CHASKA -- From a post on the District 112 Web site:

This week, the School Board of the Eastern Carver County Schools will again discuss the possibility of moving Chaska High and Chanhassen High from the Lake Conference to the Missota Conference in fall, 2010.

Following up on a board discussion earlier this year, administrators are ready to ask the Board, at its June 25 meeting, to approve a letter to the Missota Conference seeking admission for both district high schools.

Expected smaller enrollment numbers at both schools for the next few years have generated months of internal discussion concerning the appropriate conference to provide a challenging but competitive opportunity for District 112 kids in both athletics and activities.

Chanhassen High expects approximately 1,300 students in the fall of 2010 when the change would take effect, as does Chaska High.

"We have simply concluded that Lake Conference participation, in the wake of our changes in enrollment size and the expected changes in the membership of the Lake Conference later this summer, is not in the best interest of our students," said Superintendent David Jennings. "The Missota Conference, meanwhile, offers both a similar range of athletics and activities and similar school enrollment levels to our own. We believe it would offer the best competition for our students."

The letter, to be discussed by the Board on Thursday, begins the formal process in asking the Missota Conference to consider Chaska High and Chanhassen High for membership in the fall of 2010.