The New Bedford School Committee unanimously voted to close Kempton Elementary School Monday night.

The closing will save the city an estimated $200,000 and is one of many cost saving measures Supt. Dr. Pia Durkin has made to shave nearly seven million dollars off of her FY16 budget proposal.

Committee member Josh Amaral admits it's not easy to close a school, but it's better than other available options.

"When you're faced with crazy budget situations where you're looking at laying off people or cutting resources to classrooms, and then you have this opportunity to to combine two buildings that are really close to eachother and both have a low enrollment, it makes all the sense in the world," said Amaral after the meeting.

About a handful of parents attended the meeting, but remained quiet until after the vote when they booed the decision on their way out the door.

Students from Kempton will be merged into Rodman Elementary School at the beginning of September.

Dr. Durkin will go before the City Council Thursday night to defend her budget in one of the Council's final budget hearings.

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107