Authentic Family Engagement & Intentional Inclusion of Stakeholders at Fayetteville-Manlius School District

An AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse Demonstration System Vignette

In the fall of 2024, Fayetteville-Manlius School District was named an AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse Demonstration System for its work in the area of community alignment.

Located in the southeastern suburbs of the city of Syracuse, New York, the Fayetteville-Manlius School District is home to approximately 25,000 residents. The district is a regular recipient of top regional, state, and national awards in the areas of academics, athletics, and the arts. Four of the six school buildings within the district have individually earned National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards.

A major focus area of the district is its commitment to community alignment. According to its vision statement, “Our vision as a school community is to inspire students and promote personal success. Its mission is to: “Build on our commitment to academic excellence with a focus on authentic learning experiences, civic responsibility, and innovative programs. We will accomplish this within an environment that fosters meaningful relationships, honors and affirms the diverse identities and experiences of our students, supports the overall wellness of each student, and promotes continuous improvement in each of the priority areas: teaching and learning; school environment; service learning and community partnerships; and fiscal capacity and responsibility.”

The district identifies four priority areas: Teaching and Learning, School Environment, Service Learning and Community Partnerships, and Fiscal Capacity and Responsibility. District leaders emphasize that the system must be redesigned so that students are prepared to contribute to an ever-changing world and the educational systems involves the community in that redesign process.

These priority areas are aligned with the AASA Lighthouse District’s Accelerator A4: Community Alignment.