We are lucky to live in an era where the state government now has a policy of not closing schools.

But if we want to protect our assets, we need to support them. Bullarto Primary School is a wonderful rural community asset. With a goat stud, a chicken coop, a vegetable garden, an indigenous garden and a multipurpose room, it’s well equipped.

It’s also located in the heart of the Wombat State Forest – what better way to teach kids about nature than immersing them within it? Bullarto is also fantastically resourced in terms of technology, with plenty of laptops and one-on-one IT and web training.

But it’s really the pupil-teacher-parent interaction that is the most wonderful thing about the school. Children who struggle at mainstream schools have much better luck at schools like Bullarto, where they get individual attention and do not simply slip between the cracks.

Diversity is encouraged and celebrated. Bullying is nipped in the bud – after all, it’s pretty tricky for unacceptable behaviour to flourish in an environment with such a high teacher-pupil ratio.

For children who are struggling in terms of academic performance or behavioural issues, small schools like Bullarto Primary can be lifesavers.

But with only five pupils enrolled for this year, and only four for 2017, Bullarto Primary is facing the very real prospect of closing. It simply has gotten to the point where they don’t have enough kids to continue.

Staff are encouraging the community to become involved, have a say, and help shape the future direction for the school. Classroom teacher Bruce Rolfe has emphatically stated: “our doors are open”.

The school will have an open day this Saturday between 10am to 1pm. It’s an opportunity to discover the special way the school works, to find out more about its academic programs, and to meet with other community members.

It’s worth attending. After all, once the school is gone, it will be lost to Bullarto forever. Schools are one of the cornerstones of a small community, along with a local shop and a local pub. Without this backbone, rural communities face the prospect of losing identity.