MARION WILL NOT SUBMIT PROPOSAL: A STATEMENT AND AN EXPLANATION

I am writing to address recent developments regarding a potential sports cooperative between Marion and Freeman.

Following the Freeman School Board’s special meeting on April 2, the board requested a “formal proposal” for an all-sports cooperative from Marion. After careful consideration, I have decided not to submit this document at this time, and I want to explain why.

At the Freeman School Board meeting on March 10, board member Doug McCune expressed a desire to obtain more information, not drag things out/waste time, and have a potential conversation based off proposed event locations.  He said, “I think the information we need is shared events,” and later added, “Let’s find out what they’re thinking.” These sentiments were echoed in the board’s discussion, and School Board President Emily Andersen concluded that portion of the meeting by proposing an agenda item to “continue the discussion with a goal of getting more information in regard to shared events.” This motion passed unanimously.

In response, on March 19, I provided Freeman with a proposal outlining shared activities—precisely the information their board had requested. It was hopeful that this information would serve as a foundation for further dialogue. However, no follow-up or requests for additional discussion from Freeman regarding this submission have been received. At their most recent meeting, Andersen noted that a “formal proposal” — which she defined as a multi-page document — had not been received from Marion. This is accurate, as the Freeman Board’s March 10 motion did not specify a “formal proposal” but rather sought initial information, which we provided.

The shared activities proposal I submitted has since been made public through social media and the Freeman Courier. To my knowledge, it has not yet been discussed in an open Freeman School Board meeting.

Given the lack of response to our March 19 submission, I will not be submitting a formal proposal to Freeman unless our ongoing discussions with Parker do not come to fruition. I recognize that this decision may disappoint some in the Marion and Freeman communities, and for that, I sincerely apologize. At the same time, I must share that our potential cooperative with Parker has progressed more rapidly than expected, and we are now nearing an agreement. Submitting a formal proposal to Freeman at this stage could introduce delays that might jeopardize this opportunity for our students and community — a risk I am unwilling to take.

As was noted during Freeman’s March board meeting, school leaders must make difficult decisions in the best interest of their students, districts, and communities. While these choices may not please everyone, I believe Marion, Freeman, and Parker are each striving to do just that in this situation. Should a cooperative agreement between Marion and Parker be finalized and approved, Marion remains fully committed to honoring our existing agreements with both the Phoenix and Rebels through the 2025–2026 school year.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these decisions together.

Brian Brosnahan

Superintendent

Marion School District