If misery loves company, supporters of Elmhurst High School should find plenty of it in school districts across the state, where $297 million in education budget cuts have placed more than 30 schools in line for closing. That’s no consolation to the high school juniors who will likely spend next year adjusting to a new routine instead of enjoying senior year in a familiar setting.

But the reality of a $15 million permanent reduction in funding leaves Fort Wayne Community Schools with few choices. By multiple measures, Elmhurst and Pleasant Center Elementary are the most likely candidates for closing. An angry session at the high school Wednesday might have proved useful for venting, but it likely changed not a single mind. In the end, there’s work for everyone.

What the school board must do: The final decision lies with the seven Fort Wayne Community School board members on March 22, but the severity of the budget shortfall leaves them little option but to close the two schools and prepare for additional closings in the years ahead. To its credit, the current board has adopted practices and procedures to weigh options against well-considered goals. One of those goals is to “operate with fiscal responsibility, integrity and effectiveness.”

Ignoring the financial challenge the district faces would be irresponsible. Since January, the district has received $760,000 a month less from the state than was promised. That leaves the board with no time to ponder budget reductions. It must cover losses and prepare for more. When they asked for bold budget-cutting recommendations from Superintendent Wendy Robinson, board members surely knew that school closings would be among them. Robinson and other administrators returned not just with a list, but with a sound case for each proposal.

Ideally, Elmhurst would have been in line for the same multimillion-dollar renovations that South Side and North Side received in the last 15 years, but the economy, geography and enrollment trends conspired against it. Closing the school is the responsible thing to do.

What the administration must do: Once the school-closing decision is made, the hard work begins. Administrators must strive to serve displaced students well. Parents of special education students are understandably concerned about the disruption. They need to be assured that the same caring teachers will be moving to other schools along with their students.

Allowing Elmhurst juniors to honor their school at commencement in 2011 is a reasonable request, and special efforts should be made to integrate the students into new schools. Experience with districtwide school choice will likely make that easier, but Elmhurst and Pleasant Center students should receive special consideration. Administrators must also set attendance boundaries with the goal of keeping further disruptions to a minimum.

What teachers must do: Elmhurst and Pleasant Center teachers face the greatest disruption, but all FWCS teachers should be prepared to make sacrifices. Further budget reductions will be necessary, including teacher layoffs that will increase class sizes and teaching loads. The number of layoffs could be reduced if the Fort Wayne Education Association agrees to accept salary and benefit concessions – a reality that many private-sector employees have already faced.

What the community must do: Even those untouched by the closings should be able to appreciate the pain of losing a school. They should also note that school closings are the last thing a school board wants to face, so some districts are likely postponing the inevitable. The list of targeted schools will only grow as school financial outlooks worsen.

For some districts, FWCS included, property tax caps are exacerbating the situation. With legislative contests ahead, voters should weigh the effects of the tax caps on schools and other units of local government. Are dozens of school closings worth the price of a tax cut? Should the caps become a permanent part of the Indiana Constitution?

What parents must do:

Some Elmhurst parents put the school in an unfavorable light last week, attacking other schools and students to build up their own. They also showed an alarming lack of respect for school officials who gave them the opportunity to express concerns at their own school, at a session set for that very purpose.

The family support for Elmhurst is commendable, but parents who don’t put the school closing in perspective are doing their children a disservice. It’s up to adults to explain that high school isn’t about a building but the relationships and experiences students have there. They must explain to their children that the school-closing is just one of many setbacks they will experience in life, and the best course is to move ahead and make the most of new opportunities.

What students must do: Age and inexperience make it tough to see the long view, but students would do well to follow the model of their popular principal, Chad Hissong. He has been reassigned to North Side High School next year, where he undoubtedly will bring the same enthusiasm that he’s shown in his brief time at Elmhurst. Likewise for many of the Elmhurst teachers, who will move to other schools along with their students.

The students aren’t the first to be displaced by a school closing. They won’t even be the only Indiana students in that position this year. They will best honor the spirit and tradition of their school by joining another school family and making the most of the high-school experience ahead.