The future of Grandview Elementary School is still uncertain, but there will be changes and they may be long in coming.

Sandy Packard, a Provo school board member who also serves on the Grandview study committee, said the process will be longer than she expected it to be. When asked how long it would take she didn't know.

"I really can't tell you," Packard said. But she also said that changes are "absolutely" coming.

The Grandview study committee met Tuesday for the first time. The committee will make recommendations about the future of Grandview Elementary School. After those recommendations, the school board will vote and make the final decision.

There will be boundary changes near Grandview Elementary before the 2008-2009 school year, when Lakeview Elementary is scheduled to open.

Some would like to see the board address the future boundary changes for the whole city, with boundary changes on the east side and the west side.

Julie Durrant of Provo is one such parent. She said she was disappointed the entire city may not shift boundaries, but is glad there were discussions before closing Grandview.

"I'm happy that they even formed a committee," Durrant said.

During the meeting, the committee appointed Christian Faulconer as chair and decided to add a member from Lower Carterville. That representative will be seated at the next meeting, which is scheduled for May 30.

Provo City School District Superintendent Randy Merrill said the board must make a decision on school closures and boundaries by the school choice deadline in November.

In order to create neighborhood elementary schools and not bus students, the district is building a new elementary school. However, the district doesn't have enough students to keep all the existing schools open.

Merrill said the district is thinking of closing a school because operating with 14 elementary schools in the district is inefficient. If the board decides to keep all schools open, every school will see budget cuts.

Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D3.