District Wide Safety Plan
District-wide Safety Plan
Emergencies and violent incidents in schools are critical issues that must be addressed in an expeditious and effective manner. The Board of Education of the Eldred Central School District recognizes its responsibility to adopt and amend a comprehensive district-wide school safety plan and building-level emergency response plans regarding crisis intervention, emergency response and management.
Taken together, the district and building plans shall provide a comprehensive approach to addressing school safety and violence prevention, and provide the structure where all individuals can fully understand their roles and responsibilities for promoting the safety of the entire school community. The plans shall be designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents and emergencies and to facilitate the district’s coordination with local and county resources. The plans shall also address risk reduction/prevention, response and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies and violent incidents in district schools.
In accordance with New York State Education Law, Chapter 16, Title II, Article 55, Section 2801-a, the Eldred Central School District shall have the following school safety teams and plans to deal with crisis intervention, emergency response and management.
District-wide Safety Team
The Board will appoint a Chief Emergency Officer (CEO) and a district-wide school safety team that includes, but is not limited to district administrators; building administrators; faculty members; district staff members representing building secretaries, district transportation, district buildings and grounds and school nurses; parent organizations; school safety personnel; individual parents or guardians of students in the district; and students. This team shall be responsible for the development and review of a comprehensive district-wide school safety plan. The plan shall address crisis intervention, emergency response, recovery and management at the district and building-level.
The District Safety Plan and all of our Building-level Emergency Response Plans, when combined, constitute the Eldred Central School District District-wide Comprehensive School Safety Plan. A District-wide Comprehensive School Safety Plan (excluding protected information) shall be available for public inspection and public comment, in the District office for at least 30 days prior to adoption.
Building Level Safety Teams
Building-level Emergency Response Plan
Building-level School Safety Team Building
Emergency Response Team
Building-level Post Incident Recovery Team
Each Building Principal shall be responsible for appointing a Building-level School Safety Team. The Safety team shall include representation from teachers, administrators, parent organizations, individual parents or guardians, school safety personnel, other school personnel, local law enforcement officials, local fire department officials, local ambulance and other emergency response agencies. Each building-level school safety team shall be responsible for the development and review of their building-level emergency response plan. The plan shall address preparedness, prevention, emergency response, and recovery at the building level and shall include all procedures required by law and regulation.
Within each building, the building-level school safety team shall designate:
a) Building-level Emergency Response Team that includes appropriate school personnel, local law enforcement officials and representatives from local, regional and/or state emergency response agencies to assist the school community in responding to a serious violent incident or emergency; and
b) Building-level Post Incident Recovery Team that includes appropriate school personnel, medical personnel, mental health counselors and other related personnel to assist the school community in coping with the aftermath of a serious violent incident or emergency.
The Building Principal shall be responsible for conducting at least one test every school year of all of the emergency response procedures outlined under their Building-level Emergency Response Plan including procedures for sheltering and early dismissal/evacuation.
Team Appointments
The members of all district and building-level teams shall be appointed on an annual basis. In appointing team members, the Board of Education and the Building Principals will make an effort to include other persons beyond those groups identified in law and policy who can contribute to ensuring continuity among the plans.
Annual Review and Report
Each building-level plan shall be reviewed by the appropriate school safety team by September 1st every year and updated or amended as needed. The District-wide School Safety Team shall review the District-wide plan and the building-level plans by September 1st every year, and update or amend it as needed. The Board of Education shall adopt, by September 1st of each succeeding year the District-wide Comprehensive School Safety Plan.
The Superintendent shall have a review conducted each year, of each building-level emergency response plan. The review shall include monitoring that each building is in compliance with the New York State Education Law, Chapter 16, Title II, Section 2801-a- School Safety Plans and Department of Education Commissioner’s Regulations §155.17 - School Safety Plans. The yearly review shall be submitted to the Board of Education along with any amendments, additions or changes that may be recommended.
Building Level Safety Plans
Each school building shall prepare a building level school safety plan on an annual basis. This plan shall address crisis intervention, emergency response and emergency management at the building level. Each plan shall be developed by a building level school safety team to be appointed by the building principal and to include representatives of teachers, parents, local emergency service providers and such others as the principal deems appropriate. Such plans shall include policies and procedures to be followed in the event that evacuation of the building is necessary due to a serious violent incident.
Serious Violent Incident
A serious violent incident is an incident of violent criminal conduct that is or appears to be life threatening and warrants the evaluation of students and staff because of an imminent threat to their safety of health, including but not limited to, the use or threatened use of a firearm, explosive, bomb, incendiary device, chemical, or biological weapon, knife or other dangerous instrument capable of causing death or serious injury; riot; hostage-taking or kidnapping.
School Building Response Teams
Each school building shall have an emergency response team appointed by the building principal, subject to the review and approval of the superintendent. Each team shall be composed of school personnel, law enforcement officials and representatives of emergency services providers for that school building and such others as the principal may deem necessary and appropriate.
Provision of Building Information to Emergency Service Providers
It is imperative that emergency service providers and those others responding to a school crisis have immediate access to floor plans, blue prints and other maps and information about school premises. Accordingly, the Superintendent will ensure all updated copies are forwarded to Emergency Service Providers and others responding to school crises.
In addition, copies will be maintained by the appropriate staff.
Internal & External Communications
Appropriate methods will be used accordingly to facilitate internal and external communications in the event of an emergency. The district’s Emergency notification system will be used for parental notification.
In addition, a summary of responsibilities in the event of a crisis or emergency shall be made available to faculty, staff and substitutes.
Pertinent information about emergency or crisis management plans shall also be regularly reviewed at faculty meetings.
Chain of Command
Each building level plan shall contain information concerning the chain of command to be observed at an emergency. This chain of command shall be consistent with the National Incident Management System/ Incident Command System.
Philosophy & Goals
It is the practice of the Eldred Central School District to provide for a safe and secure learning and teaching environment for its students and staff. This practice shall be implemented through the following means:
Development of a detailed multi-hazard school safety plan for the District, a District Wide Safety Plan and each building in the District, a building level safety plan.
Establishment and implementation of policies and practices for responding to threats of violence concerning school district property, facilities and premises.
Establishment and implementation of policies and practices for responding to acts of violence by students, teachers, administrators, staff or visitors.
Development and delivery of prevention and intervention strategies for students manifesting at-risk behaviors.
Development and adoption of policies and procedures for contacting law enforcement officials and parents in the event of a violent incident.
Establishment and implementation of policies and procedures for school building security and training of students and staff in school security.
Development and adoption of protocols for responding to bomb threats, hostage situations, intrusions and kidnappings.
Development and implementation of strategies to improve communication regarding the reporting of violent incidents.
Desha’s Law
Effective January 20, 2026- Desha’s Law amends the district wide safety plan requirements found in Education Law 2801-a to require that annual school safety trainings for staff include components on sudden cardiac arrest. The district’s safety team will also be required to develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan (“CERP”) to respond to incidents involving any individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar-life threatening emergency on any school site owned or operated by the district, including but not limited to all athletic programs.
Alyssa's Law Silent Alarms
The purpose of this protocol is to establish clear procedures for the activation and response to a silent panic alarm system, in compliance with "Alyssa's Law." The goal is to provide immediate notification to law enforcement and school staff in the event of a life-threatening emergency, such as an active shooter, medical crisis, or other violent threats.
1. System Overview
The school will use a silent panic alarm system that provides a direct, immediate, and discreet signal to local law enforcement. This system will be accessible via a physical button located on both walls of the main office. It will be integrated with the school's existing communication systems to simultaneously alert key internal personnel as well as outside law enforcement.
2. Alarm Activation Procedures
Who Can Activate the Alarm?
Any staff member, including teachers, administrators, school nurses, support and office staff.
When to Activate the Alarm
The silent alarm should be activated only in a life-threatening emergency. Examples include:
o Active Threat/Shooter: An individual with a weapon causing harm or threatening to cause harm.
o Violent Intruder: A person exhibiting violent behavior, posing a direct threat to students and staff.
o Hostage Situation: A situation where individuals are being held against their will.
o Medical Emergency with a Direct Threat to Life: Such as a mass casualty incident or a severe medical event where immediate law enforcement assistance is required to secure the scene.
How to Activate the Alarm
Physical Button: Press the designated physical button. Immediately after activation, follow the school's emergency lockdown procedures. Do not wait for further instructions.
3. Response Procedures
Law Enforcement Response
· Upon activation, the system will send an immediate alert to the local law enforcement dispatch center. The alert will include:
o The school's address.
o The precise location of the alarm's activation (e.g., "Main Office").
· Law enforcement will dispatch officers immediately, following their standard protocol for a school-based emergency.
School Staff Response
Simultaneously, an internal alert will be sent to all school staff via the school's public address system (if applicable and safe to do so). The alert will contain the same information sent to law enforcement.
All staff will take the following actions:
Lockdown: Immediately initiate a lockdown of their classroom or area. Lock doors, turn off lights, and keep students quiet and out of sight.
Follow Directions: Await and follow all instructions from law enforcement and school administration.
4. Training and Drills
Annual Training: All staff will receive mandatory annual training on the silent alarm system, including how to activate it, when to use it, and the proper response procedures.
Drills: The school will conduct at least one unannounced drill each school year to practice the protocol. These drills will simulate an actual emergency response, ensuring staff and students are familiar with the procedures.
New Staff: New employees will receive training on the system as part of their initial onboarding.
5. System Management and Maintenance
The school's technology coordinator or a designated administrator will be responsible for managing the system.
The system will be tested four times a year to ensure all components are functioning correctly. A log of these tests will be maintained.
Guidelines for Development of the District-wide & Building Safety Plans:
The following sites are to be covered by the District-wide safety plan and each site shall
have a building safety plan: George Ross Mackenzie Elementary School, Eldred Junior Senior High School
Procedures
In the event of a cancellation of school; early dismissal; evacuation of school or sheltering of students the procedures set forth in the Building Level Safety Plans shall be followed. (The emergency notification system will be used.)
School Personnel
Personnel shall be hired in accordance with Board of Education Policies as well as State Laws.
The school safety procedures and training as developed each year by the District Emergency Management/Crisis Team and Building and Grounds Supervisor will be followed. The District-Wide Safety Plan is available from the Superintendent to staff and local law enforcement or fire departments as needed.
Violence Prevention
The following is a list of some of the practices currently in place within the district to prevent violence:
1. Safety Programs have been implemented consisting of learning activities that promote the common good in actions. Student and teachers take responsibility for behaviors, work cooperatively toward common goals, reaching decisions democratically and respectfully.
2. Safety patrol at the elementary school and junior senior high school with an School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to each building while school is in session.
3. A “Walk Through” with local Law Enforcement Agencies is conducted annually.
4. Opportunities for students to meet with counselors and other staff members.
5. Annual review and adoption of codes of conduct for students, employees and visitors to school premises. These codes of conduct are mandated to include enforceable rules; clear consequences; due process, and explicitly defined roles, rights and responsibilities of the parties. (The Codes of Conduct for each school-Elementary, Middle, and High School are available at the schools).
6. Staff will participate in crime prevention annually conduct drills with local agencies and utilize K-9 Units.
7. Participation by all students and staff in multi-hazard school safety training on an annual basis by taking part in fire drills, bomb threat drills, lock-down drills and emergency bus and building evacuation drills throughout the school year.
8. Annual adoption and review of a school dress code to prohibit appearance, clothing and accessories that disrupt the educational process.
9. The use of an anonymous alerts system to provide students the chance to be informed.
10. The district currently has an in-school suspension program for grades 7-12 in each of two buildings. Counseling to help address the underlying causes of student defiance and misbehavior is a supplemental consequence to infractions.
11. Active surveillance and security systems in hallways, on playgrounds, and in parking lots.
12. All staff and visitors will have their issued identification badges and will swipe in of the school building when entering.
13. Maintenance of a sign-in system and a single point of access to school buildings.
14. Social and emotional educational programs and mental health awareness curricula to foster a climate of respect for others. These programs focus on celebrating and tolerating differences and promoting processes that utilize differences as a way to foster mutual understanding and respect. These programs recognize that many instances of school violence stem from bullying and name-calling based on racial and other forms of prejudice.
15. Classroom teaching practices and learning activities that conduct classrooms with agreed upon rules, reinforce pro-social behaviors, foster dispute resolution with care and respect rather than coercion and intimidation, and include cooperative learning techniques and rich and varied learning activities.
16. Adult facilitated peer support groups may also be utilized to provide students with opportunities to discuss their problems and feelings in a safe group setting, and to create alternatives to high-risk behaviors through behavior contracts, formation of student community service organizations and programs like SADD (Students against Destructive Decisions).
17. Staff development is a critical element in the prevention of violence in our schools. Teachers will be offered training opportunities in the knowledge and skill required to address school violence and victimization, most notably bullying. Additionally, staff will be trained in sexual, racial and other forms of harassment, cultural diversity, school security and disciplinary policies, classroom management, crowd control and intervention strategies.
18. Due to the establishment of the Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) on July 1, 2013, the district and each building will designate a dignity act coordinator to ensure all schools are protecting all students from harassment, bullying and discrimination.
Early Warning Signs - Behavior
It is not always possible to predict behavior that will lead to violence. In some situations and for some youth, different combinations of events, behaviors, and emotions may lead to aggressive rage or violent behavior toward self or others. School personnel and students as well as parents are often in a good position to observe these early warning signs.
