The Boundary County School District 101 board met at 5 p.m. today to deliberate the closure of Riverside School, and after deliberations, board members decided to keep the school open for at least one more year.

The board started looking into the closure last year as a cost cutting measure, and had discussed operating the alternative high school as a "school within a school" within the Bonners Ferry High School building.

But a standing room only crowd and around 20 people, many of them students of the school, speaking in favor of keeping Riverside open prompted three members of the board to conclude that the matter needed additional study. The final vote was three to two.

"I do think the students showing up enmass was very powerful," Vicki Downing said.

"Nearly everyone there supported keeping it open," said parent Julie Miller. "Not only adults, but some students were there, who texted other students to let them know what was happening. Soon there were so many people, students past and present, that they were flooding into the hallway."

"Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our school," said Debbie Florea. "We have one more year to convince our school board that alternative schools are needed for those students who don't fit the mold."