“I would consider it a bigger change, but I think that if we approach the right way and actually have phases and steps, it can be accomplished,” Jones said, referring to adding Jefferson Twp. and Trotwood schools to the Dayton Public league.
Trotwood has been independent since 2020 after being voted out of the Greater Western Ohio Conference, and Jefferson Twp. is independent after most recently being part of the Metro Buckeye Conference.
Dayton board member Chrisondra Goodwine said she wanted to see more in the agreement between Dayton Public and the other two schools. Goodwine, who is an attorney and currently the township administrator for Jefferson Twp., said the idea was great, but more needed to go into the process.
“I think this is a premature document, but I don’t take issue with adding them,” Goodwine said.
Goodwine asked Marvin Jones, Dayton Public’s business administrator, what the benefits of adding the other schools to DPS’s City League would be.
Jones said there could be financial benefits, including selling more tickets or merchandise for the opposing teams, but he said it was hard to be exact since he did not have data about the benefits in front of him.
Victoria Jones said if the league does expand, the last part of the expansion should be to include football. Trotwood has historically been a stronger football team than any of the Dayton Public teams, she noted.
She said starting an expansion with spring sports, which is a less busy time for the district, would be ideal.
Dayton Public is also considering hosting Jefferson Twp. and Trotwood in some academic competitions, such as the science fair and a Martin Luther King Jr. day poetry and essay competition. District leaders discussed the possibility on Tuesday but did not vote on the issue.
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