None of these signs alone is sufficient for predicting aggression and violence. Moreover, it is inappropriate--and potentially harmful--to use the early warning signs as a checklist against which to match individual children. Rather, the warning signs are offered only as an aid in identifying and referring children who may need help. A good rule of thumb is to assume that these warning signs, especially when they are presented in combination, indicate a need for further analysis to determine an appropriate intervention.
It is the policy of the Eldred Central School District that staff and students use the early warning signs only for identification and referral purposes. Trained professionals should make diagnoses in consultation with the child's parents or guardian.
The following early warning signs are cited by the United States Department of Education in its publication entitled Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools and are presented in brief with the following qualifications: they are not equally significant and they are not presented in order of seriousness. A more detailed explanation of them is available from the Superintendent, Principals, or Counselors.
They include:
Ø Social withdrawal
Ø Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone
Ø Excessive feelings of rejection
Ø Being a victim of violence
Ø Feelings of being picked on and persecuted
Ø Low school interest and poor academic performance
Ø Expression of violence in writings and drawings
Ø Uncontrolled anger
Ø Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying behaviors
Ø History of discipline problems
Ø Past history of violent and aggressive behavior
Ø Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes
Ø Drug use and alcohol use
Ø Affiliation with gangs
Ø Inappropriate access to, possession and use of firearms
Ø Serious threats of violence
Identify and Responding to Imminent Warning Signs
Unlike early warning signs, imminent warning signs indicate that a student is very close to behaving in a way that is potentially dangerous to self and/or to others. Imminent warning signs require an immediate response.
No single warning sign can predict that a dangerous act will occur. Rather, imminent warning signs usually are presented as a sequence of overt, serious, hostile behaviors or threats directed at peers, staff, or other individuals. Usually, imminent warning signs are evident to more than one staff member - as well as to the child’s family. Imminent warning signs may include:
● Serious physical fighting with peers or family members.
● Severe destruction of property.
● Severe rage for seemingly minor reasons.
● Detailed threats of lethal violence.
● Possession and/or use of firearms and other weapons.
● Other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide.
When warning signs indicate that danger is imminent, safety must always be the first and foremost consideration. Action must be taken immediately. Immediate intervention by school authorities and possibly law enforcement officers is needed when a child:
● has presented a detailed plan (time, place, and method) to harm or kill others-particularly if the child has a history of aggression or has attempted to carry out threats in the past;
● is carrying a weapon, particularly a firearm.
In situations where students present other threatening behaviors, parents should be informed of the concerns immediately. The school shall seek assistance from appropriate agencies, such as child and family services and community mental health. These responses should reflect school board policies and be consistent with the district-wide safety plan.
Reporting Early Warning Signs
In the event that students and staff observe a student manifesting early warning signs, the following procedures should be followed:
● Contact the school counselor or school psychologist to report the information about the student manifesting such signs.
o Counselors shall maintain a record of each such report. In cases that do not pose imminent danger, the counselor should contact a school psychologist or other qualified professional, who takes responsibility for addressing the concern immediately.
o The child's family should be contacted. The family should be consulted before implementing any interventions with the child. In cases where school-based contextual factors are determined to be causing or exacerbating the child's troubling behavior, the school should act quickly to modify them.
It is important to avoid inappropriately labeling or stigmatizing individual students because they appear to fit a specific profile or set of early warning indicators. None of these signs alone is sufficient for predicting aggression and violence. Moreover, it is inappropriate, and potentially harmful, to use the early warning signs as a checklist against which to match individual children.
Threat Assessment
A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or
something. A threat can be written, spoken, or symbolic – as in motioning with one’s hands as though shooting or strangling another person. A threat is an explicit or implied demonstration or declaration of intent to inflict harm, punishment, injury, loss or death on an individual; an express or implied indication that violence, injury, loss or pain will be inflicted on another. There are principally four types of threats:
● Direct,
● Indirect,
● Veiled, and
● Conditional.
Threats are made for a variety of reasons: as a warning signal, a reaction to fear of punishment, anxiety, demand for attention or as retribution for a perceived or actual slight or affront. Threats
may be intended to taunt, intimidate, assert power, punish, manipulate, coerce, frighten, terrorize, to compel desired behavior, to strike back for an injury, injustice or slight; to be disruptive, to challenge authority or to protect oneself.
Individuals who make threats normally manifest other behaviors or emotions that are indicative of a problem. These can include: signs of depression, prolonged brooding, evidence of frustration or disappointment; fantasies of destruction or revenge in conversations, writings, drawings or other actions; expressions of intense love, fear, rage, revenge, excitement or pronounced desire for recognition. Use of alcohol or drugs can be an aggravating factor, as can a romantic breakup, failing grades or conflicts with parents or friends.
The following factors must be considered in assessing a threat:
● The specific, plausible details of the threat.
● The identity of the victim(s).
● The reasons for making the threat.
● The means (weapon) and method for carrying it out.
● The date, time and place for carrying it out.
● Any concrete information about plans or preparations already in place.
● Are the details logical and plausible or unrealistic?
● The emotional content of the threat (emotionally charged or not).
● Any evidence of precipitating stressors that brought on the threat.
Specific details can be a manifestation of a high level of planning, thought, and should heighten concern. Lack of detail may indicate that the threat has not actually taken steps to carry it out.
Functional Protocols (District-wide)
Functional protocols form the district-wide core responses to incidents in the Emergency and Crisis Response Plan. These are written action steps that are implemented when a crisis situation calls for specific response procedures which include:
lockdown,
evacuation,
reverse evacuation,
shelter-in place,
duck and cover,
family reunification,
off-campus evacuation and
crisis intervention (mental health)
The difference between a functional protocol and an incident specific procedure is that a single functional protocol may be included in one or more specific emergencies. For example, shelter-in-place may be included one of several responses to an outside hazardous material spill and may include reverse evacuation into the building and/or an off-campus evacuation, depending on the circumstances. A school shooting would result initially in a lockdown, and then off campus evacuation, family reunification and crisis intervention (counseling/post trauma stress debriefing).
EVACUATION
Purpose: Whenever it is determined that it is safer outside than inside the building (I.E., fire, explosion, hazardous material spill inside, structural failure, etc.)
School Commander:
Designate someone to Call 9-1-1, identify the name of the school, describe the emergency, state the school is evacuating, and identify the location of the school command post.
The School Commander or designee will make the following announcement using the building Public Address system, 2-way radio, telephone, or megaphone:
“YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. WE NEED TO INSTITUTE AN EVACUATION OF THE BUILDING. TEACHERS ARE TO TAKE THEIR STUDENTS TO THEIR DESIGNATED ASSEMBLY AREA. TEACHERS TAKE YOUR CLASS ROSTER AND TAKE A HEADCOUNT AT THE ASSEMBLY AREA.”
Notify the district office of the school evacuation.
Designate someone to contact the Transportation Director or bus service to take students to the alternate off-campus relocation site.
Office staff:
Take visitor log and student sign out sheet to the assembly area.
Gather headcount information from teachers and inform the principal or incident commander of any missing student(s) or staff.
Teachers:
Teachers will instruct students to evacuate the building, using designated routes, and report to their assigned Assembly Area. Designate a student leader to help move your class to the assembly area
Close your door, turn off your lights
If the exit route is blocked, follow an alternate exit route.
Bring your class lists, phone lists, and classroom Go Kit materials
All staff will sweep the bathrooms, hallways and common areas for visitors, staff and students while exiting.
Take attendance, specially noting any students in other activities or services such as band, orchestra, choir, speech, chess, etc. that are missing. Display GREEN status card to indicate all students accounted for or use RED status card to indicate someone is missing or injured. Report any missing students or staff to the area coordinators
At the assembly area, teachers and students will stay in place until further instructions are given.
Support Staff:
Return all of your students to their classroom designated assembly areas or a buddy teacher, avoiding area(s) of hazard
Report to the Unassigned Staff Area. You may be needed in another capacity as the incident unfolds
REVERSE EVACUATION
Purpose: When conditions are safer inside the building than outside such as: severe weather, community emergency, gang activity, hazardous material release outside, etc.)
School Commander:
Order a REVERSE EVACUATION for students and staff outside to move inside the building. Use the building PA, megaphone, 2-way radio telephones, or runners to gather school community inside.
Notify the district office of the situation.
Teachers:
Immediately move back to classrooms or safe areas (if it is safe to do so) using the closest entry.
If movement into the building would present a danger to persons outside, teachers and staff outside will direct students to the designated assembly areas or off-campus assembly site.
Teachers will take attendance and account for all students. Report missing students to administration
No students or staff are allowed outside the building.
Close and lock all exterior doors and windows. Monitor the main entries until the “All Clear” is given.
LOCKDOWN
Purpose: Used when there is a threat of violence or serious incident that could jeopardize the safety of students/staff (I.E. Intruder, shooting, hostage incident, gang fights, civil disturbance, etc.)
School Commander:
• The School Commander or designee will make the following announcement using the building Public Address system, 2-way radio, telephone, or megaphone:
“YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND NEED TO LOCKDOWN THE SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY. TEACHERS LOCK YOUR DOORS AND KEEP STUDENTS INSIDE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: STUDENTS OR STAFF ARE TO RETURN TO THE NEAREST CLASSROOM OR OFFICE. IGNORE ALL ALARMS AND BELLS UNLESS ADVISED OTHERWISE.”
• Designate someone to Call 9-1-1, identify the name and address of the school, describe the emergency, state the school is locking down, provide intruder description and weapon(s) if known, and identify the location of the school command post. Direct staff to stay on the phone to provide updates and additional information.
• Notify staff and classes outside to immediate move to the off-campus assembly area(s), account for the students and be prepared to evacuate off-campus to a relocation site.
• Direct staff to switch bells to manual mode and deactivate the fire alarm.
• Notify the transportation director or contractual bus service to stop all inbound buses and
redirect them to designated relocation site(s).
• Notify district office
• Direct staff to turn off alarms and bells
Office Staff:
• Stay by the phones to wait for additional procedures from district office and incident commander.
• Remotely check status of classrooms via PA., telephone, computer or other methods
• Assist the principal or Incident Commander establishes the school command post.
Custodians:
Close and lock all delivery doors.
Direct any contractors, delivery drivers, or vendor repairmen located inside the building into a safe area and lock the door.
Teachers:
Clear the hallway and bathrooms by your room moving everyone into the classroom.
Lock your doors, turn off your lights, and shut your blinds and windows
Move students and staff away from the doors and windows.
Have all persons sit down against an interior wall.
Place a GREEN or RED status card on/under your door and window. (Green signifies everything is ok, Red means emergency assistance is need)
If a life threatening situation exists, exit immediately to a place of safety.
Ignore all bells and alarms unless otherwise instructed
Take attendance and be prepared to notify Incident Commander of missing students or additional students, staff or guests sheltered in your classroom.
Allow no one outside of the classroom until the Incident Commander gives the “All Clear” signal.
If outside, teachers will move students to the designated off-campus assembly area and wait for further instructions
A duress code will be used to authenticate any all-clear signal and that the person signaling the all clear is not being forced to do so by an intruder.
Emergency Evacuation Plan for Eldred Junior Senior High School Athletics and After-School Activities
This plan outlines the procedures for responding to and evacuating from emergency situations that occur during athletic events and after-school programs.
1. Emergency Personnel and Responsibilities
· Head Coach/Program Director: The designated incident commander. Responsibilities include assessing the situation, making the decision to evacuate, and notifying school administration.
· Assistant Coaches/Staff: Responsible for accounting for all students, guiding them to the assembly area, and assisting with first aid if needed.
· Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC): For athletic events, the ATC is the primary medical first responder. They will assess injuries, provide immediate care, and coordinate with emergency medical services (EMS).
· School Administration: The school principal or a designated administrator will be the central point of contact for emergency services and will coordinate with the school district's safety office.
· Student Leaders: May be assigned to assist with leading peers and helping with headcounts.
2. Emergency Communication
· Activation of the Plan: The coach or staff member who first identifies the emergency must immediately notify the Head Coach/Program Director.
· Calling 911: The Head Coach/Program Director will determine if 911 needs to be called. A designated person will be assigned to make the call and provide clear, concise information about the location, nature of the emergency, and any injuries.
· Internal Communication: The Head Coach/Program Director will contact the designated school administrator or the school's emergency line to report the incident.
· Parent Communication: The school's established communication system (e.g., text alerts, email) will be used to notify parents/guardians.
3. Evacuation Procedures and Assembly Areas
· Immediate Evacuation: In the event of a fire, gas leak, or other immediate threat to the facility, all individuals must evacuate immediately. The Head Coach/Program Director will give the command to evacuate.
· Evacuation Routes: Primary and secondary evacuation routes are pre-determined for each athletic field and after-school activity location.
· Assembly Areas: The team or group will proceed to a pre-designated, safe assembly point, which is located away from the immediate danger.
· Accountability: Once at the assembly area, all coaches and staff will take attendance using a pre-printed roster. Any missing individuals will be reported immediately to school administration and emergency services.
4. Specific Scenarios
· Weather Emergencies (Tornado, Lightning): In the event of severe weather, students and staff will be moved to a designated shelter-in-place location
o School Building (if by main entrance to school)
o Team Rooms (if up top at athletic fields)
o Concession stands (if up top at athletic fields)
· Medical Emergency: The ATC or coach will assess the injured individual and, if necessary, activate the plan by calling 911 and notifying school administration.
