SHELBINA, Mo.- At the regular monthly board meeting of the Shelby County R-IV (South Shelby) school district held Wednesday night, the district voted unanimously to accept a formal invitation to join the Lewis and Clark Conference. The move will take effect beginning with the 2027-28 school year. Superintendent Dr. Billy Daleske said the decision did not come lightly but was deemed necessary for the school's future.
Dr. Daleske issued a statement Thursday afternoon. "Our goal at South Shelby is to continue to provide our students with the best opportunities to learn, grow, compete and be successful in all activities. Many hours of research and data review went into this decision, specifically enrollment comparisons and future enrollment trends.
"Conference academic/activity offerings, and travel impact were also considered. The Lewis and Clark will provide our students with many of the same opportunities they currently have, and the overall travel time is nearly identical to what we have now. We appreciate our many years as a proud member of the Clarence Cannon Conference, and wish all the member schools the very best moving forward."
Athletic Director Rob Wilt added his thoughts about the decision. "We are excited about joining the Lewis and Clark conference starting in the 2027-28 school year. With our declining enrollment, we felt like it was a better fit for us going forward. It will be hard to leave the Clarence Cannon Conference, but we felt the move was in the best interest of our student athletes and activities."
The Lewis and Clark Conference issued the following statement:
The Lewis & Clark Conference Proudly Welcomes the South Shelby Cardinals
The Lewis & Clark Conference is thrilled to announce that the South Shelby School District will officially join our ranks as a member district beginning in the 2027- 2028 academic year.
Known for their competitive spirit and community-driven excellence, the South Shelby Cardinals (and Ladybirds) bring a storied athletic tradition and high academic standards that perfectly complements our existing membership. South Shelby will join our current lineup of proud programs:
Westran
Scotland County
North Shelby
Knox County
Schuyler County
Paris
Salisbury
"We are incredibly proud to welcome the Cardinals into the Lewis & Clark family" said the Conference Board in a joint statement. "Our conference is defined by the strength of its small-town rivalries and a commitment to MSHSAA sportsmanship. Adding a districtwith the character and caliber of South Shelby ensures a bright and competitive future for all our student-athletes"
Welcome to the Conference, South Shelby Cardinals!
