The Corning and Villisca School Boards met in joint session at the Villisca High School Gymnasium on Dec. 14 and elected to hold off on Whole Grade Sharing (WGS) until the 2013-14 school year, following the recommendations of the administrations and members of both communities.

“I would hate to push it too fast and have something go wrong,” said Corning-Villisca shared Superintendent Willie Stone.

Though both Boards agreed that next August would come quickly, Corning Board Member Kenya Haffner expressed concern that the issue be shelved. “I don’t want us to lose momentum or stop the progress,” she said.

Villisca Board President Jason Poston agreed, and pushed the conversation toward reasonable elements of extra-curricular activities that could be shared.

Discussion ensued, with the only firm decision enacted being that the schools not share a football team. Both schools will operate independent eight-man football teams and unite the following year in that model, before returning to 11-man competition in the 2014 football season.

“I think our Boards have listened to both communities in delaying implementation of WGS to the 2013-14 school year, making sure it’s done in the correct way,” said Stone. “Both Districts are going to be looking at what academics and co-curriculars we can reasonably share in the 2012-13 school year to get kids familiarized with each other.”

In addition to establishing a consensus to share in 2013, the Boards discussed transportation, student jurisdiction and records/graduation issues, as well as establishing a rough draft at what a WGS agreement for grades 6-12 would look like, electing to establish sharing for a period of five years, with automatic one-year renewals following that period, and an 18-month cancellation notice.

“Both Boards are excited about taking two good school districts and making one great school district that will provide excellent opportunities for our students,” said Stone.

The Boards will next meet in joint session in the Corning High School Auditorium on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. to continue moving the process forward.