Standards of Excellence

The following "Standards of Excellence" are in addition to the "Academic Commencement Requirements" to be achieved by the students of New York Mills Union Free School District.

The goal of the District will be to create an awareness of the following behaviors, and to at the same time encourage students in the importance of acting on them:

I. Responsible Citizens will: 

1.      Practice honesty and ethical behavior, and understand their positive effect on others. 

2.     Understand the role and function of authority and learn the appropriate means to question authority when necessary. 

3.     Be accountable for their actions. 

4.     Respect life and our environment. 

5.     Produce quality work. 

6.     Understand and participate in community service, volunteerism and extra-curricular activites. 

7.     Demonstrate the importance of punctuality, good attendance, patience, and persistence. 

II. Physically and emotionally healthy students will: 

1.      Exhibit consensus building and mediation skills which show acceptance of difference. 

2.     Know the importance of participating in relaxing leisure time activities and regular physical exercise. 

3.     Be able to utilize health systems, services and resources available in the community. 

4.     Be aware of CPR and first aid skills. 

5.     Possess management skills that address self-control, motivation, and positive self-esteem. 

6.     Understand the ill effects of addictive substances and know strategies for avoiding their abuse. 

7.     Be able to accept success and disappointment. 

8.    Have an understanding and appreciation of the human body (hygiene, nutrition, disease, human sexuality). 

9.     Possess time management skills to prioritize daily activities and responsibilities. 

10.Have the ability to form positive relationships with others based on respect, trust, cooperation, and compassion. 

11. Have the ability to request assistance, direction and guidance when help is necessary. 

12. Be a positive person, who possesses a good sense of humor and understands its value. 

13. Be able to express emotions and feeling appropriately. 

III. Respectful students will: 

1.      Develop a sensitivity to, and appreciation of differences in values, ideas, cultures and ethnic backgrounds. 

2.     Have an awareness of and respect for others' right to privacy. 

3.     Demonstrate a positive self-esteem and good self-image. 

4.     Recognize and appreciate personal strengths and talents. 

5.     Accept responsibility for their actions in regards to the safety, physical welfare and emotional well being of themselves and others. 

6.     Listen to and show interest in those around them. 

7.     Help and support those around them. 

8.    Be courteous and exhibit good manners. 

9.     Pursue actively the acquisition of parenting skills. 

10.Demonstrate the confidence to stand up for personal beliefs. 

11. Demonstrate respect for all property. 

IV. Self-motivated life-long learners will: 

1.      Be curious about the world and themselves. 

2.     Relate past, personal and historical events to present situations. 

3.     Believe they can face future challenges. 

4.     Have the ability to be independent. 

5.     Be able to set standards for themselves and strive to achieve them. 

6.     Take advantage of and appreciate the educational, cultural, and other various continuing offerings on a life long basis. 

7.     Possess organizational skills, study skills, and time management skills. 

8.    Understand their own learning styles and be able to identify strategies that enhance those styles. 

9.     Be able to assess knowledge, information, and data through the use of technology, media centers, and all other sources. 

10.Understand the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge. 

11. Have a knowledge of career choices, paths, and other vocational possibilities. 

12. Be able to establish a career plan based on individual needs and talents. 

13. Demonstrate the ability to listen and follow directions. 

14. Be a knowledgeable consumer. 

V. Effective Communicators will: 

1.      Be able to use personal and interpersonal skills to listen, speak, read, and write clearly and effectively. 

2.     Be able to appreciate audience diversity. 

3.     Possess public speaking, presentation, and persuasion skills. 

4.     Expand their vocabulary. 

5.     Become aware of alternate forms of communications. 

6.     Utilize technology to enhance communication. 

7.     Be an attentive listener and receiver who can understand and respond to the communications of others. 

VI. Collaborative Workers will: 

1.      Be able to seek different views and perspectives from others, and consider choices before taking actions. 

2.     Be open minded and accepting of different points of view and alternative ideas. 

3.     Apply the basic skills of consensus building, mediation, conflict resolution, and problem solving techniques. 

4.     Work productively and collaboratively as part of a team in sharing the work assignments for a given task. 

5.     Be respectful and tolerant of individual differences. 

6.     Understand the effect of individual behavior and its impact on the group. 

VII. Critical, Creative Thinks will: 

1.      Have the ability to follow directions. 

2.     Demonstrate the ability to use creative problem-solving techniques and strategies to solve real-life problems. 

3.     Be able to think and evaluate logically in order to make good decisions. 

4.     Demonstrate the ability to gather, analyze and evaluate information and opinions using a variety of research skills. 

5.     Be able to prioritize tasks, solutions, and problems. 

6.     Demonstrate the ability to make decisions based on ethical values they deem appropriate. 

7.     Be able to establish clear, long and short term goals, and evaluate progress toward achieving them. 

8.    Demonstrate strategies for successfully dealing with change. 

9.     Apply higher-order thinking processes to all tasks and challenges.