Fayetteville-Manlius High School

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Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Motto	"Striving for Excellence"
Established	1962
Type	Public Secondary
Principal	Mr. James Chupaila
Faculty	110
Students	1,600
Grades	9–12
Location	Manlius, New York USA
District	Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District
Campus	Suburban
Colors	Green, White
Mascot	Hornet
Website	http://www.fmschools.org/highschool.cfm

Fayetteville-Manlius High School (or F-M High School) is a comprehensive New York public high school on East Seneca Turnpike in the Town of Manlius, serving grades 9-12 in the Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District. It is the only high school in the district, and is the successor to both Wellwood Middle School and Eagle Hill Middle School. The school is governed under the authority of the New York State Department of Education, whose standardized examinations are designed and administered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Traditions 1.2 New facilities 2 Demographics 3 Academics and extracurriculars 3.1 Curriculum 3.2 Graduation Data 3.3 Notable achievement 3.4 Extracurriculars 4 Athletics 4.1 Reputation 4.2 Notable athletic achievement 5 Controversy 6 Alumni 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

Fayetteville-Manlius High School was opened in 1962 after the 1951 merger of then separate Fayetteville and Manlius school districts and subsequent need to consolidate students into a single high school. Upon this opening, a major school restructuring was implemented, as the Fayetteville High School became Wellwood Junior High School and Manlius High School became Pleasant Street Elementary in 1965 (and closed ten years later). A new junior high school, Eagle Hill, was also opened directly next to the high school in the same year. Space requirements, due mainly to ballooning enrollment and continued reorganization as a result of the 1951 merger, prompted the district to relocate Eagle Hill to a new building on a new campus in 1972, so the high school could expand into the junior high's previous facilities. This expansion, which connected the two buildings by a hallway and an enclosed footbridge, nearly doubled the school's footprint. F-M High School served grades 10 through 12 until 1980, when the two junior high schools became middle schools.^[1]

[edit] Traditions

The athletic teams' mascots are the Hornets, a reference to the hornets that nested in a 200 year-old oak tree that formerly stood at Wellwood. The school alma mater gives tribute to this same tree in its opening stanza, "Guarded by the old oak tree...". The alma mater is set to the melody of "Aura Lee". Its lyrics are attributed to teacher Richard Rhoades "and his music composition class".^[2] The current high school has an oak tree in commemoration of the original one in Fayetteville. The theme also finds expression in school colors (green and white), the district logo (see graphic), the name of the school yearbook (Oakleaves) and several of the names used for the school newpaper over the years.^[3]

[edit] New facilities

Subsequent additions and renovations have allowed the school to keep up with advances in technology, increases in enrollment, and changes in curriculum.

• Two new wings for science and music and a renovated library media center were opened in 1998, followed by a renovation of and addition to the auditorium in 1999.
• Since 1998, the school has opened seven computer labs spread throughout the school, in an ongoing commitment to making contemporary technology accessible to all students. Together, these labs contain almost 200 computers, in addition to a computer in every classroom.
• In 2000, to accommodate the school's nationally-renowned, award-winning art programs, the district opened one of the most extensive art facilities of any public school system in Upstate New York. The new wing includes classrooms and studio space for drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and digital media. Existing photography facilities remained intact and have since been updated to accommodate digital technologies.
• 2000 saw the opening of a television studio, FMTV, which develops and broadcasts a student-run morning news program and special events to every classroom in the school.
• In 2003, after acquiring farmland adjacent to the campus, the school opened a new access road, expanded student parking lot, and additional athletic fields. Consolidated maintenance facilities, and a state-of-the-art observatory opened in 2004, also as a result of this acquisition.
• An expanded counseling suite and administrative office was opened in 2004.

[edit] Demographics

As of the 2004-05 school year, there were 1551 students enrolled at F-M High School: 411 in grade nine, 389 in grade ten, 366 in grade eleven, and 385 in grade twelve. The racial/ethnic makeup of the student population was 92.5% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 4.3% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1.0% Hispanic. Approximately 0.8% of the population, or 13 students, demonstrated limited English proficiency.

