District-Wide School Safety Plan

New York State requires each school district and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to develop a comprehensive District-Wide School Safety Plan. This plan is designed to prevent or reduce the impact of violent incidents and emergencies, and to establish efficient coordination channels with local, county, and state emergency response resources. These high-level district policies address the collective needs of all programs across Orange-Ulster BOCES and serve as the foundational framework for the highly detailed, confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans (ERPs). 

In response to evolving multi-hazard threats, ranging from acts of intentional violence to natural, biological, and technological disasters, New York State operates under the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) law, commonly known as Project SAVE. This legislation provides public education institutions with a comprehensive framework governing risk reduction, prevention, response, and recovery. 

The safety plans for Orange-Ulster BOCES are proactively developed and maintained through the collaborative efforts of the Chief Emergency Officer, the District-Wide School Safety Team, and individual Building-Level Teams. To ensure the highest standard of crisis readiness, these plans incorporate industry best practices and operational guidance from: 

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Aligning with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and guidelines for developing high-quality emergency operations plans. 
• Federal Law Enforcement Frameworks: Utilizing bomb threat, threat assessment, and active-adversary resources provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
• New York State Executive and Legislative Mandates: Integrating the mandated Incident Command System (ICS) structure for streamlined, unified communication and command with external first responders during an incident. 

Through proactive planning, threat assessments, safety audits, and continuous training, Orange-Ulster BOCES maintains an adaptable environment dedicated to safeguarding its students, staff, and community partners. 

A. PURPOSE 

• The Orange-Ulster BOCES District-Wide School Safety Plan was developed in accordance with Commissioner’s Regulation 8 NYCRR §155.17 and authorized by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (Cooperative Board). 
• At the direction of the Cooperative Board, the Chief Operating Officer appointed a District-Wide School Safety Team to oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of this plan. 
• While educational institutions work proactively to reduce the risk of violence, predicting specific incidents remains a complex challenge. Therefore, this plan places primary emphasis on comprehensive risk analysis and threat assessment—focusing resources on identifying behavioral warning signs rather than profiling individuals. 
• Orange-Ulster BOCES fully supports the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (S.A.V.E.) legislation and remains committed to regional collaboration to achieve all Project SAVE goals. 

B. IDENTIFICATION OF SCHOOL TEAMS 

The District-Wide School Safety Team is formally appointed annually by the Cooperative Board. In compliance with state mandates, membership includes representatives from the School Board, administrative organizations, teacher organizations, parent organizations, school safety personnel, and other school operational staff. 

• Student Representation: At the Cooperative Board's discretion, a student representative may be appointed to the team. However, in accordance with state security protocols, student participants are strictly barred from accessing or being present for discussions regarding confidential building-level emergency response data or sensitive security procedures. 
• Meeting Cadence: The District-Wide Safety Team meets quarterly (or on an as-needed basis) to evaluate safety frameworks and conducts an annual comprehensive review of the district-wide safety protocols. 

District-Wide School Safety Team Roster (2026-2027) 

• William Boss: School Board
• Deborah McBride Heppes: Chief Operating Officer
• Kerri B. Stroka: Deputy Superintendent
• Mark P. Coleman: Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Management Services
• James Higgins: Director of Special Education and Alternative Programs
• Sara Puccio: Director of Career and Technical Education
• Diane E. Lang: Director of Instructional Support Services
• Forrest M. Addor: Director of Technology
• Kevin Sullivan: Director of Operations
• Tiffany Douglas: Assistant Director of Operations
• Duane J. Lopez: Director of Safety and Security
• Lisa Ramirez: Director of Communications
• Katherine Lynch: School Food Service Director
• Renee Mulligan: Coordinator of Adult & Continuing Education
• Mikayla Higgins: Coordinator of Health
• Anthony J. Weed: Coordinator of Safety
• Catherine Sherlock: Information Processing Manager
• Patricia Milburn: Transportation Coordinator
• Laurie Feuer: Coordinator of Purchasing
• Dan Morse: Coordinator of Interscholastic Athletics
• Tammy Pospisil: Custodial Supervisor
• TBD: Maintenance Supervisor
• Halina Redner: Scribe – Operations / H&S
• Laura Beck: Teachers Union
• Melinda Gormley: Nurse – Special Education
• Tiffany Toromanides: Nurse – CTEC
• TBD: Teacher
• Lisa Walsh: Para
• TBD: Parent / PTA
• Law Enforcement: Orange County Sheriff’s Office Representatie=ve
• Security: Atlas Security Representative

The District-Wide School Safety Team was appointed by the Board of Education on: 
Date: August 12, 2026 CR155.17(b)(16) 

The District-Wide School Safety Team conducted annual review and updates to the District-Wide School Safety plan: June 2026 CR155.17(a) 

District Chief Emergency Officer 

Orange-Ulster BOCES has designated a Chief Emergency Officer (CEO) or designee to oversee, maintain, and coordinate school safety efforts. 

