The East Lyme Board of Ed is faced with a challenge to balance the budget and balance the number of students in each of our elementary schools. Currently, Lillie B Haynes holds the highest teacher to student ratio. A series of scenarios are on table to potentially be implemented within the next couple of years with intentions to address the rebalancing of the schools and budget.  Most concerning are options that involve repurposing Niantic Center School, our beloved and highly successful academic institution. Parents, staff, and community members are now asking the BOE to eliminate the options involving repurposing this longstanding pillar of our community. Please lend your signature to send a message to the board that we find this to be unacceptable. We urge the board to consider less drastic methods of rebalancing to ensure we do not create unintended consequences and damage to our valuable educational system.