Closing Granada Hills School Races To Fund $200K 'Miracle'

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A San Fernando Valley private school may be running out of money, but faith seems to be in abundant supply as parents scramble to keep its doors from closing.

KNX 1070's Ed Mertz reports parents and teachers hope to raise at least $200,000 by next week to save Granada Hills Baptist School.

"The school and church boards have felt that they've really exhausted their efforts, and so now it's time for the parents to really step up," said Nancy Wright, president of the Parent Teacher Foundation at Granada Hills Baptist School.

Wright is leading the charge to keep the K-6 private school open after church pastor Desmond Hoffmeister announced the nearly 60-year-old school would close due to the massive budget deficit and a sharp drop in enrollment.

The nonprofit school operated by Granada Hills Baptist Church saw its enrollment plunge from 195 students in 2005-2006 to only 50 this fall.

Wright and other parents lobbied for the chance to raise the money and save the jobs of at least six classroom teachers and five other staffers.

"We are doing everything," Wright said. "From students having lemonade stands to partnering with local businesses, even contacting Major League Baseball players."

"We're not giving up," she added.

The school has until May 17 to raise the funds.