Dozens of Grampian residents are upset that their local elementary school, Penn-Grampian, may be shut down.

We have more on the possible change.

State numbers show the Curwensville Area School District lost 19 percent of its enrollment from 1993 to 2012, and some of that erosion is happening at its only satellite school.

“It’s a wonderful school. It’s a little home. All the teachers know all the students and most of the parents,” says parent/school board member Suzanne Mendat.

Mendat calls the school she and her four kids have attended a “family,” but after 61 years, this family could break up.

“The finance committee has investigated it. We know there would be a savings,” says Superintendent Ron Matchock.

Matchock says there’s a possible savings of $500,000 over a few years, a bigger money injection than any one tax increase could bring.

“When you have a small school and your kids can fit here, you have to study it. You’re not doing your due diligence to the taxpayers not to look at it,” says Matchock.

A total of 77 students attend Penn-Grampian, a K-4 school, while 453 go to Curwensville Elementary, a K-6 school, Matchock said.

“Five or ten years ago, those students wouldn’t have fit here without adding space to this complex. The students now could fit,” says Matchock.

“I’d be real sad to see it go. I would hope that maybe there’s a way we could find to keep it open,” says Mendat.

Mendat’s advertising for “We Support Penn Grampian Elementary” signs at her pizzeria, and says resident Josh Palmer has been circulating petitions. Palmer, a borough councilman whose wife works for Cen-Clear at the school, says he plans to present them to the board soon.

“I really think that it would be an injustice to the kids that live in this town,” says grandparent Brenda Nixon.

Nixon says the small classes at this school are helping her 7-year-old granddaughter, Genevieve.

“Where she didn’t flourish before, she’s been on the honor roll every marking period,” says Nixon.

Matchock says no jobs would not be cut, and the whole school board will now consider the issue, likely in the fall. He says the soonest it could close would be for 2017-18.