District-wide School Safety Plan

At its July 12, 2021 meeting, the Board of Education discussed the 2021-22 District-wide School Safety Plan. The public subsequently had 30 days to comment on the contents of the plan. Following the public comment period, the Board adopted the plan at its Aug. 16 meeting. See the draft plan here: Mohonasen CSD District-Wide School Safety Plan 2021-22

Please send all commentary to safetyplan@mohonasen.org.

The below version of the current plan was adopted by the Board of Education on Aug. 16, 2021.

Emergencies and violent incidents in school districts are critical issues that must be addressed in an expeditious and effective manner. Districts are required to develop a district-wide school safety plan designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents and emergencies and to facilitate the coordination of the district with local and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies. The District-Wide School Safety Plan is responsive to the needs of all schools within the district and is consistent with the more detailed emergency response plans required at the school building level. Districts stand at risk from a wide variety of acts of violence, natural, and manmade disasters. To address these threats, the State of New York has enacted the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) law. Project SAVE is a comprehensive planning effort that addresses prevention, response, and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies in each school district and its schools.

The Mohonasen-Rotterdam Central School District, supports the SAVE Legislation and intends to facilitate the planning process. The Superintendent of Schools encourages and advocates on-going district-wide cooperation and support of Project SAVE.

This plan will be reviewed and updated annually. Copies will be kept in each school building, the transportation center, office of the supervisor of buildings and grounds, and the district office where they will be readily available if needed.

Procedures outlined in this plan will be reviewed by the building administrator with students and staff by September 1st of each year.

Identification of Chief Emergency Officer

The Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District designates the Assistance Superintendent of Business as the Chief Emergency Officer whose duties shall include, but not be limited to:

Coordination of the communication between school staff, law enforcement and other first responders;
Lead the efforts of the Health & Safety Committee in the completion and yearly update by September 1st, of the District-wide safety plan and coordination with the building-level emergency response plan;
Ensure staff understanding of the District–wide school safety plan;
Ensure the completion and yearly update by September 1st, of building-level emergency response plans for each school building;
Assist in the selection of security related technology and development of policies for the use of such technology;
Coordinate appropriate safety, security, and emergency training for staff, including required training in the emergency response plan yearly by September 15th; and
Ensure the conduct of required evacuation and lock-down drills in all District buildings as required by Education Law section 807.

Delegation of Authority

In the event that key members of the chain of command are unavailable or have been incapacitated, a delegation of authority is in place to assure that the individuals who act on behalf of the district have sufficient authority to take appropriate action. It is also essential that staff know to whom they must report in the absence of the superintendent, principal or other designated official.

The following delegations of authority shall apply to the operations of the Emergency Plan for the Mohonasen Central School District. In the event the designated authority in the district or building is absent or incapacitated, the next district official in the chain shall be empowered to make all decisions falling under the purview of the designated authority. The subsequent officials in the chain shall have the authority in the absence of the others. This delegation shall remain in effect until the designee shall notify the alternate that he or she has been relieved.

Designation Authority/ Chain of Command

Superintendent of Schools
Assistant Superintendent for Business
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
High School Principal
Middle School Principal
Elementary School Principal(s)
Assistant Principal(s)
Director of Facilities
Transportation Supervisor
School Nurses

Incident Commander: Public Information and Safety (Fire, Police, Traffic) Below that is Operations (Security, Search & Rescue, Assess Damage; First Aid, Student & Staff Care, Student Release) Planning/Intelligence (Maps, Message Center, Plans) Logistics (Communications, Supplies, Reallocation of Staff, Facilities, Transportation) and Finance (Documenting, Purchasing)

Incident Command System

Description of Committee Responsibilities

Incident Commander

Assume Command
Stabilize Scene
Establish an Appropriate Command Post

Operations Committee

Coordinate Security Efforts
Assign Search/Rescue Duties
Conduct Damage Assessment
Establish Triage Area and Administer First Aid
Coordinate Student Release
- Security
- Sign Out

Planning/Intelligence Committee

Manage unfolding events, inform and coordinate
Obtain and distribute individual plans for resources
Obtain and Distribute Campus Maps
Establish and Message Center (color-coordinated boards)
Facilitate information between agencies

Logistics Committee

Communicate as per Incident Commander
Secure and Distribute Necessary Supplies
Coordinate Available Staff and Resources
Securing and Assigning Facilities

Finance/Administration Committee

Record keeping
Finance Clearance and Ordering of Resources to be delivered to Logistics

Alternate Commander

Keep Parent Up to Date on Situation
Share Procedures for Accessing Children

Emergency Procedures

Upon notification of an emergency, the Superintendent of Schools will activate the Incident Command System: district administrators, transportation supervisor, supervisor of buildings and grounds, and the cafeteria supervisor. This Emergency Team will remain in force until the emergency is concluded.
The degree of the emergency will be determined from information supplied by County/Town officials, civil defense officials and other authorities. One or more of the following steps may be taken:
1. Retention of pupils at one or more of the schools of the district beyond the normal dismissal time.
2. Students and staff evacuated to a designated reception center on site.
3. Closing of one or more school buildings for a specified length of time and transferring students to another school. Two alternative locations are Schalmont and Guilderland High Schools if students need to be evacuated off property.
4. Early dismissal of students and staff.
5. Alert parents with emergency instructions (School Messenger, text, radio, television, telephone).
The transportation supervisor, or designee, will be alerted to:
1. Implement emergency notification to available drivers, and
2. Implement deployment of vehicles to buildings for evaluation of pupils.
Building principals will be alerted to the emergency and advised to implement established emergency plans for the building.
Communication will be established, as necessary, to the law enforcement, fire protection, and related agencies.
Appropriate announcements will be submitted to local radio and television stations to keep parents and community advised. Appropriate communications will also be made to County/Town or civil defense official.
District maintenance employees and other district support services may be mobilized to assist building staffs.
The Incident Command will review the status of the emergency on a continuous basis and make any determination affecting pupils or staff members.
All designated personnel should process the following items: “Gotta go Bags”, student name, address and trip detail, laptops/tablets as assigned by district, radios, and cells phones as appropriate.

If the emergency situation dictates the emergency evacuation of pupils and staff of the Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District, normal bus driver assignments and routes will be suspended.

The transportation supervisor will maintain a current list of regular and substitute bus drivers, an up-to-date file of bus routes, student bus lists, and an updated copy of the emergency evacuation bus deployment schedule.

Members of the transportation staff will be oriented to the emergency response procedures by the transportation supervisor.

