Rural schools facing the axe this fall could find their salvation or face another setback in a response expected this week from the school district’s board of trustees. The Fraser-Fort George Regional District’s select standing committee on rural schools expects to hear back from the District 57 board of trustees some time this week on a number of alternatives to closing three rural schools they put forward to the board earlier this month. “We have looked at some of the alternatives which have been put forward by the affected communities and believe there is a basis for some optimism on this matter,” said Maureen Thompson, chair of the committee.