Round 1 of changes to the Upstate EIght Conference is nearing a resolution, but the second phase could be just as interesting.

Glenbard East principal Josh Chambers said this week that he is hopeful the district’s school board will be prepared to vote on the Upstate Eight Conference’s invitation by its Jan. 28 meeting. West Aurora’s board voted earlier this week to authorize the school to join the UEC, but West Aurora’s fate appears linked to Glenbard East since the UEC wants an even number of schools in the conference for scheduling purposes.

If Glenbard East and West Aurora both join, the UEC would expand from 14 schools to 16 for either the 2014-15 school year or 2015-16, depending on how long the DuPage Valley Conference board of control makes the exiting schools wait before departing. That 16-school total assumes no current UEC schools bolt (potentially for the DVC) in the meantime.