Over the summer, superintendents Dan Murray of York Central School District and Michael Hayden of Clyde-Savannah Central School District, decided it was time to reconnect and re-establish what it meant for students and staff to identify with their school mascots the Golden Knights and Golden Eagles, respectively. Murray and Hayden share the meanings behind their new slogans and what it means for their districts in the academic year ahead.
Each academic year, Dan Murray chooses a slogan that sums up the theme for the year and expands on the Golden Knights Way, a code of conduct that defines what it means to be a Golden Knight. The 2016-17 academic year’s slogan is “Golden Knights Strong,” a phrase tied to the Golden Knight expectation that you are of strong body, character and mind.
Its conception began several years ago with the introduction of the growth mindset concept — the idea that with true hard work, effort and failure you can learn, grow and get stronger.
“We use the mascot to define who we are and who we want to be,” Murray says. “It defines the highest standard of what we want our students and staff to attain,.”
The district introduced the new slogan and logo in September. Murray challenged staff to set a goal to get stronger in body, character or mind either with a group or on your own. He asked each participant to set a goal that can be measured and then to create a plan to reach that goal.
“If you take on a goal that improves your mind, body or character, you will improve your wellness,” Murray says.
Michael Hayden wanted to make sure Clyde-Savannah CSD’s Golden Eagle mascot was not taken for granted.
Hayden’s moment of inspiration came during the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES Conference where he watched a video entitled, “Be More Dog.” It was about a cat who rejected the status quo. One day the cat busted out of the dog door with a dog’s perspective and a changed life.
“It was funny but it hit a chord with our growth mindset,” Hayden says.
The district’s Wellness Committee decided they needed to “be more eagle,” and Hayden began researching just what that meant.
In his quest for information, he discovered eagles represent a powerful symbol of swiftness, strength and courage. Eagles soar at high elevations giving them a vantage point of seeing the big picture. Strong talons are able to lift great weight.
How do these traits present themselves in the students and staff at Clyde-Savannah?
“It really gets into self-reflection,” Hayden says. “Our Golden Eagle stands for how we work as a district. Our decision-making should support our mission and vision statements. We need to truly believe it because without that, our work is in vain.”
All of the district’s health and wellness initiatives must be aligned with its mission and vision statements, Hayden says. To be able to work to fulfill those statements, you must be healthy in both mind and body.
Since introducing the slogan, Hayden has seen the hashtag #BeMoreEagle pop up on posters and school-related social media outlets. Staff participation rates in wellness programs have been high. For 2016, new activities include partnering with local gym Maxim, and 20 employees have already committed to a grueling Spartan obstacle race in spring 2017.
“We are pushing more and taking risks because we want to soar higher,” Hayden says.