· Active Threat: Students and staff will follow "run, hide, fight" protocols. They will either evacuate the area if safe to do so, lockdown in a secure location, or, as a last resort, defend themselves.
o Locations will be as follows
§ School building if safe to do so
§ Any structure to provide safety in the event of a threat
5. Drills and Training
· All coaches and staff will participate in an annual review of this plan.
· Drills will be conducted periodically to ensure all personnel are familiar with the evacuation routes and communication protocols.
· Coaches and staff must maintain valid CPR and First Aid certifications.
Temperature Thresholds and Required Actions
82°F (Alert Level): When the temperature in an occupied space reaches 82°F, the school must take steps to relieve heat-related discomfort.
Proactive Measures: GRM will implement a series of actions aimed at cooling classrooms and making students and staff more comfortable. These include turning off overhead lights and heat-producing electronics, lowering blinds or shades to block sunlight, and using fans to increase air circulation.
Student and Staff Support: Staff will be instructed to provide frequent water breaks for students to ensure they stay hydrated. Drinking stations will be provided in both wings of the building with ice water and cups.
88°F (Evacuation Level): If the temperature reaches 88°F, the room or space may not be occupied.
Relocation: Students can be relocated from affected classrooms to cooler, designated areas within the school building to include the following air-conditioned spaces:
§ Library
§ 2nd Floor Conference Room
§ Main Office
§ Nurse’s Office
· Emergency Procedures: If the entire school or a significant portion of it reaches this temperature, the building administrator in conjunction with district leadership will outline procedures for an early dismissal or school closure, including notifying parents/guardians, addressing transportation needs, and ensuring students' medical needs are met.
Plan Implementation and Communication
Designated Personnel: The building administrator will be responsible for monitoring classroom temperatures using standardized thermometers. He/she will also be in charge of informing district leadership if an evacuation/early dismissal is recommended.
Facility Improvements: The school will prioritize low-cost, immediate measures like installing blinds and providing fans for classrooms that lack them. The district will also explore long-term solutions, such as installing air conditioning in key areas or a phased approach to a full-building cooling system, to be more resilient to future heat events.
Communication Protocols: The school will establish a communication chain for both internal staff and external stakeholders.
Internal: A system will be put in place to quickly alert teachers and staff when a heat alert or evacuation is declared. This could involve a code word over the school's intercom system or a mass email/text message.
External: The school will have a pre-written message to send to parents and guardians via text, email, and the school website, detailing the heat plan, especially in the event of an early dismissal or school closure.
Drills: Just as the school conducts fire and lockdown drills, it will also practice the heat evacuation and relocation plan to ensure students and staff know what to do in a real-world scenario.
SHELTER-IN-PLACE
Purpose: Provides a refuge for students, staff and the public inside the school building during an emergency such as severe weather or hazardous material release outdoors. Shelters are located in areas of the building that maximize the safety of occupants. Shelter-in-place is used when evacuation would place people at risk. Shelters may change depending on the emergency.
School Commander:
• The School Commander or designee will make the following announcement using the building Public Address system, 2-way radio, telephone, or megaphone:
“YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND NEED TO IMPLEMENT SHELTER-IN-PLACE PROCEDURES. STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE DIRECTED TO MOVE TO THE DESIGNATE SHELTER LOCATIONS AND SAFE AREAS. ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS OUTSIDE ARE TO IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO THE PROTECTION OF AN INSIDE ROOM.”
• Order a REVERSE EVACUATION for students and staff outside to move inside the building. Use the building PA, megaphone, 2-way radio, telephones, or runners to gather staff and students inside.
• Direct staff to close all windows and doors.
• If warranted, order the shut-off of heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to stop the inflow of outside air into the building.
• Notify district office the school is SHELTERING-IN-PLACE.
• Be prepared to announce change in status (“DROP, COVER AND HOLD” or “All Clear”)
Custodians:
• Shut off utilities (if necessary).
• Turn off ventilation systems (Heating, ventilation and air conditioning) as appropriate.
• Post Shelter in Place cards at the primary entrances to the building(s).
Teachers:
Move students into designated safe areas such as inside rooms with no windows, bathrooms, utility closets, and hallway without large windows or doors.
Close classroom doors and windows when leaving.
Have everyone kneel down and be ready to cover their heads to protect from debris.
If outside, teachers will direct students into the nearest school building interior safe area or other appropriate shelter.
For severe weather, if there is no time to get into a building or shelter, attempt to squat or lie low in the nearest (ravine or open ditch) or low spot away from trees and power poles.
If movement into the building would expose persons to hazardous chemical plume, teachers should move to designated outdoor assembly areas upwind or cross-wind from the spill.
Move students from mobile classrooms to an interior safe area in a permanent structure.
All persons must remain in shelter until notified by the Incident Commander or emergency responders.
DROP, COVER AND HOLD
Purpose: Drop. Cover and Hold is used when an incident occurs with little or no warning. This action is taken to protect students and staff from flying or falling debris resulting from explosions, structural failures, severe weather or earthquake.
Inside, teachers will instruct students to duck under their desks and cover their heads with their arms and hands.
All students and staff who have moved to shelter or safe areas in the building in response to severe weather, should kneel down against the wall and cover their head with their arms and hands.
Outside, teachers will instruct students to drop to the ground, place their heads between their knees and cover their head and eyes with their arms and hands.
Instruct everyone to move away from windows.
Teachers should account for their students and report any student missing to the administration.
The School Commander may order an evacuation if the situation warrants and it is safe to do so.
OFF-CAMPUS EVACUATION
Purpose: This protocol is used when circumstances require the off-site evacuation and relocation of students and staff to a remote site where students will be accounted for and released to their parents or guardians. During emergencies, parent, relatives, and friends often rush to the school incident site to check on the safety of students and staff. The resulting blockage of streets and large number of people can severely hamper response actions by emergency agencies. The most effective way to prevent this chaos is to redirect those concerned individuals to a site that is remote from the school and to evacuate students and staff to that site.
School Commander:
The School Commander will advise the Incident Commander of the decision to implement the protocol and begin setting up the bus evacuation staging area.
Determine the appropriate pre-designated relocation site and evacuation route.
Request law enforcement to provide security at the evacuation staging area, along the evacuation route and for traffic control/security at the relocation site during Family Reunification.
The School Commander or designee will order an OFF-CAMPUS EVACUATION and FAMILY REUNIFICATION at a pre-designated relocation site with the following announcement:
“YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. FOR SAFETY REASONS, WE ARE EVACUATING OFF SITE TO __________________ LOCATED AT _______________. WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THE FAMILY REUNIFICATION FROM THAT LOCATION.”
Direct staff to move students to the evacuation staging area for loading onto buses.
Notify the district office and Superintendent of the evacuation and relocation. Request assistance in preparing the site for arrival. Provide an update on the situation, identify the primary relocation site, the evacuation route and if needed, request buses or alternate means of transportation.
Request the district office to activate appropriate system-wide Crisis Response Teams from each school and send them to the relocation site to assist with Family Reunification.
Provide the school media/public information representative with detailed instructions via fax or prepared information release to the public in order to direct concerned relatives to the Family Reunification Site.
Designate someone as the Reunification Site Commander.
Teachers and staff
Take your class roster, phone lists and emergency Go Kit as you exit to the designated assembly area.
After evacuating, take roll and account for all students. Report any missing students to school administration. Hold up the RED status card to indicate you have missing or injured students. Use the GREEN status card if everything is ok.
Maintain control of your class. After receiving the alert for OFF CAMPUS EVACUATION, guide students to the designated evacuation staging area for movement to the relocation site.
Ensure special needs students and staff are assisted. Request help if needed.
While in route to the relocation site, the teachers will prepare list of all evacuees on the bus, which will be delivered to the reunification site commander upon arrival.
FAMILY REUNIFICATION
Purpose: The Family Reunification Protocol is used to ensure a safe and secure means of accounting for students and reuniting parents/guardians with their children whenever the school facility or grounds is rendered unsafe and a remote site is needed.
School Commander:
The School Commander after consulting with the Incident Commander will determine the appropriate pre-designated relocation site and safe evacuation route.
The School Commander will notify the contact person at the relocation site to prepare for arrival of students.
Designate a Reunification Site Commander.
Request the District Office to send personnel to staff the Family Reunification Center.
Reunification Site Commander:
Establish a command post
Organize public safety and mental health/crisis response staff who will be reporting to the site. Use them to calm waiting parents/guardians and explain that an orderly process is required for the safety of the students.
Check the identification of all non-uniformed personnel who arrive to assist.
Secure a holding area for arriving students and staff away from waiting family members
Set up an adult report area for parents/guardians to sign in and to check identification.
Set up a student release area where students will be escorted to meet their parent/guardian and sign out.
Set up a mental health area and direct staff to escort parent/guardian of any injured, missing or deceased student to the area for staff to provide notification in private away from other parents.
Set up a media staging area and notify the school media liaison of the location.
Keep evacuees on buses or in a holding area separate from parents until they can be signed out to waiting parents/guardians.
Only release students to authorized persons after checking proof of identity and signing a student release form.
Instruct parents/guardians to leave the site to make room for others once they have signed out their student.
Teachers
Provide a list of evacuees to the reunification site staff upon arrival.
Ensure special needs students and staff are assisted. Request help if needed.
Follow the instructions of the Family Reunification Center staff when you arrive. You may be asked to assist in staffing the site.
Mental Health/Crisis Intervention
Purpose: These procedures are intended to guide staff in responding to more frequently occurring crisis such deaths, injuries, emergencies or other traumatic events impacting the school community. As a result of such incidents, students and staff may exhibit a variety of psychological reactions. As soon as the safety of those involved have been insured, attention must turn to meeting the emotional and psychological needs of students and staff. Knowing what to do if such as crisis occurs will minimize the chaos, rumors and the impact of the event on other students and staff.
School Commander:
Notify the Superintendent of the incident or emergency.
Ensure the designated media or public information officer is notified and briefed on the circumstances and actions taken. Request the PIO to prepare formal announcement and media release.
Activate the school Crisis Intervention Team and assign duties. Request additional district-level support from teams from other schools or community-based mental health resources if needed.
Notify building support staff, including counselors, psychologists, and social workers.
Convene an emergency staff meeting. Invite outside professionals to join the meeting to help staff members process their own reactions to the situation.
Determine if additional district/community resources are needed—or are needed to “stand by”—to effectively manage the crisis, and notify them if appropriate.
Assign staff to monitor the grounds for students leaving the building without permission. Redirect them to support services. If unable to intercept, make a parent notification and inform them of the situation.
Make an initial announcement over the PA system to the entire school. Include minimum details and note that additional information will be forthcoming. Prepare statements for telephone inquiries.
Immediately following resolution of the crisis, convene the Crisis Intervention Team for a debriefing to discuss successes and problems and allow staff an opportunity to discuss feeling and reactions.
Mental Health/Crisis Intervention Team:
Assess the range of crisis intervention services needed during and following an emergency or event.
Advise and assist the school administrator to restore regular school functions as efficiently and as quickly as possible.
Provide direct intervention services, critical incident stress debriefings, ongoing assessment of needs and follow-up services as required.
Identify locations in the school designated for individual or group counseling and make a building-wide announcement.
Identify, gather, and inform the siblings, closest friends and teachers of the deceased/injured and provide counseling support. Notify parents of affected students regarding available community resources.
Provide grief support for students/staff in designated building areas. Ensure parents of any students seeking support are notified of the impact of the event on their child.
Review and distribute guidelines to help teachers with classroom discussions.
Stand-in for any substitute teacher in the building or for any staff member unable or unwilling to deal with the situation during the announcement and subsequent discussion.
Assign a counselor, psychologist, social worker or other designated staff to follow a deceased/injured student’s class schedule for the remainder of the day if that will help teachers in those classes.
Notify feeder schools regarding siblings or other students predicted to be strongly affected.
Teachers and staff:
Seek crisis intervention services or counseling if you are experiencing difficulty coping with the event.
Provide stress management during class time. Allow students to talk about what they felt or experienced in response to or during the event. Encourage
Be prepared for some outbursts and disruptive behaviors. Refer students experiencing stress to counseling.
Allow for changes in normal routines or test schedules.
Anticipate a recurrence of emotions and trauma on the anniversary date of the incident.
Bomb Threat
Call Taker: Upon receiving a message that a bomb has been placed in school:
Use bomb threat checklist. (Page ___of Emergency Response Plan)
Ask where the bomb is located, when will the bomb go off, what materials are in the bomb, who is calling, why is caller doing this. (See Bomb Threat Checklist)
Listen closely to caller’s voice and speech patterns and to noises in background.
After hanging up phone, immediately dial *57 to trace call. (May be different on your phone system)
Notify the Principal/School Commander or designee.
School Commander:
School Commander or designee notifies law enforcement by calling 911 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 911 from your phone system).
Assign staff to meet and brief emergency responder agencies outside.
Notify staff through the Public Address system:
“YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. A BUILDING EMERGENCY IS IN EFFECT. ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS SHOULD REMAIN IN THEIR ROOMS UNTIL ADVISED OTHERWISE. SEARCH TEAM MEMBERS PLEASE REPORT TO_______________
ALL TWO-WAY RADIOS AND CELL PHONES SHOULD BE TURNED OFF.”
