KC community gets details of $21M school change plan
Karns City Area School District administrators answered community questions Thursday about a $21.7 million plan to consolidate Sugarcreek Elementary into Chicora Elementary by the 2023 school year.
About 30 people attended, which superintendent Eric Ritzert said was not as many as he was expecting.
The district has been working on a plan to renovate and expand Chicora for a few years because Sugarcreek is aging and has the lowest number of students of the three schools in the district. There are 1,317 students in the district's three schools.
However, Ritzert said he understands why members of the district have concerns about the project, because of the cost and the potential reduction of staff.
“Most of the questions focused on how would we pay for the project,” he said. Questions included: “Would it affect taxes? What if the project comes in at higher cost?”
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin this fall. Ritzert said the district is taking out a bond to pay for the project, which the district will pay off at about $1.2 million a year.
The district was obligated by the Pennsylvania Public School Code to conduct the hearing, because of the cost of the project to taxpayers.
Chicora will remain open during construction, and Sugarcreek students will continue attending the school until construction on Chicora is completed.
The additions to Chicora will include new roofs, new heating and cooling systems, windows and resurfacing in classrooms, and there is a proposed addition for a kindergarten classroom wing, a new cafeteria and kitchen area, and a nurses suite and office, according to Ritzert.
Ritzert said Sugarcreek Elementary is costing more in repairs each year, but still is safe for students to attend while Chicora is under construction.
Another concern of the district community was the future of the employees of Sugarcreek. Some parents and staff worried about layoffs in the transition.
Ritzert said he is working with administrators to find ways the district could avoid a reduction of staff, whether it be through giving teachers who are close to retirement incentive to retire early, or through staff transfers.
The district was able to keep the entire staff of Bruin Elementary when it closed, according to Ritzert.
“We closed Bruin in 2013 and didn't furlough anybody,” Ritzert said. “We were able to reassign staff to other school buildings after changing pay rates. I feel pretty confident we might do the same this time.”
Questions or comments about the construction project still can be submitted electronically for 30 days after Thursday's hearing on the district's website. More information on the project is on the district's website, www.kcasdk12.org where a transcript of Thursday's meeting will also be made available soon.
