The Fairport Central School District Board of Education met Tuesday, January 23, to conduct its regular business and to discuss several issues important to the Fairport community. 

The Board was proud to recognize the District’s athletes for the Fall interscholastic season. In order to be recognized as a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete team recognition, the team’s average GPA for 75% of the roster must be greater than or equal to 90. Each Fairport Varsity Fall sports team achieved that distinction, and the Board and Director of Athletics also recognized the six Section V championship teams, and Fairport’s two state championship teams. 

At the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, members of the public were invited to address the Board’s exploration of shifting all K-12 start times. This topic was also discussed at the Board’s December workshop. You can view the conversation on start times and a transportation analysis here on the FCSD YouTube page. 

The district and Board understands that a potential shift of secondary school times until later in the morning and moving elementary school start times to earlier in the morning will have an impact on students, families and staff at each Fairport school. Community members spoke on Tuesday about the collected body of evidence that ties later start times to increased student academic performance, a decrease in disciplinary actions and increased attendance for secondary students. 

Members of the community expressed concerns about how a shift to earlier start times for elementary schools would affect childcare, transportation and student wellness. The District and the Board of Education will consider all impacts, and the administration will reach out to Fairport parents to collect more data within the next month. There will also be future opportunities for public comment in front of the Board. The Board plans on confirming its plans by September 1, 2024. 

The District’s annual school budget and Board of Education election is May 21, 2024 at Johanna Perrin Middle School. At Tuesday’s meeting, Superintendent Provenzano extended an invitation to the entire Fairport community to attend the Community Budget Meeting on January 31 at 7 p.m. in room 512 at Fairport High School. Input from the community ThoughtExchange will help inform the presentation to the public on January 31.