The construction project to expand Chicora Elementary School into Karns City Elementary School remains on schedule for substantial completion in late August, prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year.

Karns City Area School District is closing Sugarcreek Elementary School in Armstrong County at the end of this school year and will move those students to the new Karns City Elementary School next year.

Construction to enlarge the school is on schedule to be substantially finished by the end of August, but some work including resurfacing the gym floor and some work outdoors will be completed by Oct. 1 while school is in session, said district superintendent Eric Ritzert.

Classrooms in the expanded school will be ready for the start of the next school year, he said.

Seven project change orders totaling $78,281 were approved by the school board Monday.

The change orders included $23,839 for work in the gym, $28,685 for the general contractor, $1,290 for the HVAC contractor, $18,329 for the electrical contractor and $6,138 for the plumbing contractor.

In addition, the board approved paying the district’s share of the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School’s general operating budget for the 2024-25 school year, which was $566,080, a $53,817 increase over this year.

Ritzert said 135 district students in grades 10, 11 and 12 attend the Vo-Tech school. In past years, the district sent an average of 110 students, he added.

The board also approved paying $3,450 to Butler to use Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park for home baseball games this year. The district has been playing at the city ballpark for the last eight years.