JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER When Freeman Academy hosts its traditional opening convocation Sunday night, Aug. 23, it will look and feel much different thanks to efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The 6 p.m. service will be open only to students and their families and, weather permitting, will be held on the lawn south of Sterling Hall.

JEREMY WALTNER - PUBLISHER Those who wanted to get their fill of ribs and brisket needed to get to the Freeman Volunteer Fire Department’s Firehouse Rib Cook-Off early, or at least relatively close to the 5 p.m. serving hour, because food ended up being in short supply. By 7 p.m., it was gone.

Organizers of the Freeman Winter Fair, a craft and vendor show that has been held annually since 1977 as a way to support local causes and projects, have announced they are canceling this year’s event because of COVID-19. The Winter Fair was scheduled for Oct. 31.

Freeman Elementary has released details about its plan to return to school next week and how it is dealing with COVID-19. The first day of the 2020-21 school year will be Wednesday, Aug. 19, with a 1 p.m. dismissal.  BEFORE SCHOOL

Dana Hess | For the S.D. Newspaper Association Putting on high school athletics and activities during a pandemic is going to take patience, flexibility and constant communication. That was the consensus during a strategic planning session of the South Dakota High School Activities Association board of directors and executive staff. 

JEREMY WALTNER   - PUBLISHER Growing up on a farm 4½ miles north of Menno, Kent Mettler has distinct memories of his mom, Carol, ringing an old school bell when she needed to get in touch with members of her family.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER “The same but different” is a phrase that could be used to describe any number of events taking place this summer in spite of the coronavirus pandemic that has now run five months strong in the United States. Those words are certainly appropriate for what will be the seventh annual Firehouse Rib Cook-Off, which returns to the Freeman Swimming Pool Park this Saturday afternoon and evening, Aug. 15, and exactly how founder and organizer Chad Soulek sums up the 2020 event.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER Students heading back to school in Menno next week are being “strongly encouraged” to wear masks in-between classes and when dealing with others in close proximity. That’s according to Tom Rice, who is in his first year as superintendent in Menno. “We don’t do it for ourselves, we do it for others,” he said. “My first priority is my kids and a very close second is my teachers. Seven of them are over the age of 60 and I don’t need them being compromised.”

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER School officials from Freeman Public unanimously voted to acknowledge the district’s back-to-school plan released last week that attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 but spent about 40 minutes in discussion — specifically about the recommendation to wear masks. Board president Kyle Weier questioned why that was included in the plan when South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has said otherwise.

After five months out of the classroom, students from Freeman and Menno public schools will report for a new year next week. Menno Public is the first to begin the 2020-21 term with the first day of class — a half day — scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18. It will also be a 1 p.m. dismissal in Menno on Aug. 19. Freeman Public’s first day will be Aug. 19 and will also be a half-day of instruction. The first full day will be Thursday, Aug. 20. Freeman Academy is scheduled to start its year with a full day of class on Wednesday, Aug. 26.