At the November 20, 2026, Ridgewood Local Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Mike Masloski will ask the Board to approve Ridgewood Local Schools’ withdrawal from the Inter-Valley Conference (IVC), effective with the 2028–2029 school year.

Last spring, Claymont, Tusky Valley and Sandy Valley withdrew from the conference, along with all seven IVC North schools: Newcomerstown, Buckeye Trail, Strasburg, Malvern, Tuscarawas Central Catholic, Conotton Valley and East Canton. Those departures left four schools in the conference: Ridgewood, Garaway, Indian Valley and Hiland. Since then, Ridgewood has been reaching out to other schools and exploring conference options for our athletic programs.

Ridgewood has been part of the IVC since its founding. We are disappointed to see a conference with such a strong tradition break apart. For generations, our student-athletes, coaches, and fans have looked forward to competing against neighboring schools. We are grateful for the rivalries, friendships, and memories that grew out of those matchups.

We are excited about what is ahead for Ridgewood athletics and hope to announce a new conference in December. We will share updates with our families and community on the district website and app as plans are finalized.