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"This is probably one of the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my life in anything I've ever done," says Billy Angle.
Vice-chair Angle and the Alleghany County School board have their work cut out for them.
Explains Angle, "No one person wants to close schools, no one member on our board wants to close schools, no one person in our central office wants to close schools, but it has come to the point now where we don't have a choice."
The school board has been tasked with making ends meet to the tune of 1.5 million dollars.
To do that, Sharon, Falling Spring and Boiling Spring Elementary schools are all in danger of closing.
But, closing one or a combination of the schools may not be enough. Programming could be cut or staff could be furloghed.
Superintendent Sarah Campbell says cuts in fundings along with a decline in enrollment is making it tough for Alleghany County schools to be as efficient as they need to be.
"We do have one small elementary that is a little over 40% capacity. Then we go up to our largest elementary that goes up to 60% capacity, but overall all the elementary school have an average of 54% capacity," explains Dr. Campbell.
Two public meetings on this issue are coming up later this week.
The first one is Thursday, February 7th at 6 o'clock.
The second one is Saturday, February 9th at 3p.m.
Both of those are in the Alleghany High School auditorium.
A decision on the budget could take place as early as mid February, when the school board has its regular meeting.
If there should be inclement weather for either day, the new days would be Friday, February 8th and Monday, February 11th, both at 6p.m.