Transportation Plan Details

All drivers will be notified by the dispatcher and supervisor to report to the transportation office in case of an emergency. This takes approximately ½ to ¾ of an hour.
Drivers reporting to the transportation office will be assigned a route. The supervisor will notify the school principals of the area which should be dismissed first.
The outlying areas will have preference because of the distance and terrain that must be covered.
The supervisor will assist in loading the students and giving the drivers last minute instructions before departing on their route.
Students who are outside of the school district, under district authorization (i.e., field trips, athletic events, BOCES) will be returned to the school or to a designated reception center as the emergency dictates.
If the emergency involves transportation to a designated center, all students will be evacuated by district buses only. No student will be allowed to drive any vehicle while the emergency evacuation is taking place.

Staff Obligation

In the event of an emergency, all employees of the Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District have a responsibility to protect and maintain the health, safety, and welfare of the district pupils. Staff members will be assigned to accompany and supervise pupils.

Emergency Phone Numbers

Fire, Ambulance, Police – EMERGENCY: 911
Local Police, non-emergency: 518-630-0911
State Police, non-emergency: 518-630-1700
Poison Control Center: (800) 222-1222
Child Abuse Hotline: (800) 342-3742

Emergency Numbers for Mohonasen Schools

Bradt Main Office: 518-356-8401
Pinewood Main Office: 518-356-8432
Draper Middle School Main Office: 518-356-8357
High School Main Office: 518-356-8314
District Office: 518-356-8200
Transportation (Bus Garage): 518-356-8260
Director of School Safety and Security: 518-356-8355
School Resource Officer: 518-356-8214

Subsection A

Risk Reduction/Prevention Intervention Components & Strategies

The district has numerous programs and strategies in place to improve communication, reduce risk factors, and promote positive interventions. For example:

Security Checkpoints manned by Trained Security Personnel at all main entrances of each building. This includes secured entranceways for visitors to be buzzed into building only after registering with security personnel. ID scanning software allows visitors to be registered into the system and alerts security personnel of any potential concerns. This system is integrated with the NYS DCJS Sex Offender Registry and alerts with any listed offender. Faculty and designated staff have been issued proximity cards that allow for restriction and/or monitoring of building access points.
Health, Wellness, Safety and Security Committee meets quarterly to discuss, implement and resolve issues concerning all of the above. Each department head and each building level committee reports. The committee may work in conjunction with the Professional Development Committee to plan appropriate staff development/training for faculty and staff.
Student Assistance Counseling Program and Social Work – The district utilizes the services of a trained counselor in the High School from the BOCES CAPIT program, to provide an outlet for students with problems, concerns, etc. Students may meet with these counselors for their own needs or to report/discuss potential problem situations involving other students that they may have witnessed. Counselors may make referrals or other contacts as needed, depending on the situation. The district makes referrals regularly to a number of outside counseling agencies and is currently working with Northern Rivers to provide more intensive counseling on campus for students and their families. The district is committed to providing district social workers in every building to help teachers and administrators meet the needs of students.
Resource Officer Program – The availability of a police officer on-site at the High School and available as needed to all other buildings is a tremendous resource for all students for the prevention or reporting of potential or actual violent incidents, drug abuse, bullying, etc. The district has a commitment to utilizing the expertise of this officer to train district security staff. All security staff receives training regularly.
YMCA After School Program – This is a daily program held at the Bradt Elementary School for local youth through age 10. It gives these children a place to go after school to allow them to make constructive use of their time and avoid potentially problematic situations that might otherwise occur in unsupervised after-school idle time. Many craft-like and other activities are carried out, in addition to physical activities in the school gymnasium. The program is entirely supervised by YMCA staff members.
“Afterglow” – Each year the district PTSO, in conjunction with the high school administration, sponsors a social function on school property scheduled immediately after the Junior Prom/Senior Ball event. This is held to discourage and prevent potential problematic activities, which can occur when students are unsupervised after an event like the Prom/Ball. The Afterglow provides a structured, supervised social activity that has proven to be a great success based on the high attendance in recent years.
Mock DWI Crash & Vehicle Rollover Demonstration/Presentation – High school annually presents programs to students for the prevention of driving while intoxicated and to encourage the use of seatbelts. The program has included a mock DWI crash and/or a guest speaker who described first hand the consequences of driving while intoxicated. The program was presented in conjunction with the New York State Police, the town police department, paramedics, and fire department. The timing of the program was scheduled to coincide with the spring social events for students such as Junior Prom/Senior Ball, Senior Picnic, and High School Graduation.
Peers for Peace – This is a student group of middle school and high school youth dedicated to learning and promoting peaceful co-existence among all persons in the school district. The group holds a variety of peace-themed programs during the school year that are very visible to the. The group promotes acceptance of diversity among students. Paid advisors from school district faculty facilitate “Peers for Peace”.
Character Education – This is a K-12 program coordinated by building Administrators. The purpose of the program is to teach students to be civic-minded, to encourage participation in their communities, and to promote the values of good citizenship. The program brings guest speakers to the schools, establishes monthly program themes at elementary schools, and also schedules assemblies on various character education topics including conflict resolution and the identification/avoidance of potentially violent situations.
Drug Prevention- The topic of drug abuse is covered thoroughly in health classes taken by all students in grades 6, 8, and 10. School Resource Officers present lessons on drug abuse and prevention to elementary students. Random searches by trained canine units are employed at the middle school and high school level as a means of sending a strong message of zero-tolerance for drugs on campus. The district continues to enforce strict suspensions for students involved in use, possession, or sale of drugs.
The Guidance Plan K-12 – is a detailed document of district programs for students, compiled by the Student Assistance Counselors, Guidance Counselors, School Psychologist, and School Social Workers. The plan covers a broad range of topics, including several programs specifically addressing risk reduction/prevention and intervention components and strategies. Examples of these programs are:
- Peer Mediation
- Crisis Intervention
- Study Circles
- Collaborative Assistance Team (CAT)
- Child Study Team (CST)
- School Social Workers (DSS)

Subsection B

Reviewing Training, Drills, & Exercises

Each time the district conducts a safety related drill or other exercise, such as those described in Subsection B, an administrator reviews the results of such drill/exercise. This review may not only be performed by the person conducting this drill/exercise, but may also be reviewed by the Central Administration of the district (superintendent and/or assistant superintendents) depending on the nature of the drill. For exercises held on a district-wide basis, such as practicing an emergency evacuation or a lockdown, the administrative team will discuss the results of the exercise at a group meeting, and recommendations for improvements needed, if any, will also be made at these meetings.

It should be noted that the local Rotterdam Police Department (RPD) is directly involved in reviewing safety/emergency drills and exercises as the district employs a School Resource Officer (SRO) from RPD. The advice of this officer is requested and considered in virtually all matters of school safety. In addition, certain exercises, such as the annual emergency weather hazard drill held in March, are coordinated through Capital Region BOCES along with the County Emergency Management Office along with the Central Office of the school district. Other contact is made with outside emergency responders throughout the year in various regional meetings, including workshops coordinated by BOCES 2-4 times per year, and also at the school safety seminars held by Utica National Insurance in October and March each year. These seminars cover a broad range of school safety issues from violence prevention to facility safety.