As part of one of the wealthiest districts in Upstate New York and wealthiest in Central New York, F-M High School's students are considered by the New York State Department of Education to have low student resource needs in relation to district resource capacities. 97% of families of enrolled students were considered by the Department of Education to be economically stable and 1.4% of the student body qualified for a reduced lunch price.

There were 101 teachers employed at the school, which calculates a student to teacher ratio of approximately 15.35:1, though it is noted that the average 10th grade core academic classes ranged from 21-24 students per teacher.^[4]

[edit] Academics and extracurriculars

[edit] Curriculum

As a comprehensive high school, focus is placed on developing students as well-rounded, respectful, socially engaged, productive citizens who constantly value new learning opportunities. The school focuses on graduating all students with the minimum of a Regents Diploma, but some may also graduate with a less advanced local diploma. The Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation may be achieved with extended studies in foreign language, science and math.

Though the curriculum is developed and sanctioned by the New York State Department of Education, and classes are developed to prepare students to achieve success on the required Regents Examinations, most core courses offer one or two components that explore more advanced topics. The school offers standard level Regents courses, but also offers more advanced Honors courses, Interdisciplinary courses (in English and History), Advanced Placement (AP) courses, as well as Syracuse University courses offered through Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA). SU courses offered through Project Advance are taught at the high school by F-M faculty members (qualified by the University), and follow the same curriculum and are given the same credit as courses taught at the university. A large percentage of students opt to take SU courses offered through Project Advance instead of AP classes because their equally challenging curriculum is often more widely accepted for transfer credit by the students' successive colleges or universities.

International Baccelaureate (IB) courses are not offered at F-M.

As a school that strives to develop and encourage individual character and self-confidence, F-M has been steadfast in limiting any unnecessary academic competition amongst students. It is one of the only public schools in Central New York, and part of an extremely small percentage in the country, that does not rank students publicly and does not award valedictorian or salutatorian to graduating seniors. The school also uses a 5.5 grade point scale, as opposed to the much more common 4.0 scale, and does not weigh the GPA based on class difficulty level (Regents, Honors, AP, etc). In addition, the athletic department does not participate in academic All-America honors.

[edit] Graduation Data

F-M High School has established a long, successful history of advancing students' interest in education beyond high school. In 2005, the school graduated 99.2% of its senior class, 93% of whom received a Regents Diploma, and 72% of whom received a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. Of these graduating students, 96% continued on to higher education, 85% to a four-year college, and 11% to a two-year college. Of the remaining graduates, 2% continued into the workforce, 1% entered military service and another 1% had unknown plans. Another 0.5% enrolled in a General Educational Development or GED program, instead of graduating.^[4]

[edit] Notable achievement

• Science Olympiad
  • 2004 National Champions^[5]
  • Other National Finishes: 3rd Place, 2005, 4th Place, 2000^[6], 2001, 2006^[7][8]
  • Five consecutive New York State Championships (2003-2007). ^{[9] [10]}
• 2005 gold medal and 2006 blue ribbon, Expansion Management magazine's Education Quotient™^[11]
• 1999, 2000, and 2006 GRAMMY® Signature School^[12]
• Six-times named one of the American Music Conference's "Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America".^[13]
• The high school is consistently honored by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards as having the one of the best art programs in the country.^[14] In 2006, students from the high school received a record number of national awards, including the prestigious National American Vision Award.^[15]
• The high school consistently exceeds average state and national performances on the SAT. In addition, 99% of F-M students take the exam at least once.^[16] Here are the average scores, as of 2005:
  • F-M : 590 Math, 571 Verbal - 1161 Total^[17]
  • State : 511 Math, 497 Verbal - 1008 Total^[18]
  • National : 520 Math, 508 Verbal - 1028 Total^[19]

