KARNS CITY — Karns City School District leaders spent Friday night considering the future of district.

School officials and residents at a special meeting discussed the possible consolidation of schools due to declining student enrollment.

Suggested plans revolved around having all students on one campus, either by converting the high school into a kindergarten through 12th grade building or building a second school on the high school campus.

Such a plan, if implemented, would not happened for at least three years.

“The issue is the declining population,” said Eric Ritzert, superintendent. “We have to look at what is the best option based on the data we have that is affordable for the taxpayer.”

The district has three schools: Karns City High School, Chicora Elementary and Sugarcreek Elementary. The district in 2012 closed Bruin Elementary, which remains for sale.

In the past 15 years, the high school population has decreased by 25 percent, from about 1,000 students in grades seven through 12 in the 2000 to about 750 students now. That declining student population is expected to continue.

Ritzert said, “Sugarcreek is a good school, it’s a good location, but it’s the smallest remaining building. It’s going to get to the point where operating it in conjunction with the two other schools doesn’t make fiscal sense.

“We’re not there yet. I would say we’re several years down the road from that, but it will happen.”

With a single campus, more activities and services can be streamlined, such as staffing and busing, while also making improvements academically.

Ed Conto, assistant principal at the high school, said the high school should be renovated with the community in mind.

“I believe Karns City is the hub of this whole district,” he said. “We don’t have a YMCA. We have little fire departments, a couple communities going, but really, we are the hub. And we really need to have a facility, I feel, that will help youth, school-aged children, young adults and senior citizens. We can benefit the whole community.”