The Marengo County Board of Education decided to allow John Essex High School to stay open for another year, giving the school the opportunity to increase its enrollment before considering closing the school.

Superintendent Luke Hallmark said the enrollment has dropped from 264 students to 141 students in the last 10 years.

“With 20 students graduating this year, that puts the school around 120,” he said. “There is only one kindergartner pre-registered for next year. We need the enrollment to be 160 by the time the average daily enrollment is calculated after Labor Day.”

Hallmark added that it will be difficult for the school to increase the enrollment enough, but he hopes they can.

“The board has been looking for ways to keep the school open,” he said. “We don’t want to close it.”

In other business, the board also took action on the following items:

•Approved financial reports for April

•Approved bank statement reconciliations for April

•Approved budget amendment No. 2 for FY 2013

•Approved July 5 holiday

•Approved proposed revised 2013-2014 school calendar

•Approved revised Wellness Policy

•Approved summer janitors