[edit] Extracurriculars

The student activities program offers more than fifty clubs and activities in a wide range of interests. Student-run publications include the Oakleaves yearbook, the student newspaper called The Buzz (formerly The Sting, formerly the Hornet's Nest),^[3] and a literary magazine, Voices. The Schools has an Improvosational Comedy Group named "Fayetteville-Manlius Improv Club" or "FMIC". The school has a chamber orchestra, a jazz ensemble, two bands, concert band and wind ensemble, and three vocal groups: choir, and the select groups chorale, and Swing 16. FM also has three major stage productions during the year. The fall show features plays by the likes of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde. The spring musical production has featured such famous shows as Les Miserables, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls, and Oklahoma!, among many others. The final production of the year, called Showboat, is the annual student-run talent show, a longstanding tradition reaching back several decades.^[20]

[edit] Athletics

F-M's 32 varsity teams compete in the Colonial Division of the Onondaga High School League (OHSL), Section III of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) [1], and Section III of the New York State Scholastic Rowing Association [2]. Teams include:

• Girls:
  • Fall - Cheerleading, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball
  • Winter - Basketball, Bowling, Cheerleading, Indoor Track
  • Spring - Crew, Golf, Lacrosse, Softball, Track

• Boys:
  • Fall - Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Volleyball
  • Winter - Basketball, Bowling, Ice Hockey, Indoor Track, Swimming, Wrestling
  • Spring - Baseball, Crew, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track

All varsity teams practice and compete on the high school campus, with a few exceptions. The soccer teams compete in the village of Manlius, the hockey team practices and competes at Sunnycrest Ice Rink in the city of Syracuse, and crew teams practice on Onondaga Lake and compete at various venues. As voters in the district have historically refused to approve the building of aquatic facilities,^{[citation needed]} the swimming teams practice and compete at Nottingham High School and less frequently at Corcoran High School in the city of Syracuse.

[edit] Reputation

F-M Athletics are renowned around the state and the country for competitive superiority, sportsmanship and academic integrity. In recent years, F-M has made a significant statement on the national stage in running and girl's lacrosse. The district is home to the current national champion girl's cross country team, who won the Nike Team Nationals competition on December 2, 2006.^[21] Additionally, the boy's cross country team finished as high as 2nd in the nation in 2004 and girls lacrosse finished as high as 3rd in the nation in 2005.^[22][23] A wide variety of teams claim OHSL and NYSPHSAA Section III championships every year, and the vast majority of teams are honored with NYS Scholar Athlete Awards.

[edit] Notable athletic achievement

• Girl's Cross Country
  • 2006 National Champions^[24][25]
  • 2006 NYSPHSAA Federation Champions^[26]
  • 2006 NYSPHSAA Class AA Champions & 1997 NYSPHSAA Class A Champions.
• Boy's Cross Country
  • 2nd Place, 2004 & 3rd place, 2005 Nike Team Nationals^[27][28]
  • 1997, 2004 & 2005 NYSPHSAA Federation Champions^[29][30]
  • 2004 NYSPHSAA Class AA Champions & 1997 NYSPHSAA Class A Champions
• Boy's Outdoor Track
  • 2006 National Champion 4x1 Mile Relay (meet, Section III and NYSPHSAA record time) and 2nd Place Distance Medley Relay, 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals^[31]
• Boy's Indoor Track
  • 2006 National Champion 4x1 Mile Relay (meet record time), 2006 Nike Indoor Nationals^[32]
• Girl's Lacrosse
  • National Rankings: #4 (2004) and #3 (2005) by LaxPower^[33][34]
  • 2004 & 2005 NYSPHSAA Class A Champions and 2006 NYSPHSAA Class A Runners-up^[35][36][37]
• Girl's Crew
  • 1st Place, Girls 2nd 8+, 2006 New York State Scholastic Rowing Association (NYSSRA) Championships^[38]
• Girl's Tennis
  • 2003 & 2004 NYSPHSAA Doubles Champions^[39][40]
  • 14 consecutive Section III titles
  • undefeated since 1993
• Boy's Tennis
  • 12 consecutive Section III titles
  • undefeated since 1995