The district periodically conducts tabletop exercises in preparation for potential emergency situations.

Subsection C

Reviewing Training, Drills, & Exercises

Each time the district conducts a safety-related drill or other exercise, such as those described in Subsection B, an administrator reviews the results of such drill/exercise. This review may not only be performed by the person conducting this drill/exercise, but may also be reviewed by the Central Administration of the district (superintendent and/or assistant superintendents) depending on the nature of the drill. For exercises held on a district-wide basis, such as practicing an emergency evacuation or a lockdown, the administrative team will discuss the results of the exercise at a group meeting, and recommendations for improvements needed, if any, will also be made at these meetings.

The district periodically conducts tabletop exercises in preparation for potential emergency situations.

Subsection D

School Safety Personnel Duties

The district has thorough screening measures in place for its safety personnel. The requirements for district hall monitors are outlined in the job description and job posting. In addition, all monitors hired after July 1, 2001, are subject to fingerprinting under the new SAVE requirements. This fingerprint screening includes a criminal background check.

All monitors are also included in any violence prevention and intervention workshops presented by the district, and related articles/newsletters, are distributed to the monitors to supplement their knowledge and training. Monitors receive periodic updates on behavior management, de-escalation strategies, etc.

The district relies on screening measures of the Rotterdam Police Department (RPD) for the School Resource Officer who came to work at the district from the RPD. The SRO is a fully-trained professional police officer with multiple years of experience, and has complete security clearance prior to working at the district.

The district has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in place that defines the areas of responsibility of school personnel, security personnel and the SRO officer in response to student misconduct that violates the code of conduct. This MOU clearly delegates the role of school discipline to the school administration.

Subsection E

Implementation of School Security

A variety of security measures are in place in the Mohonasen Central School District, as follows:

All employees are required to wear photo ID badges at all times while on the job. This requirement was implemented in February 2002.
All employees, visitors, substitute teachers, etc., who enter a school building are required to register and sign in and out at the main security desk of the building and obtain a visitor badge to wear until leaving the premises. For visitors, their name is run through the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Sex Offender Registry.
Video surveillance cameras are in place at main entrances to school buildings and throughout each building. District security personnel at the security desk at each building monitor these cameras. The video is recorded, in the event that an incident occurs, and can be reviewed if necessary.
An alarm system with motion detectors is in place in all school buildings and throughout each building. When the system is armed, if there is unauthorized entry to a building, a 24 hr. security company is notified automatically by the alarm, and district security or administrative personnel are contacted immediately for follow-up. The local police department is also contacted at the same time and a police unit is dispatched.
A proximity system is in place on district buildings to monitor regular and after-hours access by non-key holders. The system records the ID of the proximity card assigned to that employee.
All school buildings, during regular school hours, limit access into the building to one door at the main entrance, with all other remaining doors locked.
The district is a partner with the New York State Intelligence Center and receives notifications and information regarding current threats or intelligence in an effort to protect the district from criminal activities and events to include potential acts of terrorism. This information is received almost daily via email notification.
The district has fully implemented employee fingerprinting, a process required by SAVE legislation as of July 1, 2001, which is a valuable security-screening tool.
Adult chaperones selected from district staff members are utilized for security purposes at virtually all school district functions, including athletic contests, dances, etc. District administrators supplement the security work of the chaperones at these functions, too. Buildings & Grounds personnel also play an important role in building security by maintaining an awareness of who is in the building after hours and making sure the building is secured and alarmed at the appropriate time.
Signage directing visitors, employees, etc., in proper conduct, direction, safety, emergency access, etc., is very visible on district grounds, both outside and inside of district buildings. The signs in place are an important component of the overall safety and security system for the district.
Security personnel and playground monitors are employed in school buildings to fill a constant role of maintaining the safety and security of our district. A description of the responsibilities of monitors can be found at the end of this document.

Subsection F

Information on Schools in District

Mohonasen High School

Address: 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303
Primary Contact: Craig Chandler, principal
Number of students: 902
Grade levels: 9-12
Number of faculty/staff: 190

Draper Middle School

Address: 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303
Primary Contact: Richard Arket, principal
Number of students: 675
Grade levels: 6-8
Number of faculty/staff: 185

Pinewood Elementary

Address: 901 Kings Road, Schenectady, NY 12303
Primary Contact: Jason Thompson, principal
Number of students: 642
Grade levels: 3-5
Number of faculty/staff: 91

Herman L. Bradt

Address: 2719 Hamburg St., Schenectady, NY 12303
Primary Contact: Leslie Smith, principal
Number of students: 601
Grade levels: K-2
Number of faculty/staff: 86

Center for Advanced Technology

Address: 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303
Primary Contact: Bill Vacca, assistant principal
Number of students: 275
Grade levels: 9-12
Number of faculty/staff: 28

Subsection G

Early Detection of Potentially Violent Behavior

The district has various measures in place to aid in the early detection of potentially violent behavior from students:

Violence prevention and intervention training is provided on an annual basis to district staff. The topics of violence prevention are discussed with staff in various meetings and workshops throughout the year. Safety is an agenda topic at each monthly building faculty meeting. Violence prevention is also now a part of the required training each year for district staff.
Various Staff Members are trained each year in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention strategies. These focus on the recognition of potentially violent behavior and the attempted de-escalation of this behavior.
Numerous articles on violence prevention are circulated among staff during the school year. Also, articles on the prevention of bullying have been sent to parents and distributed among the faculty since 2001.
Members of the Central Administration, district administrators and faculty attend outside workshops and seminars from time to time in order to keep current on methods of early detection of violent behavior, and prevention of student violence. These workshops have been provided by outside sources including Capital Region BOCES Office of Health, Safety, and Risk Management, Utica National Insurance Company, and the NYS Center for Coordinated School Health.
Student Assistance Counselors/Social workers are employed at the high school, Center For Advanced Technology, middle school, and elementary schools and are professionally trained to note any signs of potentially violent behavior from students.
Security personnel for the district are also responsible for noting any potentially violent behavior in students, and for reporting and/or acting to prevent such behavior. Each school in the district employs security personnel at the front entrance to register visitors and monitor visitor traffic in and out of the building.

The district will continue to provide training and information to staff members regarding the early detection of potentially violent behavior.