The School Commander and law enforcement agency will make a decision to:
Evacuate Immediately
Search the building and evacuate if warranted.
Notify the district Superintendent.
Ensure staff who received the call completes the Bomb Threat Checklist and gives to law enforcement official.
Assemble and brief the Search Team members at the interior command post. Assign search areas within the building, the emergency exit routes and the outside assembly areas.
If a suspicious item is located, notify law enforcement official, order an EVACUATION selecting routes and assembly areas away from the suspicious item. DO NOT ACTIVATE THE FIRE ALARM.
Direct students and staff, “DO NOT take personal belongings, coats or backpacks.” “Teachers and staff will leave their windows and doors open when exiting.”
Students and staff must be evacuated to a safe distance outside of school building(s) MINIMUM 1000 feet is the general rule. Consult with Fire and Police officials
Arrange for person who found a suspicious item to talk with law enforcement official.
No one may re-enter the building(s) until fire or police personnel declare them safe.
After consulting with the Superintendent, and the Incident Commander, the School Commander may move students to __________________________ if weather is inclement or building is damaged. (primary relocation center)
The school commander will notify staff and student of the termination of the emergency and to resume normal operations.
BOMB THREAT CHECKLIST
Teachers and staff:
Teachers and staff will check their classrooms, offices and work area for suspicious items and report any findings to the School Commander or Search Team members.
If a suspicious item is found-DO NOT TOUCH IT. Secure the area where the item is located, but do not guard it.
Teachers will account for their students and be prepared to evacuate if ordered.
Teachers and staff will evacuate using standard procedures and exit routes to assembly area.
Teachers take roll after being evacuated. Hold up the GREEN status card to indicate everyone is accounted for.
Teachers will open classroom windows and leave classroom doors open when exiting.Use a RED status card to indicate student or staff is missing or you need immediate assistance. Be prepared to report the names of any missing persons to school administration.
Keep your class together at the assembly area until given further instructions. Be prepared to for Off-Site Evacuation if ordered.
If given the “All Clear” signal, return to the building and resume normal operations.
BUS ACCIDENT
Bus Driver/Monitor:
Protect student passengers from injuries and the bus from further damage.
Turn off the ignition, remove the key and activate the hazard lights.
Check for conditions that could cause a fire
If conditions are safer outside the bus than inside, evacuate the bus
Do not leave students unattended or unsupervised.
Notify the appropriate law enforcement agency by calling 911. Let them know a school bus was involved, exact location, number of injured and type of injuries, school district or bus company name and remain on the phone to provide updates until emergency responders arrive.
Contact the school district/bus company office and provide the following information:
1. Who
2. What,
3. When,
4, Where
5. Why and needs
Do not discuss details of the accident with the media
Do not release any students to anyone unless told to do so by the school district administration or law enforcement
If you are directed by law enforcement to remove student passengers from the scene, be sure to follow their directions and/or school district/bus company policy and procedures for removal and transport.
If there are no injuries, follow the school district/bus company policy and instructions on moving, returning or delivering students.
School Commander:
Dispatch the district transportation director, school administrator or designee to the accident location.
School official(s) at the scene will access level of support needed and convey this to the School Commander and the Superintendent’s office.
School Commander or designee at the scene will report the names of student passengers, their condition disposition, and location(s) where injured were taken to the district office so parent notifications can be made.
Direct the school official(s) at the scene to accompany injured students to the hospital.
The School Commander or building principal will ensure any special health information or medication for any injured student is sent to the hospital.
Superintendent
If multiple hospitals are used, the Superintendent’s office will send an administrator to each hospital.
The Superintendent or designee will notify the parents/guardians of students involved, and if injured, the name/location of the hospital the student where the student was taken.
District staff will assess the counseling needs of victim(s) or witness(s) and implement post-crisis procedures.Direct the district public information officer to prepare a media release and parent letter of explanation for the same day distribution, if possible.
FIRE
In the event a fire or smoke from a fire has been detected:
Any staff discovering fire or smoke will signal the fire alarm, and report the fire to the School Administrator.
The School Commander or designee will immediately initiate an EVACUATION announcement, direct staff to call 9-1-1 to verify the fire alarm and notify the district office.
Staff, students and visitors will immediately evacuate the building using prescribed routes or alternate routes to the Assembly Areas.
No one may re-enter building(s) until entire building(s) is declared safe by the fire department
Administration:
School Commander or designee calls 911 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 9-1-1 from your phone system) to confirm the alarm is active, identify the school name and location, provide exact location of the fire or smoke, state the building is being evacuated and identify the location of the school command post.
School office staff will take the visitor log, student sign-out sheet and the Critical Incident Response Kit and evacuate to the designated school command post.
Office staff will obtain student roll from teachers and inform the principal or incident commander of any missing students
After consulting with Superintendent, fire department and law enforcement officials, the School Commander may direct an off-site evacuation to ____________________ if weather is inclement or building is damaged.
(Primary relocation center)
School Commander notifies students and staff of termination of emergency, return to the building and resumes normal operations.
Teachers
Take the class roster , the emergency Go Kit and lead students out of the building to the designated assembly area(s). Use alternate escape routes if the regular route is blocked or there is a safety hazard.
Close the classroom door and turn out the lights upon exiting confirming all students and personnel are out of the classroom.
Take attendance at the assembly area after being evacuated. . Hold up the GREEN status card to indicate all students are accounted for. Use the RED status card to indicate a student or staff is missing or you need immediate assistance.
Be prepared to move students if an OFF-CAMPUS EVACUATION is ordered.
Keep your class together and wait for further instructions.
INTRUDER/HOSTAGE
Intruder- When an unauthorized person enters school property:
Notify School Commander.
Ask another staff person to accompany you before approaching guest/intruder.
Politely greet guest/intruder and identify yourself.
Ask guest/intruder the purpose of his/her visit.
Inform guest/intruder that all visitors must register at the main office.
If intruder’s purpose is not legitimate, ask him/her to leave. Accompany intruder to exit.
If intruder refuses to leave:
Warn intruder of consequences for staying on school property.
Notify security or police and the Principal if the intruder still refuses to leave. Give the police full description of intruder. (Keep intruder unaware of call for help if possible)
Walk away from intruder if he/she indicates a potential for violence. Be aware of intruder’s actions at this time (where he/she is located in school, whether he/she is carrying a weapon or package, etc).
Maintain visual contact with intruder from a safe distance.
School Commander notifies Superintendent and may issue Lockdown procedures
Hostage Situation:
If hostage taker is unaware of your presence, do not intervene.
Notify the Principal or main office.
School Commander or designee will announce LOCKDOWN action.
The SC or designee will ensure staff outside are notified of the LOCKDOWN and to move students away from the building to the outside assembly areas.
The SC or designee will call 9-1-1 immediately (insert he actual sequence to call 9-1-1 from your phone system). Give dispatcher details of situation; description and number of intruders, exact location in the building and that the school is in LOCKDOWN. Ask for assistance from hostage negotiation team.
The SC or designee will redirect any buses enroute to the school to an alternate location.
School Commander notifies Superintendent.
The SC will give control of scene to police and hostage negotiation team.
The SC will ensure detailed notes of events are taken.
Teachers and staff will implement LOCKDOWN procedures upon hearing the alert. If outside, move to campus assembly areas and wait for further instructions.
Everyone should remain in lockdown until given the “All Clear” or if directed in person by a uniformed law enforcement officer.
If taken hostage:
Follow instructions of hostage taker.
Try not to panic. Calm students if they are present.
Treat the hostage taker as normally as possible.
Be respectful to hostage taker.
SEVERE WEATHER
When a Severe Weather Watch or Warning has been issued in the area near the school.
Severe Weather Watch has been issued:
Monitor NOAA Weather Stations (National Weather Service, Weather Channel, or television).
Bring all persons inside building(s).
Be prepared to move students from mobile classrooms into the building.
Close windows and blinds.
Review severe weather drill procedures and location of safe areas. Severe weather safe areas are under desks, in hallways and interior rooms away from windows.
Avoid gymnasiums and cafeterias with wide free-span roofs and large areas of glass windows.
Review “DROP COVER and HOLD” procedures with students.
Assign support staff to monitor all entrances and weather conditions.
Severe Weather Warning has been issued in an area near school or severe weather has been spotted near school
The School Commander will announce SHELTER-IN-PLACE alert signal
The SC will direct students and staff inside the building to immediately move to interior safe areas, closing classroom doors after exiting.
Ensure that students are in “DROP, COVEFR and HOLD” positions until the danger passes.
The SC will direct students and staff outside to REVERSE EVACUATE into the building.
If outside, students and staff should move to the nearest interior safe area. If time does not permit, have students get down in the nearest ravine or open ditch or low spot away from trees or power poles.
Evacuate students and staff from any mobile classrooms in to the building.
Remain in safe area until warning expires or until emergency personnel have issued an all-clear signal.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RELEASE
Hazardous material (haz-mat) release is an incident involving the discharge or spill of a biological or chemical substance including release of radioactive materials. Internal haz-mat incidents may occur from activities in a school laboratory, vocational technical area, or maintenance shop. External haz-mat exposure often results from an accident involving a train or truck carrying hazardous materials or an explosion or spill at an industrial site.
Substance Released Inside A Room or Building
The School Commander (SC) will initiate an EVACUATION alert. Direct staff to use designated routes or other alternate safe routes to assigned Assembly Area(s) upwind or cross wind from the affected room or building.
The SC directs staff to call 9-1-1 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 911 from your phone system,) provide the name and location of the school, state the emergency and describe actions to safeguard students and staff and identify the location of the school command post.
The SC or staff will notify the Superintendent’s office and request activation of media and parent notification protocol.
The SC will direct staff to secure the area around the chemical spill and ensure the air handling ventilation system is shut down.
The SC will establish a school command post outside the school and brief fire officials when they arrive.
Refer media to:
______________________________ ______________________________
District spokesperson Telephone Numbers (home, work, mobile)
Teachers should take attendance at their outside Assembly Area and report any missing or injured students to administration.
After evacuation, persons who have come into direct contact with haz-mat substances should be taken to a decontamination area.
The SC will determine if an off-campus evacuation to a relocation site is necessary. If so, request transportation resources from the district. Alert staff to move to students to designated transportation site.
Request law enforcement officials to assist with evacuation and assign officers to the relocation site.
Substance Release Outdoors:
The School Commander (SC) will immediately announce a SHELTER-IN-PLACE alert and a REVERSE EVACUATION into the building for all students and staff outside the building.
The SC or designee will call 9-1-1 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 911 from your phone system) identify the name/exact location of the school, describe the emergency, state what actions are being taken to safeguard students/staff and remain on the line until told otherwise.
The SC will direct staff to turn off air handling/ventilation systems, close all windows and doors and turn off fans and air conditioners.
The SC will notify the Superintendent’s office and request activation of media and parent notification protocol.
Refer media to:
__________________________________________________________________
District Spokesperson Telephone Numbers (home, work, mobile)
The SC will ensure all buses enroute to the school are re-directed to the alternate relocation site and deposit the student there for reunification with parents.
Teachers and staff outside will immediately move into the building using the nearest entrance and proceed to the designated safe areas. If movement into the building would expose persons to hazardous chemical plume, teachers should move to designated outdoor assembly areas upwind or cross-wind from the spill.
The SC will turn on a radio or television to monitor information concerning the incident.
The school will remain in SHELTER-IN-PLACE until the fire official or appropriate agency provides clearance or the staff is otherwise notified by the Superintendent.
When emergency responders determine it is safe to do so, the SC will give the “All Clear” signal to staff and students and announce whether school will resume normal activities, dismiss early or complete a non-emergency evacuation and movement to an off-campus relocation site for parent reunification.
ACTIVE SHOOTER/ARMED INTRUDER
An active shooter or armed assault on campus involves one or more individual’s intent on causing physical harm to students and staff. Intruders may possess a gun, a knife a bomb or other harmful device.
Administrator
The School Commander (SC)/Principal will direct staff to call 9-1-1 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 911 from your phone system), give the name and exact location of the school, the nature of the emergency, number and description of intruders (if known), type of weapon(s), area of the school where last seen, actions taken by the school, and whether there are on-site security or law enforcement officer (e.g. DARE, School Resource Officer). Caller will remain on the line to provide updates.
The SC will announce a building-wide LOCKDOWN alert. Direct staff and students outside the building to move immediately to the campus Assembly Area(s) and be prepared to EVACUATE off-campus if necessary.
The SC will direct any support staff outside to stop pedestrians from entering school grounds and stop all vehicles from entering the campus until police arrive.
The SC will ensure any buses enroute to the school are redirected to the pre-designated Relocation Site.
The SC will secure the administration office as a command post and retrieve the Critical Incident Response Kit. If the incident is occurring at the administration office, the SC will designate an alternate command post.
The SC will assign someone to meet and brief arriving law enforcement officers.
The SC or designee will switch bells to manual mode and disarm the fire alarm.
The SC will direct office staff to contact the classrooms via intercom or alternate means of communication to check status.
The SC will notify the Superintendent’s office and request activation of media and parent notification protocols
Refer media to:
____________________________________________________________.
District Spokesperson Telephone Numbers (home, work, mobile)
Assign staff to meet and brief responding law enforcement officers.
