cOtepopo School parents and friends are defending the Herbert school and cannot believe Minister of Education Anne Tolley is satisfied it should close.
Mrs Tolley has set a deadline of February 15 for her to be convinced the school, run by a commissioner since March, should not close at the end of the first term this year.
Parents and friends have taken up the challenge and, in a joint statement yesterday, said 96% of the community wanted the school to remain open.
"We have worked extremely hard to obtain and present to the Minister excellent reasons and new data why the school should remain open," they said.
The remaining 4% was "a small minority" that either wanted the school to close or were neutral.
Letters of support had also been sent from Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton, Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean, local businesses, real estate businesses in Oamaru, former pupils and other agencies which worked with the school and students.
In the past 18 months, the school had flourished, its roll increasing from nine to 19.
"These children all love attending the school and are distressed at the thought of closure," parents said.
The school would start the year with 18 pupils, with more preschoolers to follow.
A family with two children was seeking a house in the Herbert area so their children could attend the school.
"The parents and staff have worked very hard this year, reflected by this increasing growth and outside interest in the school," they said.
The school community was grateful for the support of commissioner Mike Allison and acting principal David McShane, who stepped in as emergency principal.
The parents at the school, both old and new families to the area, remained positive and proactive, "never once showing signs of giving up or walking away".
They believed the school was an excellent place to have their children educated in a caring,supportive, family environment.
The community acknowledged there were still issues to be resolved, but were able to be addressed with assistance from Ministry of Education and Mr Allison.
"We are processing another submission collectively stating disappointment, given the community gave us a 96% approval to keep the school open and the fact we have a growing roll. There are also other wheels in motion," they said.
