SCHOOL BOARDS TO DISCUSS CO-OP APRIL 8
JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER
School boards from Freeman Public, Freeman Academy and Marion will meet jointly in special session next week Thursday, April 8 to continue the discussion about a cooperative in boys and girls basketball, cross-country, golf, track and volleyball. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Freeman High School gym and will be streamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
Freeman Public Superintendent Kevin Kunz told The Courier on Monday that representatives from all three schools met in committee last week and agreed to the joint board meeting, and that the public will be invited to address the boards in an organized public forum. Kunz also said all three boards are expected to vote on whether to move forward with the proposed sports cooperative beginning in the fall of 2021.
“That is my understanding,” he said.
Next week’s special meeting will come 17 days after the Freeman Public School Board held a special public meeting to discuss the proposed cooperative and get feedback from the public. That March 22 meeting revealed concern from the majority of those who spoke out that the fall of 2021 was too soon to have something in place, and all five board members from Freeman Public agreed that more information and discussion was in the best interest of the district and the public.
Discussions about an athletic partnership have not included football, soccer or wrestling. Freeman Public remains committed to its football cooperative with Canistota into the foreseeable future while players from Marion and Freeman Academy have been invited to attach themselves to the Bridgewater/Emery-Ethan program.
Freeman Academy’s soccer program includes an invitation for student-athletes from Freeman Academy and Marion to participate; likewise, Marion/Freeman wrestling includes the option of an attachment from students attending Canistota, FA and Menno.
Note that Freeman Public School board meetings are archived on the district’s YouTube channel (search Freeman Public School) and board members can be contacted through email at the following addresses:
Kyle Weier (chair): weier_kyle@hotmail.com
Corey Gall: cgall@msb-sd.com
Mark Miller: millerfamily@goldenwest.net
Slade Ammann: slade_ammann@hotmail.com
Cody Fransen: fran_codered14@hotmail.com
