PHOTO OF THE DAY: IN SESSION

Brian Paff, president of the board of directors at Freeman Academy stands before the Freeman Public School Board Monday night, April 14 to discuss the possibility of Freeman Academy students playing sports at Freeman Public. Here’s the full report.

AT A GLACE

• Freeman Academy asks to attach to Freeman Public and play as Flyers
• Mood largely positive, but there is uncertainty around whether combined ADM would mean jump from Class B to Class A; ‘We are very close’
• Freeman Public, Academy boards were scheduled to meet for special public forum Wednesday, April 16 at 5 p.m. and to look at formal proposal from FA
• Freeman Public board to meet again in special session Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. to make a decision
• Agreement would have to be submitted to the South Dakota High School Activities Association by April 23

AT STAKE

Sports cooperation — and where student-athletes might play — remains a fluid situation this week and won’t be fully resolved until at least next Monday night.

The latest development came this past Monday when Freeman Academy Board President Brian Paff asked the Freeman Public School Board to consider allowing Academy students to take part in athletic activities offered by Freeman Public beginning in the fall of 2025.

The discussion between Paff and Freeman Public officials took place at the board’s regular monthly meeting April 14 and came one day following the Marion School Board’s unanimous decision to form an all-sports cooperative with Parker.

Should the Parker School Board vote to establish a new partnership with Marion when it meets this Thursday, April 17 — which all indicators suggest it will — that would officially end the Freeman Academy/Marion Bearcats program established in 2016.

In response to the request from Paff on behalf of Freeman Academy, the Freeman Public School Board scheduled a special meeting — with an invitation for the FA board to attend — to receive public input. That meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 at 5 p.m.

Freeman Public will then meet again in special session Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. to make a decision.

PAFF OPENS THE DOOR

Paff, who noted “a sense of urgency” from Freeman Academy’s perspective, told the Freeman Public School Board Monday night that FA has been invited to attach to the Parker/Marion Pheasants co-op, but “I think I would be doing a disservice to our students and our families and our constituents if we didn’t at least explore the option of joining a cooperative with Freeman Public.

“We’re not asking for a lot of concessions,” he continued. “We understand that we don’t have a lot of bargaining chips, but I do think we have something to contribute to the collective sports programs at Freeman Public.”

Freeman Public board members appeared open to the idea, but since an agreement with Freeman Academy would mean their students are counted in the ADM used by the South Dakota High School Activities Association for classification, they also wondered what impact that would have on a possible jump from Class B to Class A — something that has been a sticking point for Freeman Public school boards for years.

“We are very close,” said Freeman Public Superintendent Jake Tietje, looking at estimates for the next school year, which will be a “count year” for realignment starting in 2026-27.

“I know that’s a sensitive conversation,” Paff said. “But I really do believe that there’s potential here. I know I’m also speaking out of desperation on a certain level because we want a place for our kids to play, but I think what’s more important to me — and to the whole board — is that our kids can be part of a team.”

“Our students have been on teams together, our students have gone to each other’s prom or banquet, we go to church together, we live in this community together and I think this could go a long way toward bringing our community together as one,” he continued. “I’m sad to see (the Phoenix co-op) is going to come to an end after the end of next season; I think that went a long way toward bringing some unity. I think we can hold on to that and build on that spirit of unity.”

Paff’s request of the Freeman board was for all sports; he noted that Freeman Academy students will still have the opportunity to compete as part of the Phoenix football and softball teams, as well as the Rebels wrestling team, for one more year, but his ask of Freeman Public was for a partnership in all other sports starting next year.

And while he didn’t bring an official proposal to the table, he clarified when asked what he meant by “concessions.”

“If we were to join ParMar, we wouldn’t get any home games or any home practices, and we don’t expect any difference from you all. The positive side of that, for us, it’s right here in town.”

Paff did say Freeman Academy would love to continue hosting its cross-country meet at the Freeman Prairie Arboretum, and that the school would love to continue to host the soccer program.

“That is one thing we’d love to hold on to,” he said.

Paff also said Freeman Academy would love to see its coaches invited into the fold in some manner, “but not with any demands or requirements.”

And, he said, Freeman Academy could offer the use of its Sterling Hall gymnasium for practices, something that Freeman Public Activities Director Sherrie Kafka said would be very helpful for what can often be complications in scheduling.

“It would be awesome to have another gym,” Kafka said. “We are overloaded with not having enough gym time.”