The CEO’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

1. Coordinating emergency communication between school leadership, law enforcement, and first responders. 
2. Leading the District-Wide School Safety Team, and managing the annual updates to the District-Wide Safety Plan. 
3. Ensuring the District-Wide Plan seamlessly aligns with the confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans (ERPs). 
4. Cultivating broad staff understanding of emergency protocols and coordinating annual mandatory staff response training. 
5. Advising on the selection, integration, and placement of safety technologies and physical security enhancements. 
6. Overseeing the completion, review, and timely submission of Building-Level ERPs to state and local police. 
7. Ensuring all student drills (evacuation, lockdowns) are executed in an age-appropriate, trauma-informed manner that strictly excludes violent simulations or props, in full compliance with Education Law §807. 

Duane J. Lopez: Director of Safety and Security
Phone: (845) 291-0100
Email: Duane.Lopez@ouboces.org

The District Chief Emergency Officer was appointed on August 12, 2026 CR155.17(c)(1)(xix) 

C. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS 

Within this framework, school emergencies are defined as any undesirable events that threaten the physical or psychological health of the school community, or significantly disrupt the orderly educational process. These disruptions can range from localized behavioral conflicts to catastrophic natural or man-made disasters. Project S.A.V.E. establishes a continuous cycle of emergency management divided into three operational phases: Prevention, Mitigation, Preparation, Response, and Recovery. 

To optimize safety across a large institutional footprint, the district utilizes a dual-tier planning approach: 

1. The District-Wide School Safety Plan: Establishes the broad policy framework, communication rules, and prevention parameters across all BOCES facilities. 
2. Building-Level Emergency Response Plans: Highly localized and confidential emergency “playbooks” tailored explicitly to the layout and demographics of individual school buildings. 

Threat Assessment Strategy 

Preparedness dictates that when an anomalous behavior or threat surfaces, all staff members understand the exact tracking mechanism. Threats are defined as alarming statements, digital communications, or physical behaviors that indicate potential targeted violence. The Orange-Ulster BOCES threat assessment workflow operates via ten core steps: 

• Threat Assessment Team Activation: Upon report of an alarming behavior, the multi-disciplinary Threat Assessment Team is immediately activated to evaluate credibility and severity. This team draws upon administrators, school counselors, behavioral specialists, and law enforcement partners (including the Orange County Sheriff's Office, NYS Police, or the FBI when appropriate). 
• Case-by-Case Evaluation: The team systematically assesses threats based on context rather than profiling rules. Monitored threats include bomb threats, critical custody disputes, student or staff vendettas, domestic safety spillovers, or targeted property intimidation. 
• Timely and Appropriate Reporting: Clear internal reporting pathways route threats from the classroom floor directly to the appropriate administrator and security division for rapid investigation. 
• Documentation and Monitoring: Centralized tracking logs ensure all threat indicators, background histories, and behavioral milestones are securely archived and continuously monitored. 
• Evidence Collection: School safety officers cooperate seamlessly with responding law enforcement agencies to securely preserve digital records, physical evidence, and witness statements. 
• Victim Notification and Privacy Compliance: If a threat targeting specific individuals is determined to have clear or evolving credibility, potential victims are notified immediately under tight data privacy and legal compliance controls. 
• Enhanced Security Measures: Post-incident protocols allow the team to scale up building defense layers rapidly, including increased police/guard details, expanded video monitoring, and the activation of specific Standard Response Protocol (SRP) commands. 
• Victim Support and Legal Options: The district counsels targeted victims regarding civil and criminal options (e.g., obtaining Orders of Protection) and actively monitors for retaliatory behavior during high-risk post-intervention windows.
• Mail and Package Screening: Following high-level or anonymous threat vectors, incoming postal shipments are isolated and screened under guidance from the U.S. Postal Service and specialized police units. 
• Information Release Protocols: Public information officers control threat communications to the public and media, balancing community transparency against investigative integrity and public safety. 

Upon activation of either a Building-Level Emergency Response Team or the Threat Assessment Team, the District Chief Emergency Officer or designee, must be notified immediately. 

D. PLAN REVIEW AND PUBLIC COMMENT 

As mandated by New York State education law, Orange-Ulster BOCES hosts its current District-Wide School Safety Plan publicly on its primary web domain to encourage community alignment and satisfy state transparency rules. 

