ITHACA, N.Y. -- An Ithaca elementary school may be the next casualty of state budget cuts. The school board is considering closing Fall Creek Elementary in the face of a three million dollar budget gap.

The idea was proposed by Superintendent Judith Pastel at a Board of Education budget meeting.

With 220 students, the school is the smallest in the district. Students would be bused to other schools to make larger classes. Administrative offices currently in the Danby building would then be moved to the Fall Creek campus, as would all pre-K students.

But some parents argue closing the school would be a mistake. About 75 parents turned out for an emergency meeting of the Fall Creek PTA Wednesday night. PTA president Rebecca James said closing the school would be a great loss to the community.

"It's a very close community. There's a lot of parental involvement," James said. "The school is really kind of a model of what you would want a neighborhood school to be like. You have teachers that have kids at the school, many teachers who live within sight of the school. It's a really nurturing environment."

At this point, the board does not know how much money would be saved by closing the school.

We are expecting to hear from the superintendent Friday.