POCATELLO — On the eve of the school board meeting that could potentially decide the fates of two Pocatello elementary schools, a group of concerned parents and faculty rallied together on a cold Monday in a show of solidarity and support for Tendoy Elementary.

A contentious public input meeting held by School District 25 last week at Pocatello High School saw dozens of anxious parents, educators and other community members present rousing speeches expressing their concerns surrounding the possible closure of Washington or Tendoy elementary schools.

School District 25 has been mired in controversy after the formation of committees last year to address its declining student enrollment, a problem that’s especially prevalent at the district’s 13 elementary schools.

The district’s elementary committee has presented three options to the school board: close Washington, close Tendoy or close neither school. The committee has recommended the closure of the 100-year-old Washington Elementary but the final decision is up to the school board.

The issue could be decided at Tuesday’s school board meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. at the district’s offices, 3115 Pole Line Road.

The school board could take action on the elementary committee’s options or could decide to table the matter until a later date.

For the past several weeks advocates against the closure of the elementary schools have formed coalitions and brought forward their concerns to the board with speeches at public meetings and submitted letters to the district.

As the potential final decision loomed, it was the Tendoy Elementary School community who took to the streets Monday in one final effort to save their school.

Braving the coldest day of the winter season thus far in Pocatello, with temps below zero, scores of Tendoy advocates stood along the road outside their beloved school displaying signs with statements like “Save our School”, “We Love Tendoy” and “Hear us Roar!”

“On Friday afternoon, the school board met to go over the comments and things that they heard at the public forum last Wednesday and during that meeting, we just felt very much that they had taken a turn toward closing Tendoy as their option,” said Stefanie Powers, a third grade teacher at Tendoy. “The district committee that was formed recommended the closing of Washington, but some of the board members really started looking at Tendoy and we felt like we just needed to get our voices heard, to make sure that they knew that we love our school, that Tendoy is special and that we really want it to stay open. We decided we had to do something, the teachers and our PTA and parents and everybody, so we braved the elements and went out to show our support for our school.”

Powers continued, “Tendoy is like my second home. I’ve been there for 19 years. My own children, I transferred them to Tendoy because I felt like the teachers in the community there were amazing and I wanted them to be a part of that as well. They’ve grown into amazing people because they have that solid foundation from our elementary school. I love my Tendoy community and I look forward every year to getting new students and building those relationships. I think about my students all the time, so they really are a part of who I am.”