1. The District-Wide School Safety Team was appointed by the Board of Education on: August 12, 2026 CR 155.17(b)(16) 
2. The District-Wide School Safety Plan Draft was made available for public comment at least thirty days prior to its adoption by the Board of Education. The 30-day public comment began on: July 02, 2026 and ended on August 12, 2026 CR 155.17(c)(3) 
3. At least one public hearing that provided for the participation of school personnel, parents and any other interested parties, was held prior to adoption of the plan.
   Date of Public Hearing: August 12, 2026 CR 155.17(c)(3) 
4. The District-Wide School Safety Plan was posted on the district website. The URL must be submitted to the Education Department with the requirement that the plan be submitted to the commissioner within 30 days from adoption. 
5. The board approved District-Wide School Safety Plan will be posted on the District Website on August 12, 2026. 

URL for the District-Wide School Safety Plan: 
https://www.ouboces.org/programs-services/health-safety-risk-management/district-wide-safety-plan 

Vital Educational Agency Information and Confidentiality Controls 

In accordance with New York State Education Law and school safety planning regulations, the District-Wide School Safety Plan is a public document permanently hosted on the public website. To protect sensitive infrastructure data and maintain operational integrity during a crisis: 

• Separation of Data: All vital educational agency information, including internal contact information for key emergency personnel, detailed building floor plans, specific student transportation routes, and local emergency resource rosters, is maintained exclusively within the confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans (ERPs). 
• Restricted Disclosure: In accordance with state law, these Building-Level plans are legally confidential and completely exempt from public disclosure under Freedom of Information Laws (FOIL). They are shared securely and exclusively with responding law enforcement agencies and emergency services to ensure synchronized coordination during a critical incident. 

A. PREVENTION / INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

To be effective, violence prevention programs must involve community-wide collaborative efforts.

These initiatives require active participation from students, families, teachers, administrators, support staff, mental health professionals, law enforcement, emergency responders, school security personnel, school board members, and the broader business community.

While school boards and administrators shape the overall safety climate, teachers play a critical frontline role. Due to their daily, close contact with students, faculty are directly involved in both the development and the tactical implementation of school safety programs.

Collaborative Efforts

Additional prevention and intervention strategies include formal collaborations with local and state law enforcement agencies, as well as community-based mental health and support organizations.

Program Initiatives

Prevention and intervention activities are proactive measures taken prior to an emergency or crisis to eliminate threats or significantly reduce their potential impact. Orange-Ulster BOCES utilizes targeted programs designed to reduce student isolation and alienation while promoting positive self-respect and mutual cooperation.

These initiatives are designed to:

• Establish Clear Standards: Define explicit behavioral expectations for how individuals treat one another within the educational environment.
• Align Expectations: Interlock classroom behavioral management with broader school and district-wide policies.
• Open Communication Channels: Improve outreach and support systems for students who feel isolated, alienated, or display low self-esteem.
• Build Resilience: Teach proactive coping and resistance strategies to students facing intimidation, bullying, or social exclusion.
• Model Core Values: Reinforce institutional values including respect, learning, character, cooperation, and personal responsibility.
• Foster Engagement: Encourage cooperative peer learning and student engagement via extracurricular clubs, leadership opportunities, and community service.
• Provide Targeted Support: Deliver synchronized academic and emotional support for vulnerable or withdrawn students, including victims of bullying or harassment.
• Secure Confidential Reporting: Cultivate an environment that supports open, anonymous, and confidential communication between students and staff regarding safety concerns while actively mitigating fears of retaliation.

Improving Communication with Students

(Aligned with NYSED, DASA, Project SAVE, and Education Law §2801)

Orange-Ulster BOCES is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful learning environment. In compliance with New York State Education Law, the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), and Project SAVE, student behavioral expectations are communicated clearly, ensuring due process and equitable treatment for all.

Communication and Implementation Procedures

• Annual Code of Conduct Review: The Student Code of Conduct (Policy 6312) is updated annually in accordance with Commissioner's Regulation §100.2(l) and approved by the Cooperative Board. It outlines all behavioral expectations and disciplinary processes developed alongside public safety and mental health experts.
• Inclusive Development: Behavioral standards are built using diverse stakeholder input to ensure guidelines are developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive.
• Explicit Rule Posting: Summarized rules from the Code of Conduct are prominently posted in classrooms and common areas to reinforce expectations and promote a positive school culture.
• Distribution and Signed Acknowledgment: A copy of the Code of Conduct is provided to families at the start of each school year. A signed acknowledgment form from both the student and parent/guardian is required and retained on file.
• Language Access: The Code of Conduct is translated into multiple languages to ensure comprehensive accessibility for all families, as required by DASA and federal civil rights guidance.
• Consistent, Nondiscriminatory Enforcement: Disciplinary actions are administered fairly, without bias, and in accordance with established student due process rights under the U.S. and NYS Constitutions.
• Zero Tolerance for Discrimination and Harassment: In compliance with DASA (Education Law §§10–18), all forms of harassment, intimidation, cyberbullying, and discrimination—including but not limited to race, weight, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability—are strictly prohibited and subjected to immediate investigation.

