The Fayetteville-Manlius School District continues to build on its commitment to academic excellence in the 2024-25 school year. In the proposed 2024-25 school district budget, the district will maintain all student programming and staffing levels.
Based on the district’s strategic plan, there are a few goals surrounding curriculum and instruction that will be a priority in the coming school year. The district aims to continuously improve teaching and learning, create a positive school environment, support community partnerships, and remain fiscally responsible.
Continuous improvement in teaching and learning in the 2024-25 school year will include a focus on personalized learning through the lens of inclusive curriculum and assessment, which works to engage students in learning that is meaningful, relevant and accessible to all. All students in grades kindergarten through 12 should have opportunities to pursue their passions and interests as well as have a choice and a voice in their education.
“We’re always looking to innovate what students do inside the classroom, and what they need to take away from the classroom upon graduation. This is a K-12 conversation,” explained Kathryn Daughton, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.
Staff will identify academic areas in need of additional support and develop plans to address them in an effort to refine curriculum that is inclusive and personalized. New York State and national learning standards will also be addressed, opportunities will be expanded that promote student engagement, and professional learning will be provided to teachers. F-M will also continue to work with outside partners such as the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST), Micron, and Onondaga Community College to offer new courses and embed new ways of learning into existing courses.
To create a more positive school environment for students, F-M staff plan to continue working with the Mental Health Taskforce and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to produce tangible objectives and measures of progress. Curriculum specialists are also constantly looking to develop collaborative learning spaces and lessons that support student inquiry.
Community partnerships with the MOST, Micron, and OCC, as mentioned above, will continue to be a priority in the coming school year, along with organizing more community resource nights on topics such as mental health. These partnerships will be integrated more effectively as the new STEM wing at the high school is completed and students begin to use the new classroom space this spring.