Subsection H

Identification of Potential Hazards

The district has taken and will continue to take measures to identify and rectify any areas in or around or nearby school facilities, as follows:

Safety Audit and School Walk-Through – These are performed by district SRO in each school building during each school year. Each audit is coordinated with the principal and/or assistant principal for each location. Each building report is reviewed by principals and by Central Administration and actions have been or will be taken to remedy problem areas as needed.
Insurance Audit: The Utica National Insurance Company, carrier for the district’s liability, property, and auto insurance, provides a professional safety inspector free of charge to the district as needed. This inspector automatically reviews each school playground for safety hazards and prepares a report submitted to the central administration if there are any findings requiring attention. The district has also contacted the inspector from time to time to review specific areas of facilities to determine if any safety hazards exist.
Insurance Claim Review: Utica National Insurance prepares a summary of liability claims against the district on a quarterly basis. This summary is reviewed by the superintendent and/or assistant superintendent for business to note safety items which may need to be addressed, including facility issues, incidents of violence, and any problems which appear to be trends. Corrective actions are taken as needed.
Schenectady County Emergency Management Office – The district has maintained open levels of communication with county emergency officials. This will serve to assure that the district is notified promptly in the event of any emergency incidents in the areas around the school district. An example of this would be a chemical spill or hazardous waste spill on one of the major highways (Interstate 90, Interstate 890) that run through the district. Another example would be notification from the county if there was any major flooding potential near the district, or if the nearby Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory has any safety incidents.
District-Wide School Health Safety and Security Committee – Potential hazards for the district are also discussed before the Safety Committee as it meets a minimum of 3-4 times per year. Committee members from all buildings and departments bring safety concerns about potential hazards to the meetings, or they may contact the building or district level administration any time during the year with a safety issue.
Administrative Staff Meetings – The district holds a number of administrative team meetings at regular intervals throughout the school year. Safety issues are always an agenda topic for these meetings, and they are given a priority. Any safety issues brought to these meetings are acted upon as needed to rectify a situation. Safety is an agenda item at each building during each monthly faculty meeting.

Subsection I

Contacting Law Enforcement Officials in the Event of a Violent Incident

The district maintains open channels of communication with its most immediate level of law enforcement, the Rotterdam Police Department (RPD), mainly through the employment of a full-time School Resource Officer who is a veteran of the RPD force. In the event of any violent incident, the SRO would be contacted first for immediate response during the school day. At any other time when the SRO is not present, all school staff are directed to call 911 to reach appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Internally, all main offices in each building, as well as the security personnel, possess 2-way radios to contact each other, and to contact the SRO. There is a PA system in each building that also may be used to summon assistance in the event of a violent incident. The current phone system also automatically connects to 911 in the event that a lockdown is called.

It should be noted that response protocols for several different types of violent incidents are outlined in the confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans – including bomb threats, hostage situations, intruders, and more. The Incident Command System will go into effect in the district during such emergencies, as outlined in Building-Level Emergency Response Plans.

Subsection J

Notification to Other Schools

In the event of an emergency, district office secretarial personnel may be directed by the superintendent (or assistant superintendent in the absence of the superintendent) to inform other local educational agencies by phone of any significant incident that has occurred in the district for situational awareness.

Subsection K

Response Notification & Activation for Parents & Guardians

In the event of an emergency situation when the parents, guardians, or persons in parental relation to the students need to be notified, the district has a variety of methods to reach these persons. After a call has been placed to 911, and/or a district administrator, faculty member, or staff person has been notified of a situation, the emergency contact plan moves into action. First the district maintains a continually updated database of student information through the School Tool software program. All emergency contact information is available through this system which may be accessed by district administrators, faculty & staff, including the school nurse in each building. The Transportation Department also maintains emergency parental contact information. This information facilitates direct contact to parents, guardians, etc. Parents and others are requested at the beginning of each school year to provide the district with emergency contact information and to update it throughout the year if necessary.

Other methods of contacting parents, etc., during an emergency situation is through information posted on the district’s website and sent through the School Messenger. School Messenger allows for instant communication with families via email, phone calls and/or text messaging services. The district’s communications coordinator (employed through the BOCES Communication Service) is charged with the responsibility of maintaining and updating the website, so as a result is included in all decisions regarding emergency situations where information needs to be disseminated to the public. In addition to the postings on the website, the district’s communication coordinator, as well as the central administrative team, is charged with contacting local media sources to have emergency information broadcast as soon as possible when applicable. A 1-page emergency calling tree is prepared each year to outline the responsibilities for contact among the district administration and to the radio and television stations in the area. The calling tree contains sensitive “password” information from the media and therefore is not available for inclusion in the District-Wide School Safety Plan. Instead, it is distributed and reviewed with members of the school district administration only.

To summarize, the combination of a parent contact database, district website information, and local broadcast media notification, in response to emergency notification of a situation via 911 or other method, is very effective in keeping all those necessary to be informed with the latest information.

Subsection L

Response to Threats of Violence, and Subsection M – Response to Acts of Violence

The district has established a formal Code of Conduct, which includes policies and procedures to respond to implied or direct threats of violence and acts of violence made by any and all persons on school grounds and/or at school events. The Code of Conduct is updated annually. Specific pages and sections of the Code which deal with violence and threats of violence are attached. The complete Code of Conduct is distributed to all district employees, and also to district parents and students.

Policies and procedures for contacting parents, guardians, or persons in a parental relation to a student in the event of an implied or direct threat of violence by a student against themselves, including threat of suicide can be found in the building level emergency response plans.

The district also has established an athletic handbook that addresses proper conduct by athletes and spectators, including rules and consequences regarding incidents of violence. Specific pages and sections of the Athletic Code which deal with these matters are attached to the end of this document. This code is distributed to all student athletes and their parents, in addition to all administrators.

In addition, the district has publicized information from time-to-time to the staff and community regarding the prevention of violence. This may include written information, evening programs or a variety of other mediums.

Subsection N

Arrangements and Procedures for Obtaining Emergency Assistance and Advice from Local Government

In the event of an emergency, the district has arrangements in place with various outside emergency organizations to obtain assistance as needed. Direct meetings or contacts made include the following regarding emergency assistance plans:

Schenectady County Emergency Management Office
Schenectady County Public Health Department
New York State Police
Rotterdam Police Department
American Red Cross – local Chapter
REMO (Regional Emergency Medical Organization)
Local Fire Department personnel
Rotterdam Town Officials
Schalmont and Guilderland Central School Districts – neighboring districts
Capital Region BOCES Health, Safety & Risk Management Office

Contact information for emergency organizations is included in this plan. A reminder to dial 911 is included in bold print.

In addition, discussions have been held with the Schenectady County Public Health Department regarding the potential use of district facilities to administer mass inoculations, and with the Schenectady County Emergency Management Office regarding the potential use of district buses for mass transportation during an emergency, as well as the use of district facilities for sheltering. The procurement by the County of district facilities and buses is recognized by district officials as a possibility if Article 2-B of Executive Law Section 155.17 is implemented during an emergency.