Teachers:
Upon first indication of an armed intruder, staff should immediately notify the School Administrator and go to LOCKDOWN. .
Clear students from the hallway and bathrooms outside the classroom immediately.
Close and lock all doors and windows, pull down the shades and turn off the lights.
Tell the students to get down on the floor up against an interior solid wall and remain quiet
Account for all students and report any additional non-class students sheltered in the room and any missing students
Place a RED or GREEN card on an outside window, on inside door window or under the door to communicate with first responders. A GREEN card means “Everything is OK in the classroom”; a RED card means, “Emergency assistance is needed.”
Teachers, staff and students will remain in LOCKDOWN until given the “All Clear” by the Incident Commander or a law enforcement officer in uniform.
If an intruder enters the classroom use a pre-determined code to communicate when the office calls for a status check.
If an intruder enters and begins shooting, “TELL THE STUDENTS TO GET OUT ANY WAY POSSIBLE”, exit the building or run to another location that can be locked.
Recovery
After the intruder(s) have been subdued, the School Commander will announce an EVACUATION and OFF-CAMPUS RELOCATION to an alternate site for FAMILY REUNIFICATION.
The SC will notify officials at the relocation site of the EVACUATION and to activate FAMILY REUNIFICATION protocols.
The SC will request bus transportation or alternate transportation to the relocation site.
The SC will request the district activate media and parent notification protocols and direct parents to go to the relocation site.
Teachers will EVACUATE the building using the designated exit routes and alternate routes to the assigned Assembly Areas, take attendance and move to the buses for transport.
The SC will activate the district Crisis Response Team and notify area mental health agency to provide counseling and mental health services at the relocation site.
The SC will debrief the school Emergency Management Team.
The Superintendent in consultation with law enforcement officials will determine when the school can resume normal activities and communicate the information to parents and the public
(Note: The school is a crime scene and will require a thorough search and processing.)
UTILITY LOSS OR FAILURE
Utility failure is the loss or interruption of electric power, natural gas, water or sewage services to the school. The most common utility failure results from power outages throughout the year. In certain situations, students may need to be relocated until the power is restored.
Upon notice of loss of utilities, the School Commander (SC) will initiate appropriate immediate response actions, which may include SHELTER-IN-PLACE or EVACUATION. The SC may direct staff to shut off utilities, as deemed necessary.
The School Commander will contact the local utility company (see emergency contact section) and determine the anticipated duration of the outage.
The School Commander will confer with the Superintendent and determine whether school should be closed and classes temporarily suspended. If so, activate parent and media notification protocols.
In the event of a gas leak, the School Commander will direct staff to call 9-1-1 (Insert the actual sequence to dial 911 from your phone system) give name and exact location of the school, state the emergency, identify affected area(s) of the building, announce the school is EVACUATING and provide the location of the school command post outside.
For gas leaks, the School Commander will order an EVACUATION and open windows. DO NOT ACTIVATE THE FIRE ALARM and transfer school bells to manual mode. Direct staff to shut off all utilities.
If evacuating, teachers and staff should follow evacuation procedures avoiding areas of hazard, assemble at designated assembly area, take attendance and report any missing students to administration. Teachers should be prepared to evacuate students off campus to a relocation site for parent reunification, if directed.
Refer media to:
__________________________________________________________________
District Spokesperson Telephone Numbers (home, work, mobile)
Do not allow anyone to reenter the building until the facility has been deemed safe.
The School Commander will complete a detailed incident report at the earliest opportunity and send to the Superintendent’s Office.
Levels of Risk
Low Level of Threat: A threat that poses a minimal risk to the victim and public safety:
● Threat is vague and indirect.
● Information in the threat is not consistent, is implausible or is vague.
● The threat lacks realism.
● Content of threat suggests the person is unlikely to carry it out.
Medium Level of Threat: A threat that could be carried out, although it may not appear entirely realistic:
● Threat is more direct and more concrete.
● Content of threat suggests the person has given thought to means and method.
● There is a general indication of possible place and time (though plan is not detailed).
● There is no strong indication of preparatory steps.
● There may be a specific statement seeking to convey the seriousness of the threat.
High Level of Threat: A threat that appears to pose an imminent and serious danger to the safety of others:
● Threat is direct, specific and plausible.
● Content of threat suggests that concrete, specific steps have been taken to implement it.
Procedures to be Followed in Response to a Threat and/or Threat of Violence
The following procedures will be followed in case of receipt of a threat:
A. Any student, who receives a threat, hears, or observes one being made, shall immediately notify a member of the staff, faculty or administration.
B. Any member of the staff or faculty who is informed of, or hears or observes a threat on another, or who receives a threat, shall immediately notify the building administrator.
C. Any building administrator who is informed of a threat, or hears or observes a threat on another, or who receives a threat, will conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of the matter. This will include conferences with those alleging that a threat was made and the individual(s) who allegedly made such threat. Appropriate efforts will be made to separate and/or monitor the students involved in the threat while the investigation is ongoing.
D. If after such investigation, it appears reasonably certain that the allegation is true; the building administrator will immediately consult with the school guidance counselor, psychologist, social worker and/or child study team. These consultations may lead the building administrator to contact county agencies, including those concerned with mental health, social services and child protection. If necessary, arrangements will be made for an emergency mental health evaluation.
E. The building administrator will, before the start of the next school day, call the parents or guardians of all students involved in the incident. He or she will also maintain records of the incident.
F. Unless otherwise required by law, school district policy or as a reasonable and prudent response to an imminent threat to health and safety, the building administrator will consult with the Superintendent as to whether law enforcement officials should be contacted.
G. The behavior of a student found to have made a threat will be addressed in accordance with the school code of conduct. If the student behavior is not proscribed by the code of conduct, the building administrator or superintendent will take reasonable measures to provide an appropriate school response to the behavior consistent with federal, state and local due process requirements.
H. The results of all findings and actions taken shall be communicated in a timely manner to the parents of all students involved.
Providing Medical Assistance
If a person is in need of medical assistance, the school nurse shall be contacted. In
addition specific district employees hold CPR, EMT or First Aid certification and/or AED. The Building Level Safety Plan states procedures to be followed for medical emergencies, accidents, and bus accidents.
The Role of Local Governments:
Local Law Enforcement:
Local law enforcement agencies shall be contacted at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools or building principals according to the steps specified in the District-wide Safety Plan. In addition, there is a School Resource Officer assigned to the district.
Availability and Coordination of District Resources
The following procedures and resources as described in the District-Wide Safety Plan
shall be used to coordinate the use of district resources during an emergency.
Procedure for Contacting Those in Parental Relation
The School Messenger service will be utilized by school personnel for contacting those
in parental relation in case of an emergency, including a violent incident or early dismissal are included in the District-Wide Safety Plan.
Annual Emergency Drills:
At least once per school year, the district shall conduct drills and other exercises to test
and evaluate the effectiveness of the district emergency response plan. These drills shall be coordinated with and include the participation of county and local emergency response providers. The results of such drills and exercises shall be assessed by the superintendent of schools and reported to the board of education.
Public Information and Media Relations:
The following individuals shall be designated to deal with the news media in the event of a school emergency:
● Superintendent, the Board President or the Communication and Media Specialist
Members of the media shall not be allowed on school grounds except by invitation of the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee.
Evacuation of Buildings and Grounds:
Each school building in the district shall develop safe evacuation policies and procedures to be utilized in the event of a “serious violent incident” or other emergency.
Intergovernmental Coordination:
Building plans shall be coordinated with the local police, state police, sheriff departments, fire departments, etc. to ensure school access to federal, state and local mental health resources in the event of a violent incident at a school building.
Lock boxes installed in case of an emergency for local officials if access is needed.
Commission of a Crime:
In the event of the commission of a crime on school property, the following procedures shall be implemented to preserve evidence:
● Once authorities have been contacted and the situation turned over to them, they assume all responsibility.
● Procedures to preserve evidence:
o All evidence should be left in place and not touched by anyone unless there is a chance of the evidence being destroyed
o Prior to law enforcement authorities arriving, assign a staff or faculty member to ensure any potential evidence is not touched, disturbed or damaged.
o Wait for law enforcement to properly secure it.
o If there is a chance of the evidence being destroyed prior to law enforcement's arrival due to weather or other circumstances, the evidence should be secured by a person wearing gloves. That person should maintain custody until the item is turned over to authorities.
Post-Incident Response Team
Each school building shall have a post-incident response team appointed by the building principal, subject to the approval of the superintendent. Each team shall be composed of appropriate school and medical personnel, mental health counselors and such others as the principal may deem necessary and appropriate. The team may include but not be limited to the personnel stated in the District-wide Safety Plan. Also, partnering with Sullivan BOCES for the county crisis response team.
District-wide Safety Plan Purpose
The Eldred Central School District, District-wide Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan was developed under the guidelines found in the S.A.V.E. Legislation. The specific sections of this law are found in the New York State Education Law, Chapter 16, Title II; Article 55, titled: Regulation by Boards of Education of Conduct on School District Property; sections 2802; 2801-a; and 2814. In addition, our District-wide and our Building-level Emergency Response Plans follow the New York State Commissioner of Education’s Regulations for School Safety Plans, regulation 155.17.
Team Identification
District-wide School Safety Team
The Board of Education appointed a district-wide safety team that included the required representatives. The District-wide Safety Team met several times to review and make changes in the District-wide plan for presentation to the Board of Education for their review and approval. (MEMBERS OF THE SAFETY TEAM – APPENDIX A)
Concept of Operations
1. The District-wide School Safety Plan will be directly linked to the individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans. Protocols developed in the District-wide School Safety Plan will guide the development and implementation of the Building-level Emergency Response Plans.
2. In the event of an emergency or violent incident, the initial response at an individual school will be by the Building-level Emergency Response Team for that school.
3. Once the Superintendent or Designee is notified, the District-wide Emergency Response Team may be mobilized to respond, depending on the size and type of emergency or incident in the individual school. If district resources other than those available in the affected building are to be used, the District-wide Emergency Response Team will be activated. Local emergency officials will be notified, if appropriate and if not already done so by the Building-level Emergency Response Team.
4. District-wide Safety Team. (APPENDIX A)
5. District-wide Emergency Response Team. (APPENDIX B)
Plan Review and Public Comment
1. The District-wide School Safety Plan shall be monitored and maintained by the District-wide Safety Team and will be reviewed annually on or before June 30th of each year.
2. The Basic District-wide School Safety Plan, which excludes protected and confidential information, will be made available at the Central Administrative Office for public inspection and comment thirty days prior to adoption. The School Board may adopt the District-wide School Safety Plan only after at least one public hearing, which provides for the participation by school personnel, parents, students and any other interested parties. The plan must be formally adopted by the Board of Education at a public meeting.
3. The Building-level Emergency Response Plans shall be confidential and not be subject to disclosure under Article 6 of the Public Officers Law or any other provision of law in accordance with New York State Education Law, Chapter 16; Article II, Section 2801-a.
4. The District-wide School Safety Plan, which excludes protected and confidential information, shall be made available on the District Website and upon request.
5. Full copies of the District-wide School Safety Plan and any amendments will be submitted to the New York State Education Department within 30 days of adoption.
6. Full copies of the District-wide School Safety Plan, with the individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans will be given to all emergency
services that will respond to a particular district building. In addition, a full copy of the District-wide School Safety Plan will be given to the New York State Police Zone Headquarters and local agencies.
7. Full copies of the combined District-wide School Safety Plan, will be maintained on the District website.
Identification of Potentially Dangerous/Hazardous Sites
1. Each school will identify and locate areas of potential emergencies in and around their building. The building custodians will locate and map these sites. These sites are to include electrical, gas, heating, ventilation, water supply and sewage systems locations and shut-off valves. Representatives of Sullivan County BOCES and local fire department personnel have assisted, and will continue to participate in these efforts.
2. These sites of potential emergencies will be listed in each Building-level Emergency Response Plan supplied to police, fire, emergency management services, and district personnel.
3. Potentially dangerous sites will be checked regularly and inspected by building safety personnel on a regular schedule. They include but are not limited to:
a. System Sites:
Electrical panels/shut-offs Gas lines/shut-off Gas appliances Heating plant Sewage system Structural failure Ventilation/air conditioning Water supply/shut-off
b. Environment Problem Sites:
Chemical storage Cleaning supplies Paper supply storage Industrial arts room Science rooms and labs
c. Site Considerations:
Isolated areas near the school Nearby streams, ponds, rivers (flooding) Steep areas near school Unprotected exterior gas/electric, a/c supplies or equipment Dangerous and outdated playground equipment.
District Response to Emergency Situations
The District procedure for cancellation:
Ø The Superintendent makes the determination after consultation with the District Administrators, and/or the County Emergency Management Office.
Ø The Superintendent or Designee contacts local radio and television stations, using the code system in place.
Ø The Superintendent or Designee may initiate School Messenger system.
Ø The Superintendent or Designee also initiates the telephone chain by calling the designated Principals. The Designee is authorized to follow this procedure if the Superintendent is unavailable.
The District procedure for early dismissal:
Ø Superintendent or Designee decides on an early dismissal.
Ø Director of Transportation is notified to supply buses.
Ø Central Office and building administrators are informed.
Ø Staff and students are informed of closing.
Ø Parents are notified of early dismissal through media contacts. A message will also be sent to all parents/guardians who have signed up for their school’s School Messenger.
