Fairport for the Future 2023

Happening Now: Fairport for the Future 2023 is Well Underway!

April 3, 2024


It’s an exciting time to walk the halls of Fairport High School! As the end of the school year moves into view, many of our staff continue to work on what might be the biggest group project of all: bringing the Fairport for the Future 2023 Capital Improvement Plan to life!


Fairport and Perinton residents made their investment in our Future-Ready Raiders apparent in October of 2023 when they approved both propositions of the Fairport for the Future 2023 CIP. 


The District and our partners with LaBella Associates and Campus Construction have continued to meet with students, community members and staff to listen and learn about their needs for each of these new and updated spaces. Information from user groups will inform the concepts for the spaces, including the new technology wing, track and field, tennis courts and library at Fairport High School. The project team anticipates submitting the design plans to the New York State Education Department this summer, with an anticipated groundbreaking at the high school in Spring 2025. 


The 2023 voter-approved project is far from the only upgrade on deck this summer! Fairport Forward 2019’s upgrades at Fairport High School will continue through Summer 2024 with the final installation of durable, sustainable terrazzo flooring in the school’s updated hallways, while our Art Department staff work to develop plans for the revamp of two art classrooms. Meanwhile, the Smart Schools project has wrapped up with the full installation of security cameras and electronic door locks.

The results of the public vote on the proposed Fairport for the Future 2023 Capital Improvement Project have been calculated.


Total votes: 3,834


PROPOSITION 1:


2,800 YES votes - 73%

1,025 NO votes


PROPOSITION 2:


2,165 YES votes - 57%

1,625 NO votes


“The turnout and support for this CIP are indicative of the Fairport and Perinton community’s expectations and support for its schools,” says Superintendent Brett Provenzano. “This project will keep the District’s facilities planning efforts moving forward and support our district’s expansive and student-centered programming for years to come. I am honored and grateful to be working in partnership with a community that values its schools!”


Stay tuned for the next steps of this project - thank you for casting your vote and we look forward to the great things to come! 


Allow us to reintroduce ourselves: meet Fairport For The Future 2023! The District is proud to present this Capital Improvement Project to serve the needs of our students for years to come. Our community has the power to help guide the bright future of our Fairport schools! Cast your vote at Johanna Perrin Middle School on October 12 - polls are open between 6 am and 9 pm.

There are two propositions on the October 12 public referendum:


Proposition 1 has no additional tax impact with use of our existing capital reserves. Fairport for the Future will update and modernize facilities and spaces in Fairport High School to comfortably absorb ninth grade and support Fairport's programming. Many learning environments at Fairport High School, including technology and library spaces, are outdated and no longer serve the needs of Fairport’s students, staff and programming. 


Proposition 2 has a tax impact of $39/year per $200k home value after use of existing capital reserves. The FHS track and field would be updated to create a first-rate facility for practice, competition and community use.


“When students, parents, coaches and community members shared how much they valued the track and that the current condition was an important issue to be solved, the Board made a concerted effort to review the various reserve funds and repurpose funds in ways to help reduce the tax burden on district residents, while maintaining our fiscal strength for the future,” said Board of Education Vice President Peter Forsgren. “By doing this we were able to reduce the anticipated burden from almost $50 per household to under $40.”


"Given the size of Fairport and the amount of athletes that participate in track and field each year (with zero cuts made) the need for improvements were highlighted by hundreds of community members with photos, letters, emails, presentations, and social media pages,” said Board President Erica Belois-Pacer. “The Board listened to our community members and will be giving them the opportunity to vote on a second proposition in October.”


Click here to see the resolution approved by the Board of Education at its August meeting, calling for the vote on October 12.

Planning for the long- and short-term needs of Fairport High School

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH

The Fairport Central School District is deeply proud of our commitment to extraordinary programming and elective offerings for our students. As the fields of science and technology race ahead at top speed, our dedication and ability to provide students with an education to make them Future-Ready must keep pace. 


Fairport High School currently has three technology classrooms to service 11 different courses that range from architecture and robotics to woodworking and auto repair. Some of these spaces have not been updated or expanded for 60 years. As the District invests in new technology for our students, there is a trade-off: what can we bring into the spaces we have and how can we preserve the more traditional programs we offer while helping our students remain competitive?


The proposed Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) addition in the Fairport for the Future 2023 project adds five classroom spaces to the school’s footprint - but will affect far more than five classes of students. These spaces will be designed for flexibility and adaptability and can accommodate many different kinds of STEM and cross curricular programs. From housing 3D printers to traditional table saws and engine lifts, along with cutting edge technology used by multiple disciplines, the STEM addition gives the District an opportunity to expand access to our programming.

LIBRARY ARTS AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

One of the things that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed is a shift in the way our teachers educate and the way our students learn. Fairport is a one-to-one technology device district by necessity, and that has impacted how our students and staff conduct research and use the library. The library is the heart of every school building, and Fairport High School’s library has not been renovated in decades. Planning for a library renovation has been a part of the District’s facilities planning process for many years, and has long been identified as a space that needs a 21st century upgrade.


The proposed renovation of the Fairport High School library would create three new core area classrooms and would maintain the literacy-rich and collaborative environment that our students and staff require. Space within the current library footprint would be converted to administrative space to comfortably absorb the mental health and administrative staff needed to bring the ninth grade students to Fairport High School.


The vision for the Fairport High School library at the core of Fairport for the Future 2023 is a vibrant, modern facility with a literacy-rich environment that adds much-needed classroom and collaborative space and houses the mental health and administrators required to absorb ninth grade. 

What does Proposition 1 entail?

What does Proposition 2 entail?





Conceptual design of new track and field complex at Fairport High School - Courtesy LaBella Associates

Dollars and Cents: Fiscal Responsibility and Fairport for the Future 2023

You’ll see two Propositions on the ballot on October 12, 2023. Proposition 1 will have ZERO ADDITIONAL TAX IMPACT on Fairport and Perinton residents after the use of Capital Building Reserves. 


Proposition 2 has an estimated tax impact of $39 per year on a home valued at $200,000.


How did we get to $0 for Proposition 1 and $39 per year for Proposition 2? By tapping into the District’s existing Capital Building Reserves and maximizing the amount of aid provided by New York State!

The Fairport for the Future 2023 Story

A new and larger track and field facility would make Fairport eligible to host invitationals and sectional championships. Adding a grandstand would make watching these events more enjoyable and be an improvement from- a safety standpoint, being able to see any potential emergencies from above. Advocates for the track and field program expressed that track is a sport that is accessible to all students. This interscholastic activity supports more than 120 student athletes each season at both the high school and modified level. It will be used by physical education classes and be accessible to the community. 

Student voice and student advocacy are two of the most important factors in creating a school community that supports, affirms and celebrates its students. Dozens of Fairport's student athletes came together in the Spring of 2023 to ask the Board of Education to consider putting an initiative to fund the creation of a new track and field complex back on the ballot.