Karns City Area School District plans to consolidate its two elementary schools by the 2023-24 school year, and will have a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Chicora Elementary School to answer community questions about the project.

Eric Ritzert, the district's superintendent, said the district plans to spend about $21.7 million to renovate Chicora Elementary in order to also accommodate students from the aging Sugar Creek Elementary School.

Because of the size and scope of the project, the district is obligated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to have a public hearing for discussion on it. Ritzert said he anticipates and invites comments and discussion from the community on the project.

“We need to hear from all sides,” Ritzert said Wednesday. “In the grand scheme of school projects, it's a moderate project, but it's significant for us.”

Ritzert said Sugar Creek Elementary has 221 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, which is the lowest attendance of the district's three schools. Combining the attendance with Chicora Elementary would bring the total number of students at Chicora to about 600 students, so the district needs to add to the building to accommodate everyone.

“It would be a full renovation to the existing building,” he said. “We need new roofs, a new heating and cooling system, windows, resurfacing in some classrooms, (and) there is a proposed addition for a classroom wing. There will be a new cafeteria and kitchen area, a new kindergarten wing and nurses suite and office.”

Ritzert said the district will release a transcript of the meeting a few days afterward, which will be available on the district's website. Additional questions and comments will be accepted in writing for 30 days after the hearing.