"My administrative team is very nervous right now," said West Branch Local Schools superintendent Tim Saxton.

After eight failed levies since 2005, the West Branch School Board is going to have to make some tough choices.

"The last thing I intend to do is hurt people," said board president Courtney Stryffeler. "And every time I walk through a hall and look in the eyes of our kids, I remember why I'm on the school board."

The first option - close Knox Elementary and make Damascus Elementary a pre-K, kindergarten, and first-grade facility.
That would save the district more than $700,000.
The second route - closing both Knox and Damascus - turning the middle school into an elementary and intermediate school, and the high school into a junior and senior high. The savings there - about $1.5 million in operations and personnel.
The district may also decide to close Knox and only part of Damascus; the rest would house administration and special services, saving about $1.4 million.

"We've got some folks out there that are very upset about the fact that we are moving in this direction. We've got some folks that understand why we could be potentially closing a building or two, and that's created some anger, some angst, some questions, and people just want to know need to know what direction we're moving," Saxton said.

At least two parents asked why closing Knox was included in each of the three options and pleaded with officials to reconsider. Another asked if one or more schools do close, would the district hold onto those buildings. Saxton explained that keeping all three buildings would allow for potential growth in the future, but that current trends don't show growth in the years ahead due to declining population and job loss, among other factors.

Still, others raised concerns about teacher-student ratios, class sizes, and asked how consolidation could be done successfully when the middle school's classrooms are all occupied.

With parents questioning each of the school board's options, district officials and the board will use their input in their final decision.

That may come as early as next week when a resolution will be on the agenda at the board's next meeting.