Schenley High School supporters are taking a multi-pronged approach to investigating Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt's plan to close the landmark Oakland building because of costly renovations.

Yesterday, some Schenley supporters circulated a petition aimed slowing down the "radical" high school reform plan and the closing and relocation of Schenley. The petition also calls for release of documents related to the decision and more public input before any plan moves forward.

In addition, some from Schenley and the community met yesterday at the Union Project in Highland Park to discuss whether the closure is needed and what alternatives are available.

The plan to close Schenley is part of a broader high school reform plan that could result in significant changes in many schools.

Some of those involved encouraged parents and the communities from other schools to join them as well. The group's Web site is saveschenley.netfreehost.com.

"It's not just about just Schenley but all the schools," said Celeste Taylor, a Schenley parent and representative for the Black Political Empowerment Project who attended yesterday's meeting.

Last month, Mr. Roosevelt said the district couldn't afford the $64 million needed to renovate the asbestos-plagued, 91-year old building.

He proposed closing the building at the end of this school year and splitting the students up among three buildings: the now-closed Reizenstein, which would become an international studies school for grades 6 to 12; the now closed Milliones, which would become a university-affiliated school for grades 6 to 12, and Peabody High School, which would accept the robotics students.

After public protests, he last week suggested a compromise that would keep the current Schenley students together at the Reizenstein building and enable them to receive Schenley diplomas.

Thus, Schenley would be phased out over three more school years.

S. J. Antonucci, a Chatham University student and Schenley graduate, said that Schenley carries out the dream of Martin Luther King through the diversity of its student body.

She said Mr. Roosevelt's plan is not well thought out and was made without adequate community input.

The opposition has included a rally by about 250 students, parents, alumni and others in front of the school district's headquarters in Oakland before the board's regularly monthly public hearing last week. About 50 signed up to speak on Schenley at the hearing.

Kathy Fine, a Schenley parent from Highland Park, said that after the hearing Mr. Roosevelt asked her to form community groups to focus on the building itself and reforms.

Ms. Fine, who said she asked Mr. Roosevelt to let the community help in her testimony, was a leader in the campaigns of both school board member Patrick Dowd and Heather Arnet, who will succeed him next month.

Groups focusing on those and other issues already had been put in motion by a "Save Schenley" meeting a week earlier.

Yesterday's meeting was for about a dozen people focusing on the building and alternatives.

Ms. Fine said both issues are intertwined because the alternatives will depend on the fate of the building.

Nick Lardas, an Oakland parent whose younger children are in international studies programs, said the group needs to see whether Schenley is in an emergency or whether it is being used to push through high school reforms without adequate public comment.

Sue Mietzner, a Schenley parent from Highland Park who attended yesterday's meeting, said, "We all feel like reform is coming, that changes are necessary. It's just how they will be implemented most of us are concerned about."