Whitbourne Elementary puts up final fight to stay open

A community fighting to save its school is going through, in the words of New York Yankee legend Yogi Berra, "deja vuall over again."

• Whitbourne Elementary closure saga continues with public meeting in St. John's
• Vote to close Whitbourne Elementary quashed by judge

For the third time since 2012,the closure ofWhitbourne Elementary is being reviewed by the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District but parents and school supporters aren't going down without a fight.

"I think the people here are giving the trustees a full blast here," Wade Smith, chair of the Help Whitbourne School committee, told CBC News at Monday night'smeeting.

"They're sincere, they've got documentation, they got facts. I think they [the trustees]deserve the kind of treatment they are getting tonight after this third review."

The school district voted to close the school earlier this year, but a parent-led legal battle saw that decision overturned.

• First day of school, possibly the last one at Whitbourne Elementary

Last month, the school board brought forth another notice of motion to shut down the elementary school in 2017. But before that could happen, it held a public meeting to let people have their say.

Twenty-eightspeakers showed up to plead their case to the trustees in the gym of the school it wants to close, and others made similar submissions online.

Among those voicing their opinions was fourth grader Jacqueline Smith.

"My whole family went here and I thought it would be really cool if I got to stay until Grade 6 and then goto Crescent Collegiate just like my brother did," she said.

"I really want to do that."

If the group lobbying the school board doesn't get its way, the children of Whitebourne Elementary will be bused down the road to Woodland Elementary in Dildo a bus ride parents sayis 55 minutes one way.

"I would have to go to Woodland which is a very long time on the bus for me," Smith said.

"I really don't wanna go on the bus."

The English School District will vote on the matter at a public meeting Tuesday night.