Subsection O

District Resources Available for Use in an Emergency

The following district-owned resources are available for use during an emergency:

Bullhorns: One bullhorn per building in the main office, plus one for athletic director.
Two-way Radios: The following district personnel have 2-way radios: superintendent, assistant superintendent for business, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, all building principals and assistant principals, all security personnel, the director of facilities, school resource officer, transportation supervisor, building and district office staff, and all district buses.
School Buses: See attached list for specific details on bus fleet, including passenger capacity of each bus. A list of district bus drivers who have volunteered to drive in an emergency situation is maintained by the transportation supervisor. A copy of this list is attached.
Snow Plows/Snow Removal Equipment: 7
Pickup Trucks: 8
Backup Generator: 1, located at bus garage
American Red Cross Sheltering Agreement – The district has made an agreement with the local Red Cross to make school buildings available as needed for sheltering during an emergency situation.
Potable Water: The district maintains a considerable quantity of bottled water on hand through its food service program.
Food Supplies: A considerable amount of usable food supplies are in each building for the districts’ food service program, but may be used in an emergency situation. This includes canned goods, dry foods (cereal, etc.), and frozen foods stored in the large walk-in freezer at the high school.

Subsection P

Recovery from Crisis

In the event of an emergency or crisis, the district has procedures in place to deal with the recovery from such crisis. A formal crisis-management plan is established and includes the mobilization of a crisis response team. Each building has a crisis team consisting of administrators, counselors, nurses and other key personnel. The administrative staff in the district office will coordinate the operation of the plan and the team in the event of a crisis. The district also utilizes the services of a Student Assistance Counselor, from Capital Region BOCES, who is available on a daily basis to handle the needs of students, including post-crisis counseling. Referrals to outside support agencies, including mental health resources, are made as needed for students and staff members. An Employee Assistance Program is also contracted by the district, and is available to staff 24 hours per day, every day. The toll free phone number for this EAP is 1-800-634-6433, or online www.empathia.com for the Employee Assistance Program, or Empathia, Inc.

Subsection Q

District-Wide School Safety Team and Safety Plan Review

A District-Wide School Safety Team was originally appointed by the Board of Education during the 2000-2001 school year in accordance with the SAVE regulations. The team consisted of representatives from our school board, administration, faculty, staff, parent organizations, school safety personnel and local community safety personnel. The School Safety Team was charged with assisting in the development and ongoing review of the District-Wide School Safety Plan. The team continues to meet throughout the school year, in addition to meeting any time there is a safety need that requires immediate attention on a district-wide basis. The Safety Team continues to review and revise the Safety Plan annually at a minimum, more frequently as needed.

Building Level Emergency Response Plans are also updated annually. These plans are confidential, but are shared with the New York State Police as well as local law enforcement.

The District-Wide School Safety Plan was adopted by the Board of Education after it was made available to the public for 30 days prior to adoption and after a public hearing was held on the plan. The updated District-Wide Safety Plan will be filed with the Commissioner of Education and posted on the district website. Copies of the plan were also provided to various local emergency/safety organizations, including Rotterdam Police, NYS Police, local fire departments, and the Schenectady County Emergency Management Office.

Subsection R

Communicable Disease – Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan

This Continuity of Operations Plan (plan) has been developed to meet the requirements of subsection (2)(m) of Education Law §2801-a which requires public employers to prepare a plan for the continuation of operations in the event that the Governor declares a public health emergency involving a communicable disease. This plan is built upon the components of the District-Wide School Safety and the Building-Level Emergency Response Plans. The Plan includes elements of COVID-19 Reopening Plan and will be updated as warranted to reflect current guidance and best practices. The District-Wide School Safety Team assumes responsibility for development and compliance with all provisions of this plan and implementation at the building level through the Building-Level Emergency Response Teams.

The district will work closely with the Schenectady County Department of Health (local health department) to determine the need for activation of this plan. The district will report suspected and confirmed cases of communicable diseases (e.g., influenza, coronavirus, etc.) on the monthly Communicable Disease Report, (DMS-485.7/93; HE-112.4/81) and submit it to the local health department. Depending on the severity of the disease, the district may be required to report information more frequently and in another format (i.e., daily for COVID-19).

The local health department will monitor county-wide communicable disease cases and inform school districts as to appropriate actions.

When this plan is activated, the District-Wide School Safety Team may invite additional people to the meetings to aid in the planning efforts, such as the:

District Medical Director
School nurse(s)
Technology Director
Assistant Superintendent for Business
Director of Facilities
Food Service Director
Transportation Director
Public Information Officer
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

Communication with parents, students, staff, and the school community is important throughout a pandemic outbreak. Communication methods will include postings to the district website, general mailings, email, social media, school communication apps, and the public media. The district has designated the Communications Coordinator and Superintendent to coordinate this effort. Communications will work closely with the Technology Director to ensure proper function of all communication systems.

Essential Positions/Titles

The district has developed this plan to prepare for any future government ordered shutdowns that may occur, similar to the coronavirus shutdown in the spring of 2020. Attachment 1 includes a list of essential positions that would be required to be on-site or in district to continue to function as opposed to those positions that could work remotely. The list includes:

Title – a list of positions/titles considered essential (i.e., could not work remotely) in the event of a state-ordered reduction of in-person workforce.
Description – brief description of job function.
Justification – brief description of critical responsibilities that could not be provided remotely.
Work Shift – brief description of how work shifts of essential employees and/or contractors will be staggered in order to reduce overcrowding in the district.
Protocol – how precise hours and work locations, including off-site visits, will be documented for essential employees and contractors.

Working/Learning Remotely

The district will continue to assess devices and technology needs of all non-essential employees and contractors in order to enable telecommuting.
Options for assessing district needs include stakeholder meetings or surveys to ascertain

Who will need devices and/or peripherals at home,
What programs will need to be added to these devices, and
The availability of viable existing at-home Internet service.

The information from these surveys will be used to determine what items need to be purchased, which programs need to be installed on devices and if appropriate Internet bandwidth can be provided to those in need

Reducing Risk

Depending on the exact nature of the communicable disease and its impact, the district is prepared to use the strategies below to reduce traffic congestion and maintain social distancing:

Limiting building occupancy to 50% of capacity or the maximum allowable by state or local guidance.
Limit employee travel within the building and/or between buildings.
Stagger arrival and dismissal times.
Alternate work-days or work weeks.
Limit or eliminate visitors to the building.

The district may need to include additional strategies based on updated federal, state, and local guidance.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Face Coverings

The district will procure a six-month supply of face coverings and PPE required for essential work tasks. Disposable PPE will be provided in quantities of at least two pieces per work day as requested. Types of PPE available are listed below.

PPE Type

N-95
- Task/Role: Nurses/Nurses’ Aides, Cleaners/Custodians (based on disinfectants used)
Face Shields
- Task/Role: Nurses/Nurses’ Aides, Special Education
Gowns
- Nurses/Nurses’ Aides, Special Education
Gloves
- Nurses/Nurses’ Aides, Special Education, Cleaners/Custodians, Maintenance/Mechanics

Those individuals that are required to wear N-95 respirators will be fit-tested and medically screened prior to use to ensure they are physically able to do so.

