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The high school sports landscape routinely changes every four years with realignment, but next season will look much different.

Dr. Carla Murray, the Director of Student Services and Athletics for Stanly County Schools, made a brief presentation to the Stanly County Board of Education at Tuesday’s meeting.

At the annual meeting of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) in May 2023, the board of directors voted to expand sports from four classifications to eight, 1A to 8A.

According to average daily membership (ADM) numbers released by the NCHSAA, which includes specialty school students like the Stanly STEM school, West Stanly will now be the 12th biggest of the schools in the 4A classification with 914 students.

North Stanly will compete in the postseason in the 3A classification as the 41st biggest school out of 59 in the classification.

Albemarle (16th-528), South Stanly (26th-501) and Gray Stone Day (49th-405) will all be in the 2A classification, which has 59 schools.

Murray said the NCHSAA chose to go to eight classifications “due to the increase in the number of member schools.”

She noted the four Stanly high schools are in the middle of their respective classifications, so for the upcoming realignment, the schools have “no risk of moving” up or down a classification.

Superintendent Dr. Jarrod Dennis noted many schools currently play in conferences with split classifications. For example, members of the 1A/2A Yadkin Valley Conference or the 2A/3A Rocky River Conference play in different state playoff brackets.

The new eight classifications will be in place for the 2025-26 academic year, but Dennis noted much of next year’s scheduling, along with securing venues for state championships, are “going to come up fast.”