Residents packed the Hamilton County school board meeting Monday to save Greenwood School.

The building serves 22 special-needs students from Pre-K through 12th grade. In order to cover more than $140,000 in debt, the administration proposed closing the building down.

Suretta Bell, an employee of the building who works with the students, was one of several people who stood to protect the students from being moved to other Hamilton County schools.

"[Greenwood has] wonderful people and it's been this way for over 30 years," said Bell.

Hamilton County school superintendent, Martha Butler, says the service to the children would have remained the same had the building closed.

"When your emotions get involved you're going to have some very vocal people," said Butler. "I understand that and I sympathize with the people."

Despite the superintendent's proposal to close, none of the board members back the decision. So now, Greenwood will stay open. The board will now have to find another way to cover the hundreds of thousands of dollars in the red.

Butler says she's going to have to look back at the budget and possibly force employees to take three furlough days, or temporary unpaid leaves, next year. The new proposal could hit some families harder than others.

"If you have a husband and wife or other family members employed, it hits you twice," said Butler.

In a tough economy, finding exactly what to cut can be difficult.