The Freeman Public Schools is seeking public input on the issue of sports consolidation and school cooperation through a survey being distributed to district patrons this week.
Freeman Public Superintendent Jake Tietje says all residents living in the school district were mailed the survey, with instructions on how to answer the questions.
The survey grows out of previous conversations about a partnership with neighboring districts — specifically, a three-school sports cooperative in most sports between Freeman Public, Freeman Academy and Marion with a look toward school consolidation with Marion in upcoming years.
At a joint meeting between all three school boards in April, a sports cooperative in all sports — with the exception of football — fell one vote short of passing. School boards from Freeman Academy and Marion both voted unanimously in favor of the partnership beginning in the fall of 2021, while Freeman Public voted against it 3-2.