RONAN - After weeks of discussion and feedback from alumni, students, parents, board trustees, coaches and community members, the Ronan School Board voted to compete in Class B for the next two years during Monday's monthly meeting.

With a vote of 6 to 1, with lone dissenter Tom Anderson, the board completed what Superintendent Andy Holmlund described as a "thorough process" with the vote.

"I believe the board entered the meeting with an open mind," Holmlund said after the meeting. "Ultimately as individual trustees, they cast their vote as they weighed the information."at Monday's meeting. Prior to the vote, two community forums had been held, coach and student surveys conducted and massive amounts of information researched by high school principal Tom Stack and activities director Lucky Larson.

Even with all that, sentiment remained mixed, and probably will continue to be; Ronan previously competed at the Class A level for 36 years.

But enrollment numbers in the school district have dipped. Set by the Montana High School Association, RHS has qualified for Class B, a level that requires be-tween 120 and 339 enrolled students for the 2010-2011 school year.

Stack said the number of RHS students, based on the current and previous three semesters average, is around 320 students. Stack said the sport most affected by the change is golf.

Class B and C schools participate in the sport during the spring, meaning the change, which will be effective during the 2011-2012 school year, would prevent athletes from playing until spring 2012.

Golf coach Rupe Paulson voted against the change in a coaches survey. If enrollment rates average more than 340 students in next two years, Ronan could be back in Class A by the 2014-15 school year, but for the time being, the Chiefs and Maidens will compete in Class B.