It’s not just the Spartans looking to make a switch.

Officials at Woodward Middle School are also considering a change in their sport league affiliation.

WMS athletes currently compete in the North Olympic Middle School League.

But at the last meeting of the Bainbridge Island School Board, WMS Associate Principal Travis Tebo shared concerns he had received from coaches, teachers, students and parents about the long travel times and a large number of missed classes the school’s athletes had endured after it joined the North Olympic league.

Woodward is in the second year of its two-year agreement with the league, and WMS coaches have asked Tebo to look into whether Woodward should change leagues from the North Olympic Middle School League to the West Sound Middle School League.

In a recent memo to District Superintendent Peter Bang-Knudsen, Tebo said changing to the West Sound league would cut down on missed class times and also save money.

Tebo said missed class time would be reduced by two-thirds, and bus rides to sporting events would be shorter, under 40 minutes in length. The shorter trips are expected to cut transportation costs in half.

The switch in leagues would also offer WMS “athletes the same opportunities our current league provides,” Tebo noted.

Bainbridge must make a decision by Jan. 31 on the change to allow both leagues to prepare for the move.

The proposal will come back to the Bainbridge Island School Board for a vote at the board’s Jan. 30 meeting.

The North Olympic Middle School League includes Blue Heron (Port Townsend), Chimacum, Forks, Sequim, and Stevens (Port Angeles).

While Poulsbo and Kingston are currently in the North Olympic Middle School League, both schools will be moving to the Westsound Middle School League in the coming school year.

If WMS joins the West Sound league, the league would have 13 schools in its membership.

The dozen other teams are Central Kitsap Middle School, Fairview, Kingston, Klahowya, Poulsbo, Ridgetop, Cedar Heights, Curtis, Hawkins, Marcus Whitman, Mountain View, and Sedgwick.

Tebo said Woodward would probably be grouped with Central Kitsap Middle School, Fairview, Kingston, Klahowya, Poulsbo, and Ridgetop for league play.

Bainbridge High School is also considering a change in leagues, with a possible departure from the Metro League. School officials are currently researching the idea and have polled coaches, students and parents.