Obtaining Information from Outside the School
The State of New York has developed a web-based system designed to enhance the state’s ability to alert the public in emergency situations and respond after disasters. The system is known as NY-ALERT, which utilizes a single web-based portal (webpage) that integrates numerous gateways for the dissemination of emergency alerts to the public, including schools. NY-ALERT will provide National Weather Service bulletins about severe weather, advisories on road closures, recommended emergency protective actions for fast-breaking incidents and other emergency response information from federal, state and local authorities. This feature will utilize e-mail, facsimile transmissions, cell bursting, short messages service (SMS), web-posting, text message and dial-out voice messaging to rapidly transmit messages.
For information on NY-ALERT, visit https://alert.ny.gov//.
Mandatory Reporting
The Superintendent shall notify the Commissioner of Education, as soon as possible whenever the emergency plan or building-level school safety plan is activated and results in the closing of a school building in the district, and shall provide such information as the commissioner may require. Such information need not be provided for routine weather emergency days. {*New York State Department of Education, Commissioner’s Regulations, 155.17 school safety plans.
District Resources, Which May Be Available for Use During an Emergency
The list of school personnel who would be available in emergency situations will be developed by each Building Safety Team, with a copy of all building lists maintained at the Central Administrative Office. The list may include, but is not limited to, the names of all the staff members, with the school/office and home telephone numbers and the following:
Medical
§ School Physician School Nurses
§ Emergency Medical Technicians – First Aid trained
§ CPR/AED trained staff
Security
§ Principals
§ Head Custodians
§ School Resource Officer Trained Monitors
Emergency Response
§ Principals
§ Members of fire companies
§ School Nurses
§ School Resource Officers EMT trained
Post-Critical Incident Response Personnel Principals
§ Staff Psychologists
§ Guidance Counselors Social Workers
Department of Buildings and Grounds
§ Custodians
§ Maintenance
Department of Transportation
§ Director of Transportation
Emergency Equipment
Each Building-level Emergency Response Plan will include a list with the location of emergency equipment available in each school:
Ø Medical supplies, ie: AED, Narcan
Ø Medical equipment
Ø List of Fire Extinguishers
Ø District trucks/vehicles
Ø Barricades for traffic control
Emergency Communication Equipment
Each Building-level Emergency Response Plan will include a list, including the location in the building, of all communication devices available:
Ø Weather Notifications
Ø Portable Radios (Walkie Talkies)
Ø Bullhorns
Ø Cellular telephones
Ø Email
Ø Networked computers
These resources will be found in the individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans and on file at the Central Administration Office.
Description of Procedures to Authorize
1. Officials authorized to make decisions and their succession:
Superintendent
2. In the event that no member listed above is available, succession will devolve to:
Principals Business Official
3. District personnel assigned to provide assistance:
Medical and psychological services personnel as listed in the individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans
Procedure for Annual Multi-hazard School Safety Training for Staff and Students
1. Each Building-level School Safety Team will conduct training each school year on their Building-level Emergency Response Plan. This training will be included in the various meetings, drills and training sessions conducted by the building principal.
2. All required staff training provided by will be completed annually (i.e.: Blood-borne Pathogen; Hazardous Materials; Right-to-know).
3. Any required student safety training will be completed by or under the supervision of appropriate District staff.
Procedure to Conduct Drills and Other Exercises to Test Components of the Emergency Response Plans
The Building Principal shall be responsible for conducting at least one test every school year of all of the emergency response procedures outlined under their Building-level Emergency Response Plan. The types of drills to be conducted include, but are not limited to:
a. Actual Drills:
Fire
Emergency dismissal/evac. Hold in Place
Shelter-in-place (weather related) Bus emergency evacuation
Lockdown
Lockout
Medical/AED emergency
b. Building-level Emergency Response Team Table-Top Drills: Intruder in the building
Weapon in the building serious violent incident gas leak
Shelter - off-site power failure bomb threat
Communication System Checks
Appropriate staff training will be provided to ensure effectiveness
All administrators and Building-level Emergency Response Team members shall complete the “ICS for Schools” training. http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/is/is100sc.asp
Schools will keep a record of all building drills, exercises and training. Copies of all training records will be sent to the District Office by June 30th annually.
Public Health Emergency Involving a Communicable Disease
According to 2801-a of New York Education Law, District Safety Plans are to include protocols for responding to a declared public health emergency involving a communicable disease that are “substantially consistent” with the provisions of section 27-c of the Labor Law. According to 27-c of the Labor Law, the Eldred Central School District (the “District”) has created a procedure for a Public Health Emergency Involving a Communicable Disease which addresses the following:
1. A list and description of positions/titles of staff who would be considered essential in the event of a state-ordered reduction of workforce and a justification of such consideration for each position and title included;
2. A description of protocols the District will follow to enable non-essential employees to telecommute and for employees and students to receive communications from the District.
3. A description of how the District will, to the extent possible, stagger work shifts of essential employees to reduce overcrowding.
4. A description of the protocol the District will implement to procure personal protective equipment (PPE) for at least a 6-month time period; including a plan for storage of such equipment.
5. A description of the protocol the District will implement in the event of a known case of communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, exhibited symptoms of such disease or tests positive for such disease to prevent the spread or contraction of such disease in the District
6. A description of the protocol the District will implement to document precise hours and work locations, including off-site visits for essential employees to aid in contact tracing.
7. A description of how the District will work with its locality to identify sites for emergency housing for essential employees should such be required.
Essential Workers During A State-Ordered Reduction of Workforce
(Employees who may need to be present at the District)
In the event of a government ordered shutdown similar to what was experienced in the spring 2020 due to COVID-19, the District has to have a plan in place for potential shutdowns in the future. Outlined below are those positions who may be required to work on-site.
Title
Description
Justification
Work Shift
Superintendent of Schools
Oversees all administrative departments and District staff.
Serve as the Chief Emergency Officer and Incident Commander during a state-ordered Reduction of Workforce, which requires direct access to District property and on-site resources.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
IT Technician
Supports the District is Superintendent in overseeing and support the maintenance and all District technology departments and staff and maintains ICS role during a State-ordered reduction of workforce. Maintenance of District onsite tech and related resources/District service, repair, and replacement.
Requires direct access to District property and
on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
School Business Official/Business Administrator
Oversee the procurement, distribution, and access to needed PPE. Maintain and monitor the District's financial status during a state-ordered workforce reduction. Coordinate needed transportation, resources for food distribution. Oversee the maintenance of District buildings.
Requires direct access to District property and
on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Guidance Counselors/School Psychologist
Providing counseling as appropriate. Helping staff and students to process and overcome their problems.
Promote problem solving, anger
management and conflict resolution.
Reinforce positive coping skills and
resilience.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
School Resource Officer (SRO)
The SRO’s responsibilities include developing the best safety procedures for potential threats in the school, conducting drills with students and staff, and de-escalating aggression between students and between students/teachers.
Protecting the school and students against theft and property damage, and assisting in emergencies. Maintaining positive relationships with students and staff. Assisting in conflict resolutions.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Director of Food Services
Oversee the distribution of food.
Requires direct access to District property and
on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Director of Instructional Services
Oversee and support the administration of regular instructional program and professional development of staff.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Title
Description
Justification
Work Shift
Director of Special Education Services
Oversee and support the administration of legally mandated educational services pursuant to IDEA, Section 504, and CR Part 154.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Building Principal
Oversee building operations, including supervising on-site staff and serving as Incident Command of their respective buildings.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Principals
Support the Building Principal in overseeing and administering building operations and supervising on-site staff.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Custodial Staff/Grounds
Maintaining District buildings and grounds, including the cleaning and disinfection of same.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Clerical
Support administrative functions of District offices, buildings, and needs of Administrators in administering District and building operations, which may include but not be limited to sorting mail and receiving deliveries.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary when required; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Cafeteria staff
Support the preparation of required food preparation and distribution.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary when required; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Nurses
Provide medical services to on-site students.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary when required; coordinated with other departments to avoid close contact and overcrowding.
Teachers
Provide on-site instructional services.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary when required.
Teaching Assistants/ Aides/Lunch Monitors
Support staff with on-site instructional services student supervisor and administration of building clerical needs.
Requires direct access to District property and on-site resources in order to perform duties and responsibilities during a State-ordered reduction of workforce.
Will vary when required.
Communication, Telecommuting and Remote Instruction
A. Communication
Communication plays an essential role throughout the District’s response to a public health emergency due to communicable disease. To ensure the District’s community, including staff members, contractors, students and their families, receive communication the District will take the following steps:
Create and maintain a page on its website that will provide all school updates, plans, surveys, tutorial videos, and updates from the New York State Department of Education, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Public Health Services.
Use its social media outlets to provide communication for our school community.
Use its School Messenger System to notify and update the school community.
Distribute memos and other pertinent notices via email and/or the United States Postal Service.
Post signage throughout the school buildings that explain the health and safety protocols.
Hold virtual synchronous or asynchronous forums (one for community, one for staff members, and one for students) to provide updates and notifications.
Provide an email address for parents/guardians to ask questions.
Administer “follow-up” surveys.
***All District communications will be available through multiple means in the languages spoken by families***
B. Protocols Allowing Non-Essential Employees to Telecommute
To ensure that our employees have access to communication and other needed resources to continue our students’ educational process, the District will take the following steps for employees in job titles for which essential functions may be performed remotely:
1. Like students, all instructional staff will receive a device (Chromebook or Laptop)
2. When applicable, staff who do not have access to high-speed internet will be provided with Wi-Fi hotspots.
3. When applicable, office phones will be forwarded to employee home or cell phones.
The District will utilize these basic strategies, and expand upon them, as it may deem necessary.
Personal Protective Equipment
A. Procuring and Storage
The District will take the following steps to procure, store, and monitor Personal Protective Equipment or (PPE) when a public health emergency involving a communicable disease is declared:
1. The School Business Official will compile the needed amounts of PPE to provide at least 2 two pieces of PPE for each essential employee, staff member, or contractor during any given work shift over at least six months.
2. The School Business Official and the will account for all PPE deliveries.
3. The School Business Official will store the PPE at the District Office and at secured locations throughout the school buildings.
4. The School Business Official will document the amount of PPE that is stored and distributed to the schools.
5. Building teams will distribute the PPE and will provide updated remaining amounts to the School Business Official.
6. If supplies need to be replenished, the building teams will request additional PPE from the School Business Official and the.
7. The District will endeavor to procure the following amount of PPE:
● Students - 1200 masks for every 12 weeks
● Teachers and other staff - 2 masks per staff member
● School Nurses, Healthcare Providers, and Custodial Staff - 10 forms of PPE per week (i.e., disposable masks, N95 masks, gowns, and gloves)
Review PPE stock on a yearly basis, using older procured items first. Disposing unusable PPE (10 year life span)
The School Business Official will reorder PPE when supply is diminished by 50%.
PPE will be stored in a secure location in each District building and additional PPE will be located in the Business Office. Only authorized employees may access PPE storage and the removal of any PPE is to be noted in the District’s PPE log.
B. Implementing Personal Protective Equipment
PPE guidelines will be enforced in alignment with NYS DOH, CDC, and NYSED guidelines.
PPE is essential when protecting students and staff from the exposure to a communicable disease. It is essential that all individuals wear masks, especially when they are unable to be socially distant. All students and staff will receive a mask from the District. The PPE that will be available is as follows:
● Disposable gloves
● Disposable surgical masks
● N95 masks, gowns, and gloves for staff members who interact with potential positive cases
● Provide proper training for use of PPE
Student Face Covering During Public Health Emergency:
The District is aware that face coverings may be challenging students (especially younger students) to wear in an all-day setting such as school. Therefore, our schedules will provide scheduled mask breaks. In addition, face coverings should not be placed on:
● Children younger than 2 years old.
● Students where such covering would impair their health or mental health, or where such covering would present a challenge, distraction, or obstruction of educational services and instruction.
● Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious
● Anyone who incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance.
Important instructions regarding face coverings:
● The District will enforce all students and staff.
● The District requires that all should wash their hands before putting on and after removing their face coverings.
● All disposable face coverings must be properly disposed of.
● All reusable face coverings should be routinely cleaned (it is recommended that a mask should be cleaned daily).
● Please know students and staff may use alternate PPE for instruction, interventions that require visualization of the movement of lips and/or mouths. Moreover, these face coverings may be used for certain students and staff members (i.e. hearing impaired).
**Note: Documentation from a healthcare provider is needed if a student is unable to wear a mask. **
Behavioral Expectations for wearing face coverings:
● It is required that all students wear their masks during the situations mentioned above and while on the bus (excluding students who supplied the District with documentation that states they cannot due to medical and/or health reasons).
● If a student refuses to wear their mask, they will be verbally directed to comply with the expectations (excluding students who supplied the District with documentation that states they cannot due to medical and/or health reasons).
● If a student does not comply with the teacher or staff member’s directives, the main office will be notified and an escort will be provided for the student.
● The teacher and/or staff member will contact the parent/guardian.
● After contacting the parent/guardian, a referral will be written.
● Upon the submission of a referral, administration will address the student in compliance with the District’s Code of Conduct.
Response
If a student or staff member: (1) exhibits symptoms of the communicable disease which is the subject of the public health emergency; or (2) have a known case of such communicable disease they are to notify the Superintendent, Principal, and/or District liaison to the Department of Health, prior to coming to the District.
