The South Lewis Board of Education is scheduled to decide later this month on whether to close Constableville Elementary School. Sarah Blazonis talked with parents against the move who say that decision should be one for the community, not district officials.

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CONSTABLEVILLE, N.Y. -- Constableville Elementary School is a short walk from Rembrandt Dittrich's house. It's one of the main reasons he and his wife chose to move to the village.

"Oh, we enjoy it. It's very small class sizes," said Dittrich.

The small classes are part of the reason the South Lewis School District is discussing the possibility of closing the school. According to a closure study, elementary attendance dropped 30 percent in the district from 1995 to 2010. Today, 90 students attend grades K-5 at Constableville.

Among parents' concerns if the district does close the school are longer bus rides for students.

"By what I was told at the board meeting a couple weeks ago, even though I live right here, a stone's throw away from the school, they would be going to Glenfield Elementary. It's a good extra, I'd say probably 20 minutes," said Samantha Babcock, who planned to enter her daughter in kindergarten at the school next year.

The district study also cites financial reasons for looking at a closure. While district spending went up less than one percent in three years, it had to raise taxes eight percent during that same time to keep up with the cost of unfunded mandates.

The school board is scheduled to vote on the issue on the 17th, but parents say this same question was voted down by the public twice before. This time around, they've made their voices heard in other ways.

"We had a walk and we walked around the town with signs and everything to try to raise awareness in the community because a lot of people already think it's a done deal. We've sent emails to board members," said Babcock.

Parents say with one public meeting left on the issue, they're taking the fight for their school to the streets of the community one last time.

The group plans to picket the final public comment meeting before the vote in hopes Constableville students can continue to live just a few short blocks from where they go to school. That picket is set to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday in front of South Lewis High School.

For more information on the proposed closing, visit: www.southlewis.org.