The classrooms are empty. The graduates have put away their caps and gowns. The school year is over at First Baptist Christian School. The school has been around for 35 years but the question is, will the school be open for year 36?
"We're optimistic," says School Administrator Pastor David Miller. "We're hoping. We're praying that we will be able to continue on."
Pastor Miller says it's not going to be easy.
"The challenge, is the economy right now. We need to see the enrollment increase or comparable means of income that would help us make the goal that we would need in order to operate effectively this next year."
Which is why they sent out letters to area businesses asking for help. If they don't get the money they need, "It would mean closing," says Pastor Miller.
They have until the end of the month.
"Parents have to make decisions," he says. "Teachers have to make decisions so this would be the month that we're really trying to use as a key time to make our decision."
For Susan Cottingham, that means thinking about another school for her son Alex who just finished up sixth grade here.
"He'll probably go to a public school," she says, "and he'll have to adapt to a large class and a lot of kids."
Susan says Alex will do just fine in another school but she was devastated to hear about the possibility of First Baptist Christian School closing.
"I was sick to my stomach. It think I actually even started crying when I was reading the letter."
Because First Baptist isn't just her son's school, it was her school.
"I went there for 7th and 8th grade and totally loved it. It was small. Everybody felt important."
That's something she wanted for Alex.
"I knew when we had children, I would want them to go there," she says. "There's genuine love and concern for the whole family, for the whole school family."
The school is holding a business breakfast Thursday morning to make their plea. Right now they have 56 students enrolled for the Fall and they ended this school year with 80 students.