The use of cloth face coverings to reduce the spread of communicable diseases is important to the health and safety of faculty, staff and students. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected (asymptomatic) and are essential when physical distancing is difficult. Information will be provided to faculty, staff and students on proper use, removal, and cleaning of cloth face coverings. All faculty, staff and students will be encouraged to utilize their own personal face coverings but the district will secure and provide face coverings as needed.

PPE and face coverings will be stored in a manner which will prevent degradation. These supplies will be monitored to ensure integrity and track usage rates.

Continuity of Operations

Continuity of operations could be severely impacted by a loss of staff. The table below describes the procedures for maintaining essential functions and services by planning for backup personnel.

Role/Topic

Overall operations
- Task 1: Have decision-making authority for the district.
- Task 2: Make district policies and procedures to reflect crisis response.
- Backups: Those listed below are assigned to this role:
  - Superintendent
  - Assistant Superintendent for Business
  - Director of Facilities
Business office
- Task 1: Maintain overall function and facilities operation.
- Task 2: Review essential functions and responsibilities of back-up personnel.
- Task 3: Monitor utilization of supplies, equipment, contracts, and provided services and adjust as necessary.
- Backups
  - Purchasing
    - Director of Facilities
    - Assistant Superintendent for Business
  - Payroll
    - Treasurer
  - Utilization
    - Director of Facilities
Facilities
- Task 1: Keep the Business Office informed of staffing issues and of the point at which buildings can no longer be maintained.
- Task 2: Provided building administrators with procedures for maintaining essential building functions (e.g., HVAC system operation, alarms, security, etc.) along with a list of telephone numbers of outside companies and alternates for repair and maintenance of these systems.
- Task 3: Meet with staff and monitor their ability to maintain essential function.
- Backups
  - Staffing
    - Contracted cleaning services
  - Essential building functions
    - Maintenance employees
    - Building principals
  - Meet with staff
    - Superintendent
    - Assistant Superintendent for Business
Human Resources
- Task 1: Monitors absenteeism and ensures appropriate delegation of authority
- Task 2: Work with bargaining units to develop the plan for emergency use of personnel in non-traditional functions and changes in the normal work-day such as alternate or reduced work hours, working from home, etc.
- Backups
  - Recruitment/Staffing
    - District office
    - Building principals
  - Work day
    - District office and union leadership
Continuity of Instruction
- Will be implemented in the event of significant absences or school closure.
  Alternate learning strategies will include:
  - Hard copy, self-directed lessons
  - On-line instruction; on-line resources; on-line textbooks
  - Communication modalities for assignment postings and follow-up: telephone; Postal Service; cell phone; text messages; e-mail; automated notification systems (School Messenger); website postings

Response

The District-Wide School Safety Team will meet to determine the need for activation of a pandemic response based on internal monitoring and correspondence with the local health department and other experts.

The Incident Command Structure at both the District and Building level will be informed that the response effort has been enacted. These individuals will meet to discuss the plan’s activation and review responsibilities and communication procedures.
Communications will work closely with the Informational Technology Department to re-test all communication systems to ensure proper function. The District-wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will assist in this effort.
An alert will be sent to the school community upon activation of this plan. The communication will be based on the latest information from federal, state and local health authorities.
If the decision is made to close a school building, the district will notify the NYS Education Department and District Superintendent.

The district will assign a communicable disease safety coordinator, the Assistant Superintendent for Business, whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the district’s reopening plan and any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels. The coordinator shall be the main contact upon the identification of positive communicable disease cases and is responsible for subsequent communication. Coordinators shall be responsible for answering questions from students, faculty, staff, and parents or legal guardians of students regarding the public health emergency and plans implemented by the school.

Hand Hygiene

Faculty, staff, and students will be trained on proper hand hygiene. Information will be provided to parents and/or legal guardians on ways to reinforce hand hygiene at home. The district will provide stations around the school buildings:

For hand washing: soap, running water, and disposable paper towels.
For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where hand washing facilities may not be available or practical.
Accommodations for students who cannot use hand sanitizer will be made.

Communicable Disease Exposures

The district must be prepared for communicable disease outbreaks in their local communities and for individual exposure events to occur in their facilities, regardless of the level of community transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have provided recommendations for strategies to follow after an exposure:

Close off areas used by a sick person and not using these areas until after cleaning and disinfection has occurred;
Open outside doors and windows to increase air 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;
Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease, such as offices, classrooms, bathrooms, lockers, and common areas.
Once the area has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected it can be reopened for use.
Individuals without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease can return to the area and resume school activities immediately after cleaning and disinfection.
If more than seven days have passed since the person who is suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease visited or used the facility, additional cleaning or disinfection is not necessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection should continue.

Contact Tracing

The district will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive communicable disease diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the district.
Districts may assist with contact tracing by:

Keeping accurate attendance records of students and staff members
Ensuring student schedules are up to date
Keeping a log of any visitor which includes date and time, and where in the school they visited
Assisting the local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual in accordance with the protocol, training, and tools provided through the NYS Contact Tracing Program

The district, in consultation with the local health department, will determine what process will be followed when communicable disease cases are discovered in the school (e.g., how many individuals will be quarantined, closing of areas or classrooms, etc.).

Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff should not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact without guidance and direction from the local health department.

Returning after Illness

The district has established protocols and procedures, in consultation with the local health department(s), about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who screened positive for communicable disease symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:

Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
Negative diagnostic test result, as warranted (e.g., COVID-19)
Symptom resolution, or if positive for a communicable disease, release from isolation

The district will refer to the NYSDOH’s applicable guidance (e.g. the “Pre-K to Gr 12 COVID-19 Toolkit”) regarding protocols and policies for faculty, staff, and students seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed communicable disease case or after the faculty or staff member had close or proximate contact with a person with a communicable disease.

The district requires that individuals who were exposed to a communicable disease complete quarantine and have no symptoms before returning to in-person learning. The discharge of an individual from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department.

Cleaning/Disinfecting

The district will ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and NYSDOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection – Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools and Homes” and other guidance, as applicable.

Attachment 2 describes cleaning and disinfection protocols and procedures for the district. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities will occur, including more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk and frequently touched surfaces. Cleaning and disinfection will be rigorous and ongoing and will occur at least daily, or more frequently as needed.

The district will ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms. Restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected more often depending on frequency of use.

Recovery

Re-establishing the normal school curriculum is essential to the recovery process and should occur as soon as possible. The district will:

Work toward a smooth transition from the existing learning methods to the normal process.
Use the described communication methods to keep the school community aware of the transition process.
Work closely with the New York State Education Department to revise or amend the school calendar as deemed appropriate.
Evaluate all building operations for normal function and re-implement appropriate maintenance and cleaning procedures.

