UPK is a state funded program for children who turn four years old on or before December 1, 2025 and are not yet eligible for kindergarten. Children who qualify for UPK in the upcoming school year have a birth date on or between 12/2/2020 and 12/1/2021. The child's parent or guardian must reside in Fairport or Perinton for the child to participate in the Fairport UPK program.

There are currently 108 spots available in the Fairport UPK program. We have more families interested in UPK than there are spots available. To ensure all interested families have an equal chance to participate, families use an online Google Form available on the district’s website and social media accounts to enter their child into a random lottery. Families who prefer to enter the lottery using a paper application can use the mailer sent to their homes advertising the UPK Lottery.

The lottery for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, January 6, 2025. The lottery will close at midnight on Sunday, February 16, 2025.

When the lottery closes, all entries are randomized and the first 108 students on the randomized list are offered spots in the UPK program. The rest of the students on the randomized list are put on a waiting list.

Once the lottery closes, all families will be notified if their child has been accepted to Fairport UPK or has been placed on the waitlist on or before Friday, February 28, 2025. Notification will be sent to the email used to register your child for the lottery or the email provided on the paper registration. If your child is selected to participate, the email will include next steps to officially register your child for Fairport UPK.

You can still complete the Google Form to be added to the lottery. Late entries will be added to the bottom of the waiting list.

Our UPK program would not be possible without our partnerships with Bright Start, Gateway, Generations and Care-a-lot. The Bright Start classroom is located at Brooks Hill Elementary. The Gateway classroom and one of the Generations classrooms are located at Dudley Elementary. Generations also has two classrooms located at 2815 Baird Rd, Fairport. The Care-a-lot classroom is located at 1 Hamilton Rd, Fairport.

A limited number of wrap care spots are available at the Generations, Baird Rd location. Wrap care is also available to children who participate in the classroom located at Care-a-lot, Hamilton Rd. The fee for wrap care is set by the provider.

Fairport UPK is a full day program. This means it runs for 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday and follows the Fairport CSD 2025-2026 School Calendar. The start and end times of each classroom are staggered to ease traffic congestion, but the school day has an approximate start time of 9:00am and an approximate end time of 2:00pm. If your child is accepted into the UPK program, you will be given the exact start and end times for your child’s classroom. 

Attendance matters in UPK. Showing up on time every day is important to your child’s success and learning from UPK forward. It is expected that UPK students attend school everyday, with the exception of illness. If you are having a difficult time getting your child to school, please let your child’s teachers know. We want to partner with you to help your child participate in school.

Yes, breakfast and lunch are provided as part of the UPK program. It is prepared with food allergies in mind for the students in your child’s classroom. We ask that students do not bring in food from home so we can maintain a safe environment for all children in your child’s class. Your child can bring a water bottle to school each day.

Parent transport is required for students to participate in the UPK program. FCSD does not provide transportation for UPK students.

Each classroom has 18 students, one teacher and one teaching assistant.

All Fairport UPK classrooms use the HighScope Preschool curriculum. The HighScope Preschool Curriculum is a research-based, active learning approach designed to support children’s natural curiosity and foster independence, creativity and problem-solving skills. Originating from the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, the curriculum is rooted in principles of child-centered learning and developmentally appropriate practices. The HighScope curriculum is aligned with the Prekindergarten Early Learning Standards developed by the NYS Education Department.

Key Components

1. Active Learning: Children learn through direct, hands-on experiences with people, materials, events and ideas. Teachers create an environment where children can explore and make choices, promoting critical thinking and independence.
2. Plan-Do-Review Process: This three-step sequence encourages self-directed learning. Children plan their activities, do them and then review what they did, promoting reflection and communication skills.
3. Classroom Environment: The classroom is divided into well-defined interest areas, such as art, blocks, reading and dramatic play. Each area is organized with accessible materials to foster autonomy, exploration and social interaction.
4. Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): HighScope outlines 58 KDIs, covering areas like language, literacy, social-emotional development, physical well-being and cognitive skills. Teachers use these KDIs as benchmarks to assess and support each child's progress.
5. Adult-Child Interaction: Teachers act as facilitators rather than directors. They observe children’s interests and engage in meaningful interactions by asking open-ended questions, supporting problem-solving and providing assistance as needed.
6. Daily Routine: A consistent, yet flexible routine is followed each day. It includes time for group activities, individual exploration, outdoor play and the Plan-Do-Review sequence. This helps children feel secure and understand the flow of the day.