The Southern Cayuga Central School District Board of Education is moving along with a plan to study the district's future facilities needs.

During Monday's regular meeting, the board reviewed a timeline presented by Jason Benedict of the Manlius-based King and King Architects that calls for a three-phase process that will identify the current and future needs for all district facilities, according to a district news release.

The first phase, master planning, will include updated estimates needed for all the school facilities and will take at least six months to complete. Public meetings will also be held to update the community on progress.

Facilities include Emily Howland Elementary School, opened in 1954; the planetarium classroom and original Poplar Ridge campus, both of which opened in 1968; and the 13-year-old middle school wing added to the Poplar Ridge campus.

During last year's budget process and at numerous times in the past several months, board members discussed each of the school buildings, particularly Emily Howland, and how they may relate to the district's future.

District leaders and members of a stakeholder committee will also take into consideration the declining enrollment patterns that mark the district.

Only 850 students are currently enrolled this academic year.

“Detailed study is needed to evaluate the capacity of the existing schools for instruction,” the release said, “that is equipped with the technology resources students will need to be successful in a changing world.”

The facilities planning is just one piece of the long term planning process, which will also include devising a long range education plan.