(LAGRANGE) - One popular alternative to closing two Lakeland elementary schools might not work due to capacity at the high school.

That idea involved moving 7th and 8th grades to the high school and moving 6th graders to Lima Brighton and Wolcott Mills Elementary Schools, and closing the middle school instead.

Lakeland High School Assistant Principal and Director of New Tech Jason Schackow says the high school’s current legal capacity is 850. If current enrollments stayed the same, moving the 7th and 8th graders there would bring the number of students to 857. That leaves the school over capacity even before the staff of 39 is included.

Lima Brighton and Wolcott Mills have room for another 545 students total, so in theory the 6th and 7th graders could be moved to those schools and move 8th graders to the high school.

Lakeland Superintendent Dr. Eva Merkel says her proposal to close the elementaries and bring those students to Parkside is the most efficient and cost effective proposal.

The school board will consider the proposal Monday evening.