SAGINAW TOWNSHIP -- More than a dozen parents protested the consolidation of the Saginaw Area Catholic Schools Tuesday afternoon.  They said they won’t stop until their voices are heard, even if that means demonstrating up to March 2, when the consolidation takes effect.

“To ignore people’s voices when they are screaming out to you, it’s unbelievable!” said parent Jennifer Temple. 

However, officials with the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw said parents have and continue to be heard.  School leaders agreed to transfer students and teachers from St. Helen Elementary and SS Peter and Paul School to St. Stephen and St. Thomas Aquinas School. 

96 students at St. Helen are affected and 61 students at SS Peter and Paul will be involved in the change.  School leaders said they will save $750,000 a year, but parents told NBC25 the savings do not justify disrupting 10 weeks of the school year. 

“They’re not saving any money from closing down our school for ten weeks,” one parent said. 

Not all are against the move, or even the timing of it. 

”We have Catholic Schools Week coming up,” said consolidation supporter Theresa Metos.  “There are a lot of things that go on.  How much academics do you think (will be interrupted)?” she said. 

Affected students toured their new buildings this week.  Meanwhile, the future of the old buildings will be decided by each parish.