Wailupe Valley Elementary School closed for good June 8, with tearful hugs and goodbyes marking the end of 50 years. Its 75 students — not enough to make the school financially viable — will go elsewhere, perhaps to 'Aina Haina Elementary a mile away.

Now the state Board of Education must decide what to do with the site, which is owned by the city. It seems inevitable that the board will return the property to the city rather than try to develop it for a different use, such as a charter school or administrative offices. The Department of Education can barely afford to run the schools it has, and retrofitting Wailupe for adult use, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act, would cost an estimated $2 million.

The BOE's Committee on Administrative Services recommended that the property be transferred back to the city.

That's the best move. And the full board should promptly approve that recommendation.

The school buildings cost money to maintain — even when empty. The city, should it regain the property, will need to move efficiently to decide what to do, with the neighborhood fully involved. The school sits in the middle of a residential district, near a public park, so any use would have to be deemed appropriate for a neighborhood setting.

Given the state of the economy, the city would be wise to consider options that make good use of tax dollars. Public-private partnerships, or leasing the property on favorable terms for community purposes, present sensible options.

The school property was well cared for by the previous occupants — the hundreds of students, faculty and staff who've used it over the last 50 years.

What happens next with the property should involve the same level of care, concern and prudence.