CLEMONS – Thirty-four years as a learning institution is down to just two months for Clemons Lutheran School.

The school in the town of 150 people which opened in 1980 will close permanently as the school year draws to an end in late May.

“It will be sad day,” said Melanie Maddick, a 20-year teacher at the school. “When you invest this much in it, it becomes part of your family.”

The school currently serves 30 students in preschool through eighth grade.

Citing economic factors, the nearby St. John Lutheran Church voting assembly chose to close the school it operates.

Increased costs are a big reason for the impending closure. For example, Maddick said it cost four times as much to heat the school this past winter than the average in previous winters.

“It’s pretty tough to keep going,” Maddick said.

Lynne Pfantz, who leads the preschool, is preparing to step away from teaching at the school after 33 years.

“It’s sad,” Pfantz said. “I just like the kids so much.”

Pfantz said she also understands why the school is closing.

“When the money runs out, the money runs out,” Pfantz said.

Kelsey Lindholm, who teaches grades fifth through eighth, said much like the teachers, the students are upset with the closing of their school.

“They are sad about it and a few were trying to come up with ways to save it,” Lindholm said.

Clemons Lutheran School opened in 1980 in a former West Marshall School District building. A new gym at the school, that also featured a cafeteria and kitchen, opened in 1996. Maddick said the school has had an impact on many people through the years and leaves a legacy of great students.

“We know that we have been a blessing because we have students who in are multiple fields – teachers, pastors, electricians, ag business and beauticians,” Maddick said. “We have had principals and superintendents from here. There were opportunities here.”

Maddick said the 30 students will go in several different directions for their schooling this fall, including West Marshall, St. Francis Catholic School in Marshalltown and Colo-NESCO, while some families will decide to home-school their children.

The school will host a closing service at 1:30 p.m. June 1 in the gym, which is open to the public.

It’s unclear what the future of the facility will be after the school is closed.

“They’d like to sell the building for someone to use to help the community,” Maddick said.