A Clinch Mountain District

The Clinch Mountain District is a member of the Virginia High School League. The league's mission is to establish and maintain "standards for student activities and competitions that promote education, personal growth, sportsmanship, leadership and citizenship." The secondary schools within the district compete in various events, predominantly athletics. The district was formed as part of a comprehensive redistricting plan to balance the four regions competing in Groups A and AA.

The district's initial five member schools were Gate City High School, John S. Battle High School, Lebanon High School, Lee High School, and Virginia High School. All five secondary schools are located in Southwestern Virginia either along or to the northwest of Interstate 81. As of the 2006 realignment, the student enrollments of the schools were as follows: Battle, 638; Gate City, 599; Lebanon, 575; Lee, 840; and Virginia, 730.

Lee High has an enrollment that would normally put it in Group AA. However, by 2007, several nearby schools had dropped down to Group A due to declining enrollment. The nearest AA schools were now in Marion, Bristol and Abingdon—more than an hour and a half away. Thus, a travel hardship was declared, allowing Lee to play in Group A.

Virginia High School was also assigned to play in Group AA. The school had successfully appealed assignment to the Lonesome Pine District of Group A during the 2005 redistricting plan, but this time chose not to appeal. With Lee and Virginia out of the district, the old Highlands District had only two member schools, both of which were assigned to the Southwest District, according to the state's 2007-08 and 2008-09 Final Alignment Plan.

Gate City High School was taken from the Lonesome Pine District and reunited with rival schools Lee and Virginia. The move was necessary to balance the district.

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