Durieu parents packed the small, rural elementary school gym Wednesday night to explain to school board politicians why the site should remain open.
The public meeting saw several well-worded presentations from parents combined with heart-felt pleas to give the school a chance to succeed.
And one of the key ways the board of trustees could do that would be to embrace Durieu's traditional status and actively market it, something nearly every presenter said has never happened since the change was approved in 2005.
Durieu PAC member Ian MacLachlan kicked off public comments with a lengthy address, highlighted by power point slides.
"We characterize this as not being at odds with [the board] but being more on the same side," he said, adding the school community wants to work with the district to push the traditional model to parents seeking that type of educational structure.
MacLachlan said the school's name must be changed to incorporate the word traditional, the district website should mention Durieu follows this model and incoming teachers and administrators should be briefed on the school's unique composition.
Durieu and Deroche elementary schools are both being considered for closure. A public meeting at Deroche happens Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.
Read more of this story in next Thursday's print edition of The Record.