Tribune Chronicle / Bob Coupland More than 150 parents, teachers, students and residents gathered Wednesday at Maplewood High School for an informational meeting about possibly closing Maplewood Elementary School in Greene because of declining student enrollment in the district.

MECCA — With declining enrollment over the past 15 years, the Maplewood Board of Education is considering closing Maplewood Elementary School in Greene as a cost-savings measure.

Maplewood Superintendent Perry Nicholas said at Wednesday’s public meeting, which was attended by more than 150 people, the district will possibly go from three buildings to two to save money.

”We have to make a tough decision based on our declining enrollment,” he said.

He said the board wanted to get community input on the possible closure.

The district has grades kindergarten to fourth at the elementary, grades fifth to eighth at the middle school and ninth to 12th at the high school.

Nicholas said kindergarten to second would be on the first floor of the middle school, third to sixth would be on the second and third floors, and seventh and eighth would be in a separate section of high school.

In 2000, the district had 1,197 students and in 2016, it is at 750, which includes 92 open enrollment students coming in and 53 leaving for open enrollment in other districts.

“At the elementary, we could probably close down the whole old part of the school and house the kids in the new part, that’s how much extra room there is,” Nicholas said.

Nicholas said there is so much extra room at each building that it makes more sense to combine grades kindergarten to sixth at the middle school and grades seventh to 12th at the high school.

He said the district has lost 447 students since 2003.

He said the elementary has gone from 384 students in 2003 to 273, the middle school from 356 in 2003 to 236 now and high school from 353 — with 30 at Trumbull Career Technical Center — in 2003 to 208 with 33 at TCTC.

The elementary school sits on a seven-acre site in Greene and is six miles from the middle school in Johnston and the high school in Mecca.

Nicholas said the elementary school has no band or choir, a gymnasium that can’t be used for sporting events, lack of parking and poor Internet connection, making it the most likely school to close.

If a school is closed, no teachers will be cut but some non-teaching staff may be eliminated through attrition.

Treasurer Merri Smith said there would be $338,204 in savings annually closing the school, with $150,000 saved in non-teaching staffing, $168,000 saved in utilities and $20,000 in other costs. The district also would pay off a bond issue on the building.

Nicholas said the school and property could be sold at public auction or demolished. The playground equipment would be moved to the middle school.

Nicholas said no decision has been made on a principal, secretary and aides at  the elementary if it closes.

Board President Davis Denman said the board will not make any decision until 2017.

More than 15 parents spoke at the hearing. Resident Melanie Shipman said the community cares about the students’ education and wants them in a good learning environment.

“I just appreciate that you really thought this through and you’re not cutting teaching staff,” said resident Tami Morrison.

The district is ranked 17th out of 614 in Ohio in academics and instruction, according to Nicholas.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com