Six area schools could move classifications for 2014-16

You know those new high school regions and rivalries you were just getting used to? Don't get too attached.

By Monday, those regions could look very different indeed after the Georgia High School Association's Reclassification Committee meets in Thomaston to re-draw the current set-ups for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.

The meeting could produce some very intriguing new set-ups indeed for a number of area schools, including Buford, Jefferson, Lumpkin County, North Hall, Stephens County and White County.

According to the FTE (enrollment) numbers recently released by the GHSA, Buford, North Hall and White County could climb one classification level to AAAA, while Lumpkin County and Stephens County could drop a level to AAA. Jefferson, meanwhile, is slated to move up to Class AAA.

Nothing is set in stone yet -- though the chisels will get warmed up on Monday -- but if the GHSA goes by the same standards set two years ago when it moved from a five- to six-class set-up, those moves could become reality.

Following Monday's meeting, the GHSA's member schools will have the opportunity to decide whether they want to "play up" in classification -- competing in a region made up schools with larger enrollments -- or appeal for a lateral transfer to another region within their classification.

The process will continue throughout December and into January, when the GHSA's Executive Committee will meet in Macon (on Jan. 14) to hear any final appeals and ratify the reclassification plan.