Awards & Achievements

Our Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence

Several Fayetteville-Manlius School District schools are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon school. The honor is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments. 

Eagle Hill Middle School earned the prestigious honor in 2011, Enders Road Elementary School in 2014 and 2023, Mott Road Elementary in 2020 and Fayetteville Elementary School in 2021.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon designation is an honor that never expires, and Blue Ribbon Schools are held up as models for other schools. The U.S. Department of Education features the winners on its website. Leaders of winning schools give presentations at state and regional meetings about their school’s practices. Teachers from other school districts often visit Blue Ribbon Schools to learn about effective leadership and instructional strategies, according to the Blue Ribbon program website.

Fayetteville-Manlius A Lighthouse District for Community Alignment

The Fayetteville-Manlius School District was recently honored by The School Superintendents Association (AASA) for its work to engage families and the community to enhance learning experiences and support for students.

In 2024, F-M was one of six school districts to be named an AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse System. The designation highlights F-M’s commitment to transformative education and continual innovation on behalf of our students and community. View the AASA Lighthouse Demonstration System Vignette.

To be selected, a district must demonstrate significant growth and serve as models for change in one or more of the following focus areas:

Learn more about F-M’s national recognition as a Lighthouse District for community alignment.

A “Best Communities for Music Education in America” Designated School

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has repeatedly named the Fayetteville-Manlius School District one of the nation’s “Best Communities for Music Education in America.”

F-M is among 830 school districts and 78 schools in 2023 to receive the designation from NAMM, a nonprofit organization that advocates active participation in music-making.

Schools and districts are evaluated based on funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, support for the music program, community music-making initiatives and access to music instruction. The foundation, with the assistance from researchers at The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas, evaluate participants on these factors, and designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and greater access to music education.

Central New York Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District students were recently recognized with a total of 144 awards in the 2024 Central New York Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for teens in grades 7-12.

F-M High School received the most awards of any high school this year with 117, and the district won the most distinctions of any in the region in Fine Arts. The Central New York Region includes 13 counties and nearly 400 eligible schools. Judges evaluate entries for their originality, technical skill and the emergence of personal voice or vision, according to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards website. 

Works that earned a Gold Key Award are automatically considered for national awards.

NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Recognition

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) recently recognized all twelve of the Fayetteville-Manlius School District’s spring varsity athletic teams as part of its Scholar-Athlete program.

At the end of each sports season, NYSPHSAA recognizes student-athletes and teams that have achieved academic success. To receive a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete team award, 75 percent of students on a team’s roster must earn a grade point average (GPA) of 90 or above. More than 270 spring varsity student-athletes helped achieve this accomplishment.

F-M awarded quality management system certification

The Fayetteville-Manlius School District is an ISO 9000-certified school district. ISO 9000 is the world’s most widely recognized quality management standards system, presenting guidelines intended to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The district first became ISO certified in 2003, and in 2018, it moved from the 9001:2008 standard to the 9001:2015 standard. The scope of its certification covers the district’s support services areas: maintenance, custodial, technology, transportation, human resources and accounting.

“We are proud of our quality management system. It enables us to consistently focus on our customers, which are our students, staff and community members. Our processes, risk analysis, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement focus are all features of a good quality management system. Continuous improvement is our goal.”

– William Furlong, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services

There is a national trend toward service organizations becoming certified, and more than 200 educational institutions across the country are ISO certified, according to the AASA, The School Superintendents Association, website.

F-M is likely the only New York state school district with ISO certification; however, with more than 50 independent registrars, statistics aren’t readily available.