The future of the Lakeland Athletic Conference remains uncertain after Edwardsburg, Coloma and Berrien Springs left the conference for the Wolverine Conference beginning this school year.

Their departure resulted in the conference dropping in size from seven schools to four —Brandywine, Buchanan, Cassopolis and Bridgman.

During Monday’s Brandywine school board meeting, Supt. John Jarpe said Lakeland Conference officials met Friday at Brandywine High School to discuss several issues, including the future of the conference.

“I can’t get into any specifics with you because we don’t know any yet, but we are getting much closer to discussing other athletic options,” Jarpe said. “I think we are going to make some progress this year in terms of the future of the Lakeland Conference athletically. We still have important people we have to talk to to bring along and get some ideas, but I think there will be progress there.”

Jarpe was unable to expand upon his comments after the school board meeting.

The Lakeland Athletic Conference did agree to allow Edwardsburg, Coloma and Berrien Springs to participate in this year’s Lakeland Fine Arts Festival, which is being hosted by Brandywine.

“That was something we discussed last year, and we solidified that agreement on Friday,” Jarpe said. “We aren’t sure about the succeeding years specifically, but this year they will be doing that.”