Otepopo School parents and staff have prepared a submission for Education Minister Anne Tolley stating their "unequivocal desire" for the school to remain open.
Parent media spokeswoman Michelle Macdonald and staff spokesman Andrew Dunn said parents and staff met to organise the submission.
Members from the community also attended to show their support for the Herbert school, which was regarded as an "extremely positive and a substantial step towards working together".
Mike Allison was appointed commissioner in March following the dissolution of the school's board of trustees.
In May, Mr Allison presented options comprising continuation, merger, a satellite school or closure.
The submission outlined how parents, children, staff and community members felt.
Issues related to the perceived viability of the school were discussed and addressed, and the names of people willing to stand for a future board were presented, Mrs Macdonald and Mr Dunn said.
Community member Geoffrey Higgins organised a petition and after spending less than a day collecting signatures, he had more than 50 people expressing a desire for the school's continuation.
Individual and group submissions, along with the petition, were sent to Mr Allison to be collated and sent to the Ministry of Education.
Earlier this month, three parents and a staff member met Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean and the meeting was "very positive", Mrs Macdonald and Mr Dunn said.
Feelings of uncertainty and anxiety over the future had prompted plans of action and brought people together in a desire to retain what was once the (Goodman Fielder) best small school in New Zealand, they said.
"For us as parents it has always been about what is best for our children educationally. However, emotional stability for the children and a sense of belonging in a community also factor into the mix. This has allowed us to take a step back and a good hard look at what we value and the type of values we desire our children to obtain.
"The result of this has been we value Otepopo School and want it to be the first choice of education for our children," Mrs Macdonald said.
The school has a roll of 11, with three more children starting before the end of the year and the "probability" of another six in the future, she said.
