the Board’s support in exploring other conferences that resemble Perry’s community. Pierce says it’s hard to gain momentum and keep quality coaches when they’re at a competitive disadvantage, as a lot of Perry activities have seen in recent years. The Board supported the idea. Board President Kyle Baxter noted that he’s come around to support a possible move following conversations he’s had with the community after the topic was first brought to the Board’s attention in January.

Monday the Board approved a resolution to begin the application process to join the Heart of Iowa Conference. High School Principal Dan Marburger will meet with principals from the other participating schools. If Perry is accepted, they will then have to formally leave their current activity conference, the Raccoon River Conference. Superintendent Clark Wicks says this is a complicated process. Even if the application and withdrawal process goes smoothly, there’s a lot of scheduling work to be done from activities directors from both the Raccoon River and Heart of Iowa conferences as they’ll have to reshape their schedules. Wicks emphasizes that the move likely wouldn’t take place until after the next school year.