OCALA, Fla. — Parents and students who attended the now-shuttered Marion Military Academy voiced their concerns at the Marion County School Board meeting Tuesday.

Student held signs before Tuesday’s meeting showing how much they care about their former charter school, which abruptly shut down last month due to financial trouble.

“It was like a big old family with me being there, I had found my new family that I could tell stuff to,” student Samuel Watson said.

Many now attend the Marion Technical Institute and say it's not the same as the MMA. One difference is that they no longer have to wear uniforms daily — something they said helped with their studies.

“(It was) academic excellence through military discipline and leadership,” student Camila Guerrero said.

Emotions ran high as students made their way into the school board meeting, with tearful parents and students addressing the board.

“This has been everything to us,” Guerrero said.

Board members listened, and some became emotional as well.

“I take issue that people thinking that we as a district shut down Marion Military Academy. That is the farthest thing from the truth,” Marion County Schools Chairman Eric Cummings said.

Cummings said the district is working hard to provide the best educational experience possible for former MMA students. Some of the things they are looking to do is hire the former MMA principal to be a consultant at MTI.

“We will get a solution and work this out. We have to be strategic. It has to be done the correct way,” Cummings said.