Fairport Central School District

Board of Education renews resolve to merge Minerva DeLand and Fairport High School; upcoming opportunities for public comment and discussion

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During the December 20, 2022 Board of Education Business (BOE) Meeting, the Fairport Board of Education renewed its commitment to the resolution passed in May 2019 to merge Minerva DeLand’s ninth-grade class with Fairport High School.

The Board reaffirmed the reasons for the original resolution to merge as such:

  • to reduce the number of school transitions made throughout a Fairport student’s time in the District 
  • to expand access for ninth-grade students to the academic and extracurricular programming available at FHS
  • to better align curriculum and programming  
  • to consolidate District buildings in response to declining enrollment
  • to adjust start times

On December 13, 2022, Fairport and Perinton voters voted down the Fairport Forward 2022 Capital Improvement Project. That referendum outlined the changes and additions the BOE and Administration proposed to make at Fairport High School (FHS) to modernize, update and expand programmatic spaces in the school in anticipation of the addition of a ninth-grade class in the 2026-2027 school year.

At the December 2022 meeting, the Board directed the Office of the Superintendent to facilitate public discussion on when the merger can feasibly be enacted in a fiscally responsible manner within NYS Education Department regulations, and/or with a deadline for the merger in advance of the 2026-2027 school year.

Forums on Merger of Minerva DeLand with Fairport High School

On January 9, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Fairport High School, members of the community will have an opportunity to share their thoughts and/or ask questions on how to best enact the merger. 

Members of the public will have up to three minutes to speak or ask questions to the Board of Education and District Administration. Community members will be required to sign up to speak at the workshop and can do so at this link OR by contacting District Clerk Pamela Alexander by calling (585) 421-2010. Based on the length of the event we may have to limit the number of speakers or adjust a speaker’s allotted time. The forum will be available to stream on our District YouTube page. 

If you’re unable to attend the January 9 forum, please feel free to submit questions or comments and the District will address them as we move through the process.

On February 6 in the Fairport High School Cafeteria, the Board of Education will hold a special workshop op in public on enacting the merger. There will not be public comment at that workshop, but the public is invited to attend or view online.