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Consolidation of Ninth Grade and Fairport High School

2026-2027 Consolidation of Minerva DeLand and Fairport High School

Bringing Ninth Grade to Fairport High School

In February 2023, the Fairport Board of Education unanimously voted to approve a resolution that authorizes and directs the consolidation of Minerva DeLand into Fairport High School, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

The purposes of the 2026-2027 consolidation are as follows:

  • To improve access to academic programming and accelerated programming electives and alternative education programming for ninth grade students previously housed in the Minerva DeLand Building.
  • To continue to appropriately staff the District to meet the academic and social emotional needs of the students and better align 9-12 curriculum and programming
  • To fully utilize the updated high school facility, including the new state of the art STEAM/Innovation Center, gymnasium, library, cafeteria and art rooms.
  • To maximize the use of other District properties to include repurposing Minerva DeLand and the future sale or lease of Baumer Place.

 

“A combined Fairport High School housing grades 9 through 12 will maximize relationships and connections with staff and peers over four years, reduce the number of school transitions over a Fairport student’s career in the District, and increase access to Fairport’s extraordinary programming and extracurricular activities.” – Fairport Board of Education

 

A student practices a woodwind instrument

 

Three high school students smile at the camera

Pillars of the Consolidation

A successful transition to a four-year high school facility cannot happen in a vacuum. The District will continue to bring in stakeholders to share their thoughts on the consolidation process. Through months of conversations with faculty and staff, students, families and community members, the District has identified eight pillars that will help carry a successful consolidation of the ninth grade with Fairport High School. Each pillar has a charge, which is supported by a number of objectives. Committees of stakeholders will collaborate on activities to support and achieve these objectives. 

Pillar 1

Our Students

 

Engage in intentional activities that provide rising ninth and tenth graders with opportunities to be welcomed and affirmed at Fairport High School.

 

OBJECTIVES:

 - Student Life: co-curricular, extra-curricular and interscholastic athletic activities, mental health/wellness and social-emotional supports

- Maximize connections and relationships among students and staff

- Align District priorities, 9-12 curriculum and assessment

Pillar 2

School Start Time Shift

 

Examine changing school start times K-12.

 

OBJECTIVES:

- Identify and assess the impacts of a K-12 shift in school start times

- Explore how the District would create and support in-District wraparound care and/or partner with municipalities or CBOs

Pillar 3

Staff Culture

 

Engage in intentional activities that provide staff with opportunities to be welcomed and affirmed at Fairport High School.

 

OBJECTIVES:

- Plan and engage in work-related and embedded activities that bring staff together.

- Engage in intentional activities that unite 9-12 staff 

Pillar 4

Human Resources, Personnel and Staffing

 

Review, assess and address all contractual aspects of personnel and staffing related to the consolidation.

 

OBJECTIVES:

- Creation of a committee to review the consolidation through a contractual lens on behalf of the Fairport teachers’ collective unit

- Review the consolidation through a contractual lens for collective units for District support staff

- Review the consolidation through a contractual lens for collective unit for District administrators

Pillar 5

Communication, Culture and Community Engagement

 

Identify, quantify and reflect on important Fairport values and how all of the Fairport schools are connected to each other and the community.

 

OBJECTIVES:

- Family communication survey

- Enlist the community to join the effort, carry the momentum and celebrate the next era in Fairport schools

- Develop strategic consolidation communication plans for families, staff and larger community

- Communicate the District’s goals for the consolidation

- Provide opportunities to rebrand Fairport High School as a 9-12 building

- The “end of an era” and bringing closure to the Minerva DeLand story

Pillar 6

District Operations

 

Be in compliance with the relative fiscal and building usage requirements set forth by NYSED, municipal law and BOE policies.

 

OBJECTIVES:

 - Confirm necessary actions that the district needs to take to be in compliance with New York State Dept. of Education for consolidation process

- Confirm necessary actions and order of operations for financial consolidation of MD and FHS. This includes purchasing processes, budget code assignments, and requisition approval paths, etc.

- Business Office ensures that all of the necessary steps are followed according to internal procedures and BOE Policies to move items between buildings, store, or dispose of surplus items

Pillar 7

District, Site and Facilities Use Plans

 

Coordinate an effective and efficient transition of ninth grade to Fairport High School and Baumer Place staff to other District properties (MD and MB) affected by consolidation.

 

OBJECTIVES:

 - Site management plans at FHS and other facilities, including plans for safety and security, footprint, traffic and parking, Food service

- A building and campus security plan review for FHS/MD/MB

- Provisions for ISC/tech services including instructional and administrative inventory and infrastructure

- Provisions for food service at FHS and cafeteria supervision

- Review other District properties

- Coordination and implementation of physical consolidation

Pillar 8

Future use of Minerva DeLand, Baumer Place and District Office

 

Identify, decide and communicate how Minerva DeLand, Baumer Place and District Office will be used in the future,

 

OBJECTIVES:

- Coordination and implementation of facility use of MD with potential partner(s)

- Determine usage of other district properties, including MD, BP, MB, ISC/BG

- If applicable, determine how MD can support other district programming and/or facility use needs