The Fayetteville-Manlius Board of Education is the official policy-making body of the school district. It is responsible for carrying out the laws and regulations pertaining to the education of our children. The board adopts school district policy, curriculum and programs of study, and approves the hiring of all personnel as well as establishing the conditions of employment. In addition, the board has the responsibility of maintaining facilities, establishing an annual budget, and setting a tax levy. The school district budget is adopted by the school board each year at a public meeting. The adopted budget then goes to voters for their approval.
Organization
The F-M Board of Education is composed of nine school district residents who are elected by voters to three-year terms in the annual election. Terms are staggered so that three members are elected each year. They are not compensated for their work as board members.
In addition to the elected members, the board includes a non-voting student member selected each year by the administration to serve a one-year term. The student, who must be a senior at F-M High School, attends all public meetings and is allowed to participate in all public discussions.
At the annual organizational meeting in July, the board elects a president and vice-president and appoints board committees for the new school year. Ad hoc committees meet to review specific operational functions and to make recommendations to the entire board as necessary.
Seated with the board at meetings are the superintendent of schools, the assistant superintendent for personnel, the assistant superintendent for instruction, the assistant superintendent for special services, and the assistant superintendent for business services.
Meetings
Meetings of the board of education are open to the public. They are held at 6 p.m. in school and administrative buildings throughout the district. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed. Meeting dates and locations are announced in the Eagle Bulletin and on the F-M district website. The information may also be obtained by calling the district clerk at 315-692-1234.
School district business is discussed only in public meetings. However, state law provides for the use of executive (private) sessions on matters which may involve personnel and legal issues. All official board action is taken only in board meetings, which are open to the public.
Participation in Meetings
The board of education welcomes your comments, concerns, and questions. The agenda provides an opportunity for residents to address the board on any topic during the public comment portion of the meeting. An individual board member has no more authority than any other qualified voter of the district. It is only when acting as a body that the board has authority. Effective responsible consideration of an issue by the board is best accomplished when it is scheduled in advance as an item on the meeting agenda.
Therefore, while comments and questions are welcomed, the board will generally not respond to items introduced during the public comment period. Rather, these non-agenda items will be referred to the board president and superintendent for consideration as an agenda item at a future meeting. Additionally, these items may be referred to administrators or staff members who may be able to assist and report back to the board at a later meeting.
Meetings are held in public, but they are not public meetings in the same sense as traditional town meetings. Therefore, members of the public generally do not participate in the business of the board after the public comment period. Those who have comments they would like to make after the public comment period are always invited to call or write board members or to comment during the public comment period at the next board meeting.
Public comment is typically only offered at regular board meetings. Please refer to the schedule of board meetings webpage. Board meeting agendas will be available 4 days prior to the meeting and can be viewed in BoardDocs or the latest news article.
For planning purposes, the district requests that members of the public who wish to attend board meetings and or speak during public comment pre-register no later than 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Individuals who pre-register will receive an email confirmation. If pre-registrations indicate a high rate of attendance, the board meeting may be relocated to accommodate the size of the audience. In the event that the room in which a board meeting is held reaches capacity, the district reserves the right to establish a secondary location for viewing the meeting via livestream.
Communicating with the Board of Education
The decisions made by the board of education affect your child, your child’s future, and the well-being of our community. The board advocates for your participation in these important matters and encourages the community to work collaboratively with the school district to provide the best possible educational program.
- To contact the board by phone:
315-692-1200 - To contact the board by mail:
Fayetteville-Manlius School District
8199 E. Seneca Turnpike, Manlius, NY 13104-2140 - To contact the board as a whole by email: board@fmschools.org
- For contact information for individual board members:
Board Members - To contact the board clerk: sgridley@fmschools.org