Dozens of community members came out to an Amityville Board of Education meeting to demand that the board does what it can to not close Northeast Elementary School.

Earlier this year, the Board of Education raised the idea of closing Northeast Elementary School, home to the district's universal pre-K program.

Bishop Walter Willie, of the Prayer Tabernacle Church in Amityville, says the school has been a centerpiece of the community for decades.

"Northeast plays a vital role in Amityville,” he said.

Deborah Kenny, of Amityville, says she helped start the pre-K program at the school. She says it breaks her heart to know the children will suffer if the school is forced to close.

"All they want to do is learn and all they want to do is have friends and learn how to be a friend,” she said. “That program is really very successful."

The district superintendent said a final decision about the school's future will be made in April 2025, around the time next year's budget will be finalized.

The uncertain future for the school comes at a time of financial turmoil in the district.

A recent audit found the district's total net position is a deficit of over $22 million of what the district says is Other Post Employment Benefits. The district previously cut 47 faculty positions to close a $3.5 million budget hole.

Michael Cohen served as an Amityville assistant superintendent from 2003 to 2005.

"I would look to do anything and everything that did not involve eliminating personnel and closing a building,” he said.

This debate over Northeast Elementary also comes at a time when Amityville teachers continue to work under an expired contract.

Amityville Teachers Association President Nakia Wolfe says the uncertainty takes a toll on staffing.

"Bringing teachers in, retaining the teachers that we have,” he said. “We are constantly losing teachers to other school districts because there's so much uncertainty that lies within our district."

News 12 is working to get more information on the teacher's contract situation.

The superintendent says potential options to keep Northeast Elementary School open include renting out unused classrooms as well as potentially moving the kindergarten to the school.