[edit] Controversy

During the 2006-2007 school year, the school gained national attention due to controversial policies implemented by the principal and faculty. Contested regulations include locking all doors during the school day. (An exception was made a few weeks later that now allows students to pass through doors in between periods) and banning the use of hoods on hooded sweatshirts.^{[citation needed]} The policy that facilitated the greatest uproar, catching the attention of the New York Times in a December 17, 2006 article, was the decision by principal James Chupaila to ban "grinding", or any forms of perceived "pornographic dancing styles", at school dances, and to cancel one dance altogether for fear it could become a moral and legal liability.^[41] The story was also featured in the New York Observer, and in other newspapers in the region. Chupaila's decision led to the cancellation by the students of the remainder of class dances, with the exception of the school's popular spring charity fundraiser, Dance Marathon.

[edit] Alumni

The school district operates an F-M Alumni web site, through which former F-M students can stay in touch and informed about class reunions.^[42] In addition, the school district, in conjunction with the Fayetteville-Manlius Education Foundation, has instituted a Fayetteville-Manlius Hall of Distinction, which is said "to recognize and celebrate Fayetteville-Manlius for the accomplishments of its graduates."^[43] The following alumni have been inducted:

2000

• Arkie Albanese, local politician - Class of 1943
• Steve Altes, writer, humorist, and actor - Class of 1980
• Madonna Moss, archaeologist - Class of 1972
• Tom Rafferty, pro football player - Class of 1972
• William Short, co-developer of the Acoustic Wave Music System (commonly known as Bose) - Class of 1969
• Nancy Harvey Steorts, former chairman of the Consumer Products Safety Commission - Class of 1955
• Chris Wedge, Academy Award winning film director - Class of 1975

2001

• Lynn Hayes, sculptor and entrepreneur - Class of 1982
• Stewart Massad, physician, professor and writer - Class of 1976
• Christopher Moeller, comic book artist, writer and illustrator - Class of 1981
• David Vermilya, community youth center co-director - Class of 1966

2002

• Robert Bassett, community service coordinator and trainer - Class of 1967
• John Bligh, United States diplomat - Class of 1954
• John Halverson surgeon, - Class of 1959
• Molly (Langan) Lebowitz, lawyer and vintner - Class of 1979
• Walter Short surgeon, professor and writer - Class of 1967

2003

• Frank Carroll, environmental scientist - Class of 1966
• Clara Gregory, pioneering doctor and police surgeon - Class of 1907
• Stephen Montzka, environmental atmospheric chemist, NOAA - Class of 1979

2004

• Laurie Halse Anderson, children's author and young adult novelist - Class of 1979
• Manuel Ares, Jr., department chair, molecular biology, U.C. Santa Cruz - Class of 1973
• David Homer, prosecutor and judge - Class of 1965
• Jonathan Murray, co-creator and executive producer, The Real World - Class of 1973
• Stephen Pflugfelder, ophthalmologist and professor - Class of 1973

2005

• Gail Reals, Brigadier General, U.S.M.C. - Class of 1953
• Wayne Trivelpiece, director of Antarctic Seabird Research, NOAA - Class of 1966
• Lois Vermilya Weslowski, cultural anthropologist, consultant and educator - Class of 1970
• Hayes Wanamaker, otolaryngologist, physician, researcher and surgeon - Class of 1977

The awards are now said to be biannual, with no inductees listed for 2006.^[43]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• NYS Department of Education Report Card
• School and Neighborhood Report
• District Links
  • F-M High School Website
  • F-M Education Foundation
  • F-M Alumni
  • F-M Alumni Trivia Page
• Athletic Links
  • F-M Football
  • New York State Public High School Athletic Association Homepage
  • New York State Scholastic Rowing Association Homepage
  • Section III Homepage
• Other Links
  • Syracuse University Project Advance Website
  • Science Olympiad New York Website
  • Science Olympiad National Website