FREEMAN PUBLIC RESPONSE

There are two issues at play in this latest development: A very short window of time and the uncertainty of what this could mean for classification based on ADM, which takes into account students in grades 9-11.

A new count will take place in September to be applied for the following two-year cycle — 2026-27 and 2027-28 — and there’s no way to know for sure what that will look like. Freeman Public projected ADM is 86, with the cutoff from Class B at 89.99.

“A lot of navigating on the fly with the short period of time that it is,” said Tietje, referencing projected numbers and key dates for proposals submitted to the SDHSAA. “ADMs are a huge factor (and) something that’s going to drive this decision for us, because we are going to be so close.”

Tietje noted there is an appeals process through the SDHSAA, but that does not take place until after a team has been assigned to a class.

“I was hopeful it could be done now and we would get our answer for sure going into next year, (but) we won’t know until after the fact,” Tietje said.

“It’s tough to put your fate into somebody else’s hands,” said board member Chris Sayler, who noted he’s been part of an appeals process in front of the SDHSAA before — for football — “and didn’t do Freeman any favors.”

“I’ve got the same hesitation; I don’t want to bump a class,” said board member David Downs. “But at the same time, I think there’s a lot of benefit to unifying the community. My previous hesitation for co-ops was based on what’s best for our community and this is our community — both schools are our community.”

Paff got it.

“You need to do what’s best for your students who are currently here, and I understand the concerns around numbers,” he said. “The ParMar co-op doesn’t have to consider that with taking us on or not taking us on. They’re going to be Class A regardless.”

“The logistics of us going to the majority of our practices and home games in Parker is one of the reasons we’re here, but I don’t want this to seem like it’s just a marriage of convenience. I think there’s a lot of good that can come out of this.”

Paff said he has been here long enough to know that Freeman Academy and Freeman Public families have inherent relationships. He is a neighbor in Freeman to the Tietjes, he has served at Schmeckfest alongside Freeman Flyers parents and grandparents and has seen Freeman Academy students ride on floats in Freeman Public’s homecoming parade.

“I’ve seen our kids cheer on students from both schools under the Phoenix mascot, the Rebels mascot and even the Bobcats mascot on the soccer field,” he said. “So I know the potential is there for us to collaborate. I know there’s history (but) I think there’s a real opportunity for this community if we were to work together.”

At the same time, Paff said, “I know I can’t sway you away from concerns around the ADM. Numbers don’t lie.”

And while Tietje said he, too, has concerns, Freeman Public could use one very large class — this year’s freshman class of 35 — as leverage for an appeal before the SDHSAA board of directors.

“That’s causing us to be in the situation we’re in,” he said. “The next alignment after this one, they would be seniors (and would not factor into the ADM).”

After that class is out of the equation, he said, the projected ADM drops down to 70.

“We would have a very legitimate case (for an appeal) if we do go over the 90,” Tietje said. “But I hear what Chris is saying because you’re putting it in somebody else’s hands.”

Freeman Board President Emily Andersen said she agreed with Downs in that “there’s a lot of upsides to doing this. My one concern is the time. We are so close on time and, I’m like a broken record here, but I really want to hear from the other constituents in the community.”

She said it’s maybe not as complicated as previous discussions because they’re not talking about splitting home games or practices or changing a mascot, “but I also agree with the classification; that’s a concern as well. There’s no guarantees. But when you look two years down the road and we’re significantly lower, you worry about fielding a team, as well.”

“We do need to acknowledge, too, that we’re not in it just for this year,” Andersen continued. “I think that’s pretty short-sided.”

“What I’m saying is there’s no easy answer.”

NEXT STEPS

In the interest of moving forward quickly, Paff offered to submit a formal proposal, while Freeman Public board members agreed that a public meeting was in order — and soon. Complicating the timing is the fact that it’s Holy Week, with church services every night and Easter on Sunday.

The board ultimately agreed that getting input was important, that the Freeman Academy Board of Directors should be included, and that Wednesday, April 16 at 5 p.m. was the best option to review the official proposal from Freeman Academy, and for public feedback.

The board also scheduled a special, make-a-decision meeting for Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m.

“Let me just say I really appreciate, even just the consideration,” said Paff. “I know you have good intentions, not just for your own students, but for the community as well, and I understand, at the end of the day, if you make the decision not to take us on, I won’t hold it against any of you. I understand all that’s in play.”