The Building-Level Post-Incident Response Teams will assess the emotional impact of the crisis on students and staff and make recommendations for appropriate intervention. The District-Wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will meet to de-brief and determine lessons learned with input from all essential functions. The District-Wide School Safety Plan and Building-Level Emergency Response Plans will be updated accordingly.

Curriculum activities that may address the crisis will be developed and implemented.

Use of ID badges and scanning technology to document attendance.

N/A

Additional Information (if needed)

Room Types/Areas

Frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, elevator buttons, copy machine buttons, handles, etc.)

Cleaning Frequency

2x daily

Disinfection Frequency

2x daily

Responsible Party

Custodial staff

Only district approved chemicals will be used. At no time will students be allowed use cleaners or disinfectants.

Appendix

Fire Drills

Sample Building A

8/6/19
- Start time: 9:20 a.m.
- Building clear: 9:22 a.m.
- End time, all clear: 9:25 a.m. fire drill
9/16/19
- Start time: 1:47 p.m.
- Building clear: 1:50 p.m.
- End time, all clear: 1:54 p.m. fire drill
9/17/19
- Start time: 10:32 a.m.
- Building clear: 10:34 a.m.
- End time, all clear: 10:40 a.m. fire drill
9/24/19
- Start time: 2:24 p.m.
- Building clear: 2:26 p.m.
- End time, all clear: 2:30 p.m. fire drill
9/25/19
- Start time: 10:28 a.m.
- Building clear: 10:30 a.m.
- End time, all clear: 10:33 a.m. fire drill

Bus Fleet Information with Seating Capacity

2019-20 Bus Fleet Information

Bus#, Make, Year, Gas/ Diesel, Max capacity, W/C Capacity, Chasis/Model

197, Bus, 2006, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
198, Bus, 2006, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
201, Bus, 2008, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
202, Bus, 2008, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
203, Bus, 2008, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
204, Bus, 2009, Diesel, 66, 0, Thomas/ 310TS
205, Bus, 2009, Diesel, 66, 0, Thomas/ 310TS
210, Subn, 2009, Gas, 7, 0, Chevy/Subn
211, Subn, 2009, Gas, 7, 0, Chevy/Subn
212, Van, 2008, Gas, 14, 4, GMC/GMC
213, Van, 2008, Gas, 14, 3, GMC/GMC
214, Bus, 2010, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
215, Bus, 2010, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE300
216, Bus, 2010, Diesel, 66, 0, Thomas/ 310TS
217, Bus, 2010, Diesel, 66, 0, Thomas/ 310TS
218, Bus, 2010, Diesel, 66, 0, Thomas/ 310TS
219, Van, 2010, Gas, 14, 3, Chevy /CG33503
220, Van, 2010, Gas, 14, 3, Chevy/CG33503
221, Van, 2010, Gas, 14, 3, Chevy/CG33503
222, Van, 2010, Gas, 28, 0, Chevy /CG33503
223, Van, 2010, Gas, 28, 0, Chevy/CG33503
224, Van, 2010, Gas, 28, 0, Chevy/CG33503
225, Van, 2010, Gas, 28, 0, Chevy/CG33503
226, Subn, 2011, Gas, 7, 0, Chevrolet/Subn
230, Bus, 2012, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
231, Bus, 2012, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
232, Van, 2013, Gas, 18, 5, Chevy/TransTech
233, Bus, 2014, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
234, Bus, 2014, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
235, Bus, 2014, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
236, Bus, 2014, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
237, Bus, 2015, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
238, Bus, 2015, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
239, Bus, 2015, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
240, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
241, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
242, Van, 2015, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
243, Van, 2015, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
244, Van, 2015, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
245, Van, 2015, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
246, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
247, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
248, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
249, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
250, Bus, 2016, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
251, Bus, 2017, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
252, Bus, 2017, Diesel, 66, 0, lnt’I/CE
253, Bus, 2017, Diesel, 72, 0, lnt’I/CE
254, Van, 2017, Gas, 24, 4, Trans Tech/Chev.
255, Van, 2018, Gas, 30, 0, Trans Tech/Chev.
256, Van, 2018, Gas, 30, 0, Trans Tech/Chev.
257, Van, 2018, Gas, 30, 0, Trans Tech/Chev.
258, Bus, 2019, Gas, 72, 0, lnt’I/CE
259, Bus, 2019, Gas, 72, 0, lnt’I/CE
260, Bus, 2019, Gas, 72, 0, lnt’I/CE
261, Bus, 2020, Gas, 71, 0, lnt’I/CE
262, Bus, 2020, Gas, 71, 0, lnt’I/CE
263, Bus, 2020, Gas, 71, 0, lnt’I/CE
264, Bus, 2020, Gas, 71, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
265, Van, 2019, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet
266, Van, 2019, Gas, 33, 0, Collins/Chevrolet

Monitor Description

Tile: Monitor

Acceptable experience and training: Graduation from high school. Combination of experience and training sufficient to indicate ability to do work.

Monitors charged with maintaining building security at points of entry while sustaining security throughout the building will be trained and registered by the school district as required by the Security Guard Act of 1993.

General statement of duties: Assist the building principal in the supervision and accounting of pupils in the building and on school grounds; does related work as required.

Distinguishing features of the class: This title is employed for persons assisting the building principal, assistant principal and Dean of Students in the supervision and accounting of pupils in the school building and on school property. The expectation for those monitors trained as Security Guards under the Security Guard Act of 1993 is for continuous foot coverage of school halls, lavatories, entrances, parking lots and school property and related duties as required.

For those not trained under the Security Guard Act, expectations include hallway and lavatory supervision, assisting in the supervision of pupils serving internal suspension, assisting in building attendance procedures and related duties as required.

Examples of work: (Illustrative only)

Monitors trained under the Security Guard Act of 1993 shall in a continuous fashion:

Patrol faculty and student parking areas.
Monitor traffic safety in parking areas.
Monitor students entering and leaving campus.
Patrol school hallways, lavatories and building entrances.
Monitor pupil adherence to all school rules and regulations, reporting violations to building administrators.

Monitors not trained under the Security Guard Act of 1993 shall in a continuous fashion:

Monitors school hallways and lavatories.
Supervise pupils in various settings including internal suspension room and others as directed by building administrators.
Participates as directed in the accounting of pupil attendance.
Monitor pupil adherence to all school rules and regulations, reporting violations to building administrators.

Required knowledge, skills and abilities

Good general intelligence; ability to establish positive relationships with children and others; neat personal appearance; good powers of observation; tact; courtesy; good judgment; good physical condition.

School Resource Office Agreement

Agreement between the Rotterdam Town Board, the Rotterdam Police Department and the Mohonsaen Central School District for a School Resource Officer

This Agreement is made this 6th day of September 2019 by and between the Mohonasen Central School District (the “School District”) with its principal office at 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303 and the Town of Rotterdam (the “Town”) with its principal office at 1100 Sunrise Boulevard, Schenectady, NY 12306.