If a student or staff member exhibits the symptoms of the communicable disease while in school, they will be sent to the health office. After being evaluated by the nurse and the symptoms could be related to the communicable disease and pose a public health threat, not a chronic health condition, the student or staff member will be isolated and dismissed from the school grounds. The following procedural steps are:
● Nurse will check the staff member and student while wearing appropriate PPE
● If the symptoms could be related to the communicable disease or pose a public health threat, the staff member or student will be immediately, isolated, dismissed, and contact tracing procedures will begin.
● Prior to dismissal, the parent/guardian will be notified immediately and will be requested to pick up their child and they are to contact, visit their healthcare provider, and contact the local Department of Public Health Services.
When notifying the nurse, administrator or other pertinent staff members of a student or staff member exhibiting the previously mentioned symptoms, all staff members are to comply with FERPA, HIPAA, and Education Law 2-d.
When a student is waiting to be picked up, they are to be isolated within each school’s designated isolation room from other students and staff members. If the student or staff member cannot be isolated, the individuals exhibiting the symptoms are to be separated from others by at least 6 feet.
The following steps are also to be taken after the person (staff member or student) leaves the school:
● Close off areas used by a sick person and not use the area until after cleaning and disinfecting has occurred.
● Open outside windows and doors to increase circulation in the area
● Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfection. If waiting 24 hours is not
● feasible, wait as long as possible.
● Notify building maintenance to initiate disinfection.
● Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have the communicable disease, such as offices, classrooms, bathrooms, lockers, and common areas.
Return to the District after Illness
The District will follow all NYS Department of Health, CDC and NYSED guidance for allowing students or staff members to return to school after exhibiting symptoms of the communicable disease. The individual can return to school or work after being seen by a healthcare provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) and being cleared to do so.
The current NYS Department of Health, CDC, and NYSED guidance will be followed for reentry.
Contact Tracing (Documenting Precise Hours and Work Locations)
Contact tracing is a key public health function. Contact tracing will allow schools to put in place isolation or other measures to limit the spread of the virus. The District will assist the State’s Department of Health and local public health departments in its contract tracing efforts, which may include, but not limited to:
● Keeping accurate attendance records of students and essential employees, such as:
− Maintaining schedules of when students and essential employees are to enter buildings in accordance with bell schedules and time needed for daily disinfection.
− Maintaining self-check screeners, and a visitor’s log, for those entering school buildings through single point entryways.
● Having essential employees log off-site visits taken during the workday as part of their District duties and responsibilities.
When there is a confirmed case, the school administration and school nurse will be notified. Upon receiving the notification, the school nurse will add the pertinent information into a school contact-tracing document. Confidentiality will be maintained as required by federal and state regulations. Moreover, according to NYSED, staff will not
try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on direct and indirect contact
without guidance and direction from the Sullivan County Public Health Services. The County will take the lead on all contact tracing. The District will cooperate and share information with the County to permit contact tracing.
Remote Learning
Overview of Learning
NYSED is requiring that all districts prepare plans with schedules to ensure that the districts are providing educational services. It is essential that all education services balance equity, capacity, social distancing, PPE, feasibility, and learning considerations. The hybrid and virtual schedules provide a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction for grades Prek-2 and synchronous instruction for grades 3-12 with a focus on department/grade level New York State Learning Standards. The purpose of the work is to develop a community of learners while delivering high quality instruction through expository, active, and interactive learning opportunities.
These Learning Plans are expected that all students actively participate in the coursework and complete assignments with academic integrity. Specifically, the students are to complete their assignments using academically appropriate resources (i.e., scholarly resources that provide accurate information).
● Mackenzie Elementary School: The grade level teachers will provide grade-level instruction (synchronous and asynchronous) and specific assignments aligned to New York State Standards. Related activities, assignments and instructional resources will be posted on selected virtual platforms (Google Classroom and Seesaw) to develop the knowledge and skills needed by students to achieve standards-based goals for their respective grades.
● Eldred Junior Senior High School: The departments and grade level teachers will use traditional assignments and Google Classroom as their learning management. All assignments will consist of materials that focus on New York State Learning Standards, which provide our students with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their respective grade level standards-based expectations.
Eldred Central School District
Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
Overview:
The Eldred Central School District is committed to the safety and security of its employees. Workplace violence presents a serious occupational safety hazard. The goal of this plan is to promote the safety and well-being of all people in the workplace.
Acts of violence against any employee where any work-related duty is performed will be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action will be taken, including involving law enforcement authorities when warranted. All employees are responsible for helping to create an environment of mutual respect for each other, as well as students, parents, and other visitors; following all applicable documents and for assisting in maintaining a safe and secure work environment.
This plan was developed in consultation with the authorized employee representative(s) and is designed to meet the requirements of New York State Labor Law.
The most current version of this plan will be made available to employees, their authorized representatives, and to representatives of the NYS Department of Labor by contacting Traci Ferreira at: ferreirat@eldred.k12.ny.us or (845) 456-1100, extension 5296.
What is Workplace Violence?
Any physical assault or acts of aggressive behavior occurring where a public employee performs any work-related duty in the course of his or her employment including but not limited to:
1. An attempt or threat, whether verbal or physical, to inflict physical injury upon an employee;
2. Any intentional display of force which would give an employee reason to fear or expect bodily harm;
3. Intentional and wrongful physical contact with a person without his or her consent that entails some injury;
4. Stalking an employee with the intent of causing fear of material harm to the physical safety and health of such employee when such stalking has arisen through and in the course of employment.
What is the New York State Workplace Violence Prevention Law?
On June 7, 2006, New York State enacted legislation creating a new Section 27-b of State Labor Law that requires public employers (other than schools covered under the school safety plan requirements of the education law) to perform a workplace evaluation or risk evaluation at each worksite and to develop and implement programs to prevent and minimize workplace violence caused by assaults and homicides. The Law is designed to ensure that the risk of workplace assaults and homicides are regularly evaluated by public employers and that workplace violence prevention programs are implemented to prevent and minimize the hazard to public employees.
Purpose of this program:
The purpose of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program is to provide information to managers, supervisors, employees, and their authorized representatives about preventing and responding to incidents of workplace violence or threats of violence in accordance with the “New York State Public Employer Workplace Violence Prevention Law.”
The goal of this program is to reduce the probability of threats or acts of violence in the workplace and to ensure that any incident, complaint, or report of violence is taken seriously and dealt with appropriately as expeditiously as possible. This program outlines the major components of our effort to meet these goals.
Workplace Risk Assessment
This workplace risk assessment is based upon the evaluation of the physical environment from each school. Any incidents that may occur after the implementation of this program must be carefully documented and analyzed in order to make improvements to this program during the required annual review or as necessary. Although workplace violence can occur in any work setting, some settings or factors may pose a greater degree of risk. Employment situations or factors that may pose a higher risk for the Eldred Central School District employees include, but are not limited to the following:
_____Working in public settings: The majority of the work is in a public setting.
_____Working late night or early morning hours: Late night and/or early morning hours are not usual, but do occur due to school/community events or for weather-related job duties.
_____Exchanging money with the public: District employees do not deal with the exchange of money.
_____Working alone or in small numbers: District employees work groups vary in size for different community/school events but employees frequently work alone.
_____Working in a setting with uncontrolled access to the workplace: The district has a single entry point for the general public in all district buildings. Other entry points at district buildings require a swipe badge and/or key.
_____ Working in a setting where previous security problems have occurred: The district has not had any previous security problems recorded.
_____ Having a mobile workplace assignment: District employees do not have mobile workplace assignments.
_____Working with a population which might expose one to potentially violent persons (e.g. in health care, social service, public service or criminal justice settings): District employees work with students that at times could potentially become verbally and/or physically aggressive.
_____ Having duties that include the delivery of passengers, goods, or services: District transportation, extra-curricular advisories and/or athletic coaches deliver students on a regular basis to and from school and/or events.
Hierarchy of Controls
There are three main types of control measures that may be implemented as part of a safety program to protect employees from recognized hazards including workplace violence. This is referred to as the “hierarchy of control measures.”
Engineering controls eliminate or reduce the hazard through substitution or design.
· Examples include:
· Increased lighting
· Designing secure building access
· Security hardware
· Eliminating isolated work areas
Administrative or work practice controls eliminate or reduce the hazard by changing organizational policies and procedures.
Examples include:
· Increased staffing
· Employment of security personnel
· Developing building access control procedures
· Cross-shift communication to share information regarding agitated clients
· Providing information on criminal history and violence information on clients, inmates, customers Elimination of long customer wait times Provision of personal alarms
· Training
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) examples include:
(For the most part, this type of intervention is not relevant to workplace violence prevention)
Every employer has a responsibility to address all risk factors that their employees are potentially exposed to. When considering the most appropriate control measures, an effort must be made to try to eliminate the hazard whenever possible. When total elimination is not feasible, try to change the way the job is being performed, assigned, or scheduled to reduce the hazard. Training or PPE should not be relied upon as the only control measure, and interventions should have a balanced approach to changing individual worker versus organizational behavior.
Control methods that the Eldred Central School District will use to prevent workplace violence incidents
The Eldred Central School District has taken the following measures at the school buildings and transportation building to reduce the threat or likelihood of incidents of workplace violence.
All district buildings have been outfitted with multiple security cameras to record most areas frequented by employees and accessible to the public. The cameras are monitored by the administration, Director of Technology and School Resource Officer. These employees have access to contact the Police in the event of an emergency. In addition, signage indicating the use of surveillance cameras is posted.
District employees are provided with radios to call for assistance and report emergencies when the employees are not in their classroom and/or regular work location.
Employees are instructed that when confronted with an irate community member, that they are to contact a supervisor or if necessary the police department and if applicable to not exit the school vehicle to confront the community member.
Employees are provided with Workplace Violence Prevention training as required by this program.
Prevention of violence in the workplace is the responsibility of every employee. The following section focuses on early warning signs and workplace issues that have the potential to trigger violent behavior. Management, employees, and their authorized representatives should be familiar with the issues below in order to become aware of and to reduce the likelihood of workplace violence.
Early warning signs of potential violence:
There is no single “profile” that can identify a potentially dangerous individual. However, certain patterns of behavior and events frequently precede episodes of violence.
A list of indicators of increased risk of violent behavior include, but are not limited to the following:
· Direct or veiled threats of harm
· Intimidation, belligerence, bullying or other inappropriate behavior directed at others
· Numerous conflicts with supervisors and employees; verbal comments indicating expressions of hostility directed at coworkers, supervisors or others
· Bringing an unauthorized weapon to work, brandishing a weapon in the workplace, making inappropriate reference to guns or fascination with weapons
· Fascination with incidents of workplace violence, statements indicating approval of the use of violence to resolve a problem, or statements indicating identification with perpetrators of workplace homicides
· Statements indicating an increased tone of desperation from the person, feeling that normal interventions to solve the problem will not work, feeling hopeless about a situation at work, with family, financial and other personal problems
· Signs of abuse of drugs/alcohol on or off the job
· Extreme or uncharacteristic changes in behavior or displays of emotion
· Employees with ongoing domestic difficulties
· Employees with a temporary order of protection against any respondent
These behaviors should be reported to an employee’s supervisors and/or the administrator of this program. Some behaviors may require immediate law enforcement intervention where others may require disciplinary action or indicate a need for an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) referral.
Workplace issues that may trigger violence:
Listed below are two categories of common issues that may trigger workplace violence.
1. Employee issues
a. Negative performance review
b. Unwelcome change in role due to performance or reorganization issue
c. Criticism of performance
d. Conflict with coworker or supervisor
e. Personal stress outside the workplace
f. Increased workload or pressure e.g. deadlines, projects, etc.
2. Workplace issues (any of the following may be an employee’s perception of issues):
a. No clearly defined rules of conduct
b. Lack of training
c. Inadequate hiring practices/screening of potential employees
d. Insufficient supervision
e. Lack of discipline or inconsistent discipline in workplace
f. Lack of or inadequate employee support systems
g. Failure to address incidents as they occur
h. Overly authoritarian management style
Taking this into account, there are three key elements that may help to prevent a violent situation from occurring:
1. Recognizing the early warning signs (such as a change in a person’s behavior preceding an episode of violence).
2. Recognizing issues or events that may trigger violence.
3. Early intervention to prevent a violent incident from occurring.
Please note: It is important to be careful when drawing assumptions or relying solely on any of the above behaviors as indicators of violence.
Reporting an incident
At the core of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program is the Eldred Central School District’s commitment to work with its employees to maintain a work environment free from violence and other disruptive behavior to the greatest degree possible.
Any district employee, upon becoming aware of an instance of physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting must immediately report the facts and circumstances of said incident to their supervisor. In the event that employees observe or experience an incident of violence involving an employee or visitor to a district workplace in which there is an immediate threat to their safety or the safety of others or where an injury has occurred, the employee will immediately obtain law enforcement and medical assistance by calling 911 and in addition, notify their immediate supervisor.
The supervisor will immediately conduct a preliminary inquiry into the facts and circumstances of the incident and make a prompt report to the Designated Contact Person listed on page 4 (See Appendix A for a copy of the Incident Reporting 9 Form). In addition to the workplace violence incident report, an accident report would be required to report any injuries to employees.
