Students & parents Protest Alleghany County School closings - WSLS 10 NBC in Roanoke/Lynchburg Va

Students & parents Protest Alleghany County School closings

A lot of tension and stress surrounded the Alleghany County School Board's vote to close up to 3 schools.

The Alleghany County School voted to close both Falling Spring and Boiling Spring Elementary Schools in Tuesday night's meeting.

"It will affect all of us, economically, and emotionally," Falling Spring Elementary parent, Matthew Sponaugle says. "Ultimately, our children will get a good education. It just may mean some sacrifice for all of us."

Some parents and students showed up before the meeting to protest the schools closing.

Many holding signs saying, 'Keep My School Open.'

After the decision, a lot of sniffling and crying could be heard in the crowd.

The students from Boiling Spring Elementary will be re-districted to Callaghan Elementary.

Students from Falling Spring will go to Mountain View Elementary.

The board decided to keep Sharon Elementary School open because they didn't have a huge decrease in enrollment.

By closing both Falling and Boiling Spring, the school expects to save about $700,000, but that still doesn't account for the total $1.5 million budget shortfall.

"We have great teachers and great school systems," Alleghany School Board Member Robert Fridley says. "We just got to have the opportunity for it to work. I don't want to people to panic and run to another school district, this is an opportunity for it to work."

The school board has until March 31st to come up with a balanced budget. WSLS asked how they expect to do this and they said they weren't sure.