MURRAY - As the deadline for a decision on whether to put a Granite School District split on the November ballot nears, supporters of Cottonwood High School are uniting to defeat any effort that could lead to their school's closure.

A group of parents and teachers are circulating a petition aimed at keeping the issue off the ballot and spent the weekend combing neighborhoods to publicize what they see as Cottonwood High's plight. More than 500 people gathered at the school's interior courtyard Monday to hear the impact a split would have on the school and their taxes.

"I emphasize that this is the position of the community council for the high school," said John Haglund of the Cottonwood High Community Council. "We are against the split as it stands now."

He told the crowd the meeting was not to tell people how to vote but to educate the public on what a split would mean.

They fear Cottonwood High would almost certainly close if Granite splits because of its unique location and student population.

The school at 5715 S. 1300 East is on land annexed several years ago into Murray, which operates its own school district. At the time of annexation, Cottonwood remained in the Granite district, and dealt with declining student population by busing in students from Granite's west side.

If an effort by Holladay, South Salt Lake and Salt Lake County to break off to form a new east-side district is successful, Cottonwood would be in the new district, but most of its students would either be within the old district's boundaries or would have to attend Murray schools because they live within that city's boundaries.

Cottonwood would be left with so few students that there's no way the new district could justify keeping it open, the school's supporters say.

Terry Palmer, a parent and community council member at Oakwood Elementary School on Granite's east side, said she is not opposed to a smaller school district. "But I would like to see more of a plan. I like to know what would happen to our kids," Palmer said. "I don't want to vote on a study. I want to vote on a plan."

Palmer said parents should know for sure which schools their children will be attending if Granite splits. "It's is not too much to ask."

Jeff Amis, a parent of a 10th-grader at Cottonwood, who has kept informed on the split discussion, said he opposes it because of all the answered questions remaining.

"It warrants more time before placing it on the ballot," Amis said.

While he would be fine with his child going to a Murray school, Amis said he would prefer not to have the change.

Of the three governing bodies that must decide whether the split issue goes on the ballot, only the South Salt Lake Council has voted, unanimously approving a public vote in November.

Holladay is scheduled to vote Thursday. Hugo Diederich, a Holladay council member, said that in the "spirit of compromise and good will" he will propose to his council and Salt Lake County to call for a vote on the issue in the 2008 general election.

"This will give everyone time to fully understand the issue and it will give everyone time to be aware of the consequences of their actions," Diederich said.

Salt Lake County will have a public hearing today and plans to vote Aug. 7.

Other guests at the community meeting included Sarah Meier, Granite School Board chairwoman; Ann Harrison, a teacher at Cottonwood High, and Linda Mariotti, assistant superintendent at Granite.

rorellana@sltrib.com