Commodore Perry -Mercer co-op to run through 2027-28
Apr. 4—EDITOR'S NOTE — This article is being run to clarify and correct information previously published in our Tuesday, April 2, e-edition regarding the dissolved Commodore Perry-Lakeview cooperative arrangement for football, band and cheerleading.
Students at Commodore Perry High School will participate in football, band and cheerleading alongside peers at Mercer under a cooperative agreement between the two schools.
Mercer Area School Board approved the agreement, which runs through the 2027-28 school year, in a 9-0 vote at its meeting March 18. Five days earlier, Commodore Perry School Board ratified the cooperative, 5-4.
Students from the Lakeview and Commodore Perry had participated in the three programs under the Sailors' banner through the 2023 football season.
Lakeview School Board voted in February to dissolve the cooperative relationship after PIAA enrollment figures showed that Commodore Perry's participation would push Lakeview into Class 2A, a larger enrollment classification.
The board took that vote after several Commodore Perry parents and students urged Lakeview officials to continue the cooperative relationship. Lakeview School Board's first vote to dissolve the partnership failed in a 4-4 vote.
After Lakeview agreed to rejoin the partnership when the PIAA next sets enrollment classification standards in 2026, its board approved dissolving the partnership.
Under that arrangement, Commodore Perry students who had already been participating with Lakeview's band, varsity football and cheerleading would have been allowed to continue as Sailors. However, students entering the high school programs would have been barred.
"Those kids have developed strong relationships," Lakeview Superintendent Keith Wolfe said. "I hated to see that potentially end."
Commodore Perry Superintendent Ken Jewell said including band and cheerleading in the Mercer co-op — as opposed to sending participants in those two programs to Lakeview — made the most sense.
"We didn't feel it was logical to have football at Mercer without cheerleading and band," he said.
Officials from Commodore Perry and Mercer school districts discussed a cooperative relationship between those two schools, which would allow incoming students to participate in the activity as Mustangs.
Mercer competes in PIAA Class 2A and the addition of Commodore Perry will not change that classification.
Mercer Superintendent Ronald Rowe said Mercer is eagerly anticipating its new relationship with Commodore Perry.
"We're enthusiastic about welcoming Commodore Perry kids into our programs," he said.