Retaliation against an employee who makes a good faith report of violence or other disruptive behavior is strictly prohibited and shall be subject to appropriate corrective or disciplinary measures.
Post-Incident Response
Assure that injured employees receive prompt and appropriate medical care (This includes, but is not limited to, providing transportation of the injured to medical care. Prompt first aid and emergency medical treatment can minimize the harmful consequences of a violent incident.)
Report the incident to the appropriate authorities as required by applicable laws and regulations
Inform management about the incident in writing
Secure the premises to safeguard evidence and reduce distractions during the post incident response process
Prepare an incident report immediately after the incident, noting details that might be forgotten over time (Appendix A contains a sample incident report form)
Address the need for appropriate treatment for victimized employees (In addition to physical injuries, victims and witnesses may suffer psychological trauma, fear of returning to work, feelings of incompetence, guilt, powerlessness, and fear of criticism by supervisors or managers.)
A thorough review of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program will be performed after the occurrence of a workplace violence incident or annually along with the participation of the Authorized Employee Representative(s) (where applicable).
In the event that critical incident management or crisis counseling is needed following a workplace violence incident in a district workplace, arrangements will be made through management, employee unions, or the Designated Contact Person listed on page 4.
Employee Information and Training
Training of affected employees will be performed upon initial assignment and annually thereafter. Retraining is required any time there is a significant change to the program, a risk factor, or work control. Training topics will include the following:
Requirements of the New York State Workplace Violence Prevention Law.
Details of the risk factors identified in the risk assessment and our organization’s procedures for conducting the risk assessment.
How employees can protect themselves, summon assistance, report threats and incidents, and how to suggest improvements to the program
Description and review of our written Workplace Violence Prevention Program
How to obtain a copy of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and where it is kept.
How to obtain post-incident crisis counseling
Training on dealing with potentially violent clients, citizens, and co-workers.
Recordkeeping Requirements
The record-keeping requirements outlined in 12 NYCRR Part 801, Recording and Reporting Public Employees’ Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, must be used to document recordable injuries sustained during workplace violence incidents.
In addition to Part 801, all incidents will be investigated and documented to ensure that all threats and workplace violence incidents are reported to management. These reports will provide written notification when a violent incident occurs so that management can develop an appropriate response. The Incident Report will also create a historical record that can be used in the annual risk assessment and program evaluation. The incident reporting form is attached as Appendix A of this document.
For more information on recordkeeping requirements the NYS DOL Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) bureau may be contacted as follows:
District Office: Binghamton 44 Hawley Street, 9th Floor Binghamton, NY 13901-4409
Tel: 607-721-8211
Program review
The Eldred Central School District, with the Authorized Employee Representative, shall evaluate the effectiveness of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program, at least annually or after any serious incident. The review will focus on incident trends, addressing root cause, and the effectiveness of the control measures in place or the need to make changes. The review will also assess whether the reporting and record-keeping systems have been effective in collecting all relevant information. Annual risk evaluation and assessment will be performed using forms in Appendix B of this document and kept on file with this program. The cover sheet of this program will be updated with the names and titles of those who perform the review and the date of completion.
Appendix A:
Incident Reporting Form
Workplace Violence Incident Report
1. Date of Incident: __________ Time of day when incident occurred: __________
2. District location where incident occurred: ____________________________________
3. Name of employee reporting the incident (unless a “privacy concern case”*):
______________________________________________________________________
4. Names and job titles of involved parties:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. Names – or other identifiers – of others involved, if any:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. Nature and extent of injuries arising from the incident:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Names of witnesses:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. Provide a detailed description of the incident below, including the events leading up to the incident and how the incident ended:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
____________________________ __________________________________
Date Report Submitted Signature (unless privacy concern)
__________________________________
Print Name (unless privacy concern)
*Note: If the case is a ‘privacy concern case,’ remove the name of the employee who was the victim of the workplace violence and enter “PRIVACY CONCERN CASE” in the space normally used for the employee’s name. Privacy concern cases include cases involving:
Injury or illness to an intimate body part or the reproductive system;
Injury or illness resulting from a sexual assault;
Mental illness
HIV infection;
Needle stick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that are or may be contaminated with another person’s blood or other potentially infectious material; and
Other injuries or illnesses, if the employee independently and voluntarily requests that his or her name not be entered on the report.
Appendix B:
Workplace Violence Prevention Training Outline
Information and training for all employees:
I. Overview of Requirements of the Workplace Violence Regulations
A. Develop a written policy statement. Employers must develop a written policy statement describing the goals and objectives of their workplace violence prevention program and the notification policies employees should follow in the event of a workplace violence incident. The policy statement should describe how employees can participate in the workplace violence program through an authorized employee representative. The policy statement must be posted where notices to employees are normally posted.
B. Conduct a risk evaluation. Employers must evaluate their workplace to determine what factors exist that might place employees at risk of occupational assaults or homicides. The risk evaluation includes an examination of any records of workplace violence incidents over the previous year; an assessment of any relevant policies, work practices, and work procedures that may impact the risk of workplace violence; and an evaluation of the physical workplace environment.
C. Develop a workplace violence prevention program. Employers must develop and implement a workplace violence prevention program, with input from employees through an authorized employee representative. The program must include: the risk factors identified through the risk evaluation; how the identified risks will be addressed; the methods that will be used to try to prevent workplace violence incidents; a system to report and record any workplace violence incidents that may occur; a written outline or lesson plan for employee trainings on workplace violence risk; and a plan to review and update the program at least once a year.
D. Provide training and information for employees. Employers must provide each employee with information and training on the risks of workplace violence in their workplace(s) at least once a year and any time significant changes are made to the workplace violence prevention program.
II. Risk factors that were identified in the risk evaluation and implemented control measures
A. Risk Factors Identified in District Facilities:
Outdated Security Vestibule
Outdated external doors
Parking lots with clear sightlines and lighting
Vegetation that block sightlines from classrooms/offices
Visitor sign in/out procedures
Single Entry Point
Signage Needed
B. Employees can take the following measures to protect themselves from identified risks: such as:
i. All employees will follow the procedures for visitors, including escorting visitors when they have entered the building.
ii. Employees will notify maintenance regarding sightlines, faulty equipment and/or lighting issues
iii. If there is an emergency, all employees have the ability to call 911 from their classroom/office; there is an School Resource Officer in both school buildings
iv. All employees are aware of SHELL procedures
v. All employees have access to the incident reporting form
vi. All incidents will be reported to the business administrator
III. The Workplace Violence Prevention Program is located in print in each main office. It is also posted on the website. The incident reporting form can be found in print in the main office of each building and on the district’s website. (Only employers with 20 or more fulltime permanent employees are required to maintain a program in writing).
IV. Privacy Concerns
A. If there are privacy concerns- the employee reporting the incident will not be named on the reporting form.
Note: Information otherwise kept confidential for security reasons does not have to be disclosed to all employees. Examples of confidential information include but are not limited to information that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or judicial proceedings, would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial, would identify a confidential source or disclose confidential information relating to a criminal investigation, would reveal criminal investigative techniques or procedures except routine techniques and procedures, or would endanger the life or safety of any person.
APPENDIX C
District Safety Team
Traci Ferreira Superintendent
Michael Carpentieri Elementary Principal
Michael Conklin JSHS Principal
Michael Skokos Buildings and Grounds
Scott Krebs Director of Instructional Services
Caleb Russell Business Administrator
Bethany England Director of Special Services
Tina Rodriguez Director of IT
Amanda Zgrodek Athletic Director
Denise Farragher Nurse
Sean Grady School Resource Officer
Danny Zayas School Resource Officer
Kim Gueren Guidance Counselor
Michelle Gallo Guidance Counselor
Kelly Pratcshler Teacher
Lisa Sibirtzeff Secretary to Superintendent
Melissa Muller Transportation
Anthony Delvillar Residency Officer
APPENDIX D
Emergency Response Team
Traci Ferreira Superintendent
Michael Carpentieri Elementary Principal
Michael Conklin JSHS Principal
Michael Skokos Buildings and Grounds
Tina Rodriguez Director of IT
Scott Krebs Director of Instructional Services
Sean Grady School Resource Officer
DannyZayas School Resource Officer
Melissa Muller Transportation
Kim Gueren Guidance Counselor
Michelle Gallo Guidance Counselor
Lisa Sibirtzeff Secretary to Superintendent
Anthony Delvillar Residency Officer
APPENDIX E
Incident Command System Summary
Background
ICS is a management system that can be used to manage emergency incidents or non-emergency events such as celebrations. The system works equally well for small incidents and large-scale emergency situations. The system has built-in flexibility to grow or shrink based on current needs. It is a uniform system, so personnel from a variety of agencies and geographic locations can be rapidly incorporated into a common management structure.
Features of ICS
ICS has a number of features that work together to make it a real management system. Among the primary attributes of ICS are:
1. Standard Management Functions
a. Command: Sets objectives and priorities and has overall responsibility at the incident or event.
b. Operations: Conducts tactical operations, develops the tactical objectives, and organizes and directs all resources.
c. Planning: Develops the action plan to accomplish the objectives, collects and evaluates information, and maintains the resource status.
d. Logistics: Provides support to meet incident needs, provides resources and all other services needed to support.
e. Finance/Administration: Monitors costs, provides accounting, procurement, time recording, and cost analysis.
2.The individual designated as the Incident Commander (IC) has responsibility for all functions. In a limited incident, the IC and one or two individuals may perform all functions. In a larger emergency situation, each function may be assigned to a separate individual.
3. Management By Objectives. At each incident, the management staff is expected to understand agency or jurisdiction policy/guidance, establish incident objectives, select an appropriate strategy to deal with the incident, develop an action plan/provide operational guidance—select tactics appropriate to the strategy and direct available resources.
4. Unity and Chain of Command. Unity of command means that even though an incident command operation is a temporary organization, every individual should be assigned a designated supervisor. Chain of command means that there is an orderly line of authority within the organization with only one Incident Commander and each person reporting to only one supervisor.
5. Organizational Flexibility. Within the basic ICS structure the organization should at any given time include only what is required to meet planned objectives. The size of the organization is determined through the incident action planning process. Each element of the organization should have someone in charge; in some cases, a single individual may be in charge of more than one unit. Resources are activated as needed and resources that are no longer needed are demobilized.
6. Common Terminology. In ICS, common terminology is used for organizational elements, position titles, resources, and facilities. This facilitates communication among personnel from different emergency services, agencies, and jurisdictions.
7. Limited Span of Control. Span of control is the number of individuals one supervisor can realistically manage. Maintaining an effective span of control is particularly important where safety is paramount. If a supervisor is supervising fewer than 3 subordinates or more than 7, the existing organization structure should be reviewed.
8. Personnel Accountability. Continuous personnel accountability is achieved by using a resource unit to track personnel and equipment, keeping an activity log, ensuring each person has a single supervisor, check in/out procedures, and preparing assignment lists.
9. Incident Action Plan. The incident action plan, which may be verbal or written, is intended to provide supervisory personnel a common understanding of the situation and direction for future action. The plan includes a statement of objectives, organizational description, assignments, and support material such as maps. An Incident Briefing Form may be used on smaller incidents.
10. Integrated Communications. Integrated communications includes interfacing disparate communications as effectively as possible, planning for the use of all available systems and frequencies, and requiring the use of clear text in communications.
11. Resource Management. Resources may be managed as single resources or organized in task forces or strike teams. The status of resources is tracked in three categories: assigned, available, and out of service.
Unified Command
Unified Command is a variant of ICS used when there is more than one agency or jurisdiction with responsibility for the incident or when personnel and equipment from a number of different agencies or jurisdictions are responding to it. This might occur when the incident site crosses jurisdictional boundaries or when an emergency situation involves matters for which state and/or federal agencies have regulatory responsibility or legal requirements to respond to certain types of incidents.
ICS Unified Command is intended to integrate the efforts of multiple agencies and jurisdictions. The major change from a normal ICS structure is at the top. In a Unified command, senior representatives of each agency or jurisdiction responding to the incident collectively agree on objectives, priorities, and an overall strategy or strategies to accomplish objectives; approve a coordinated Incident Action Plan; and designate an Operations Section Chief. The Operations Section Chief is responsible for managing available resources to achieve objectives. Agency and jurisdictional resources remain under the administrative control of their agencies or jurisdictions, but respond to mission assignments and direction provided by the Operations Section Chief based on the requirements of the Incident Action Plan.
APPENDIX F
Emergency Contact Numbers
Public Safety Agencies Number
· General Emergency
· Police/Sheriff/Fire
· Poison Control
· Local Hospital
District Contacts Number
· Superintendent
· School Safety
· Transportation
· Food Services
· Health Services
School Contacts Number
· Principal
· Business Official
· School Nurse
· Counselor
· School-Based Law Enforcement (SRO)
· Maintenance Department
NOTE: Determine the appropriate sequence required to dial 911 from your site's phone system.
APPENDIX D
Emergency Contact Numbers
Public Safety Agencies Number
• General Emergency
• Police/Sheriff/Fire
• Poison Control
• Local Hospital
District Contacts Number
• Superintendent
• School Safety
• Transportation
• Food Services
• Health Services
School Contacts Number
• Principal
• Business Official
• School Nurse
• Counselor
• School-Based Law Enforcement (SRO)
• Maintenance Department
NOTE: Determine the appropriate sequence required to dial 911 from your sites phone system.
Attachment