WHEREAS, the School District desires to obtain a School Resource Officer {SRO) program, to develop a strong, supportive relationship between students, faculty and law enforcement in order to deter criminal behavior and maintain a safe learning environment; and WHEREAS, the Town of Rotterdam desires to provide School Resource Officer services to the School District and;
WHEREAS, the School District has agreed to reimburse the Town for seventy percent (70%) of the expense of the program;
Now, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed by and between the parties as follows:

Term:

The term of the agreement shall commence July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, the 2019/2020 school year. Continuation of this agreement is contingent on the annual budget approval of both the School District and the Town Board.

Eligibility and Appointment:

The School Resource Officer shall be a sworn Rotterdam Police Officer employed by the Town and also employed by the School District.
If there is a need to replace an officer the School District shall participate in the selection of the SRO(s) and shall be offered the opportunity to interview all applicants if so desired. If for any reason, the School District is dissatisfied with the performance of an individual serving in the role of SRO, the District will contact the Town and Rotterdam Police to discuss and replace if warranted.
The School District shall require the services of the SRO for the length of a school year. Additional service time can be requested with approval of the Rotterdam Chief of Police.

Funding and Compensation:

It is agreed that the SRO is classified as a non-exempt position for purposes of wages and hours under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). As such, the agreed upon hourly rate for the SRO will be based on the hourly rate with the Town.
The School District agrees to pay the Town for the SRO the equivalent of seventy percent (70%) through the general budget, of the total annual compensation due to the SRO, with the Town paying the SRO the other thirty percent {(30%), of the total annual compensation for the annual hours worked by the SRO on behalf of the School District.
The School District will also pay 70% for FICA, Workers Compensation, State Employee Retirement System costs, and health insurance coverage.
The Town will issue an invoice to the School District in December and June for the balance of the amount paid for payroll, FICA, ERS, Workers Compensation and insurance that comprises the difference between the respective shares for the compensation of the SRO position as agreed hereto.
In recognition of the value to the Rotterdam Police Department of having the SRO serving at the school, the Town will not request for reimbursement from the School District for the expense of providing the SRO with the use of a police vehicle or any other costs associated with the SRO program, other than what is described in this agreement.
The Town and the School District will provide each other with any and all information regarding costs and payroll for the SRO upon request.

Day-to-Day Operation during the School Year:

The SRO shall act as educator, counselor and police officer.
The SRO shall take law enforcement action as required to protect the immediate safety of others or property. The SRO will need to make a conscious effort to decide the best time to act on/and or address an issue, so as to not interfere with school operations. Some things can wait so that school functions are not interrupted. Sound judgment needs to be demonstrated and as soon as practical, the SRO shall make the superintendent/principal of the school aware of such action. At the superintendent/principal request, the SRO shall take appropriate law enforcement action against intruders and unwanted visitors who may appear at the school and related school functions, to the extent the SRO may do so under the authority of law.
The SRO shall coordinate all his/her activities with the principal and staff members concerned and will seek advice, guidance and permission from the school administration prior to enacting any program within the school.
The SRO shall confer with the Rotterdam Chief of Police regarding current police activities as deemed appropriate. The SRO is anticipated to work an average of eight hours per day, the scheduling of said hours can be made flexible-time, at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools, or her/his designee, and the Rotterdam Chief of Police, as is necessary to accommodate the need for the SRO to conclude investigations or be present at events occurring outside the regularly scheduled school day.
The SRO will expect to participate in school functions such as athletic events, dances, or other school-sponsored events when the Superintendent or her/his designee and the Rotterdam Chief of Police agree the SRO attendance is advantageous.
The SRO’s regular working hours may be adjusted, on a situational basis, with consent of the school administration and the Rotterdam Chief of Police.
When appropriate and in consultation the Rotterdam Chief of Police, the SRO may keep the school principal and/or superintendent of schools informed of the nature of any investigation of any alleged criminal activities involving students, employees, teachers or third parties that have allegedly occurred upon school grounds.
The SRO shall maintain detailed and accurate records of the operation of the School Resource Officer Program.

SRO-Employer:

The SRO, being an employee of the Rotterdam Police Department, shall consider the Rotterdam Police Chief as his reporting senior. However, in matters related to the Mohonasen Central School District, the SRO duties and all other work functions, particularly as such relates to pedagogical functions of the position, the SRO shall consider the Superintendent of Schools, or her/his designee, as his reporting senior. The SRO shall abide by the policies of the Mohonasen Central School District when they are not in conflict with the policy and procedures of the Rotterdam Police Department.

Training:

The Rotterdam Police Department shall provide the training considered by the police department as necessary to maintain the skills and knowledge of the SRO(s) in the capacity of a Police Officer. Scheduling of training and/or conferences during the school year shall be coordinated between the school administration and the Rotterdam Chief of Police prior to the attendance by the SRO at training.

The Mohonasen Central School District agrees to:

Notify the SRO of any crime (Misdemeanor or Felony) that has been committed on or near school property or of any intelligence that a crime may be committed on or near school property as soon as possible, and to cooperate with any investigation if necessary;
Notify the SRO of any searches on school grounds that may lead to criminal charges;
Coordinate regular meetings with the SRO and the police department administration so as to maintain open lines of communication;
Notify the SRO of any student who has been suspended from school, whether In School Suspension or Out of School Suspension;
Allow the SRO access to all school functions, including classroom activities, as long as the SRO’ s presence does not interrupt the educational process.

Signed by:

Steven Tomasone
Town of Rotterdam Supervisor

Shannon Shine
Superintendent of Schools

G. Williams Manikas
Chief of Police

Resolution No. 274.19

WHEREAS, the Mohonasen Central School District and the Schalmont Central School District desire to continue their respective School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs, furthering the development of strong, supportive relationships between students, faculty and law enforcement, in order to deter criminal behavior and maintain a safe learning environment; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Rotterdam desires to provide school resource services to the Schalmont Central School District and the Mohonasen Central School District; and

WHEREAS, the Schalmont Central School District and the Mohonasen Central School District have agreed to reimburse the Town for seventy percent (70%) of the expense of the program; NOW

THEREFORE, UPON MOTION OF Councilmember CHRISTOU, seconded by Councilmember SIGNORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN BOARD AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Authorize the Supervisor to enter into an agreement with Schalmont Central School District, located at 4 Sabre Drive, Schenectady, New York 12306, and an agreement with Mohonasen Central School District, located at 2072 Curry Road, Schenectady, New York 12303, to staff a School Resource Officer (SRO) to continue the Schalmont and Mohonasen School Resource Programs.

SECTION 2. This resolution shall become effective August 28, 2019.

DATED: August 28, 2019

The following people voted aye: Christou, Guidarelli, Miller-Herrera, Signore, Tommasone. No one voted no or abstained.

Code of Conduct

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Athletic Code of Conduct

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