Disciplinary Measures for Serious Violations

Suspension or expulsion of students—and disciplinary action up to termination for staff—will be initiated for serious misconduct, consistent with Project SAVE, Education Law §3214, and Gun-Free Schools Act requirements.

• Mandatory Disciplinary Action (Firearms): In accordance with the 1994 Gun-Free Schools Act and Education Law §3214(3)(d), a one-year minimum suspension is required for any student found bringing a firearm to school property. The Chief Operating Officer retains case-by-case modification authority, and all incidents must be reported directly to the criminal or juvenile justice system.
• Other Serious Violations: Severe disciplinary interventions apply to the possession/use of weapons capable of serious bodily harm; physical assault; verbal or written terroristic threats; possession, use, or sale of controlled substances; and any form of retaliation against a person reporting misconduct.

Anti-bullying Programs

(In compliance with DASA, Education Law §2801, and Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100.2)

Bullying — whether physical, verbal, psychological, or cyber — is strictly prohibited. Bullying is a pervasive issue that can lead to dangerous and unlawful behaviors, and it is never dismissed as a typical rite of passage. Annual DASA training is mandated for all staff members per Commissioner’s Regulation §100.2(jj).

District-Wide Anti-Bullying Components

 

• Typology of Bullying: The program addresses four distinct categories: Physical (hitting, pushing), Verbal (threats, slurs), Psychological (manipulation, exclusion), and Cyberbullying (online harassment or digital intimidation).
• Multi-Channel Reporting Mechanisms: Multiple pathways exist to report incidents, including in-person reporting to school personnel, anonymous reporting systems, digital forms, and contacting designated campus DASA Coordinators.
• Privacy Controls: All investigations comply with FERPA. Care is taken to protect victims and witnesses from retaliation, maintain confidentiality during disciplinary adjustments, and shield students from false accusations through due process.
• Prompt Intervention Framework: Interventions are scaled from the classroom level upward, incorporating counseling referrals for victims, data-driven behavior modification plans for aggressors, and restorative justice practices where appropriate.
• Systemic Monitoring: A centralized database tracks all bullying indicators to identify environmental trends, which are evaluated alongside periodic school climate surveys.

Gang Prevention and Intervention Measures

Orange-Ulster BOCES maintains an active stance against gang recruitment and operations to ensure a violence-free educational environment.

• Law Enforcement Collaboration: The district maintains active partnerships with regional law enforcement agencies to share intelligence on emerging gang trends and train school staff to recognize gang-related symbols, colors, and recruitment tactics.
• Monitoring Indicators & Dress Code Enforcement: Staff monitor for signs of gang affiliation (including specialized clothing, tattoos, hand signs, and graffiti). The Orange-Ulster BOCES Dress Code is enforced to prohibit outward manifestations of gang identification, consistent with constitutional parameters.
• Component District Continuity: Because BOCES operates regionally, the district collaborates directly with each student’s home school district to share relevant safety data, align intervention strategies, and ensure seamless disciplinary or therapeutic continuity.

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness

(Aligned with Project SAVE, Education Law §2801-a, and NYSED Mental Health Requirements)

Suicide prevention is an essential component of the District-Wide School Safety Plan and is closely linked to the district’s broader efforts to prevent school violence. Effective suicide prevention seeks to reduce instances of self-harm while identifying students who may express inward distress through outward, violent actions directed toward others.

Early Warning Signs and Referral Systems

Staff are trained to monitor for significant shifts across multiple behavioral domains:

• Withdrawal: Sudden social isolation or loss of interest in peer groups.
• Decline in Functioning: Noticeable drop in academic, social, or personal maintenance.
• Cognitive Disruption: Unusual difficulty with concentration, memory, or logical speech.
• Affective Shifts: Rapidly shifting moods, explicit apathy, or intense nervousness and suspicion.
• Acute Risk Clues: Expressing feelings of hopelessness, giving away prized possessions, or making statements such as "I wish I hadn't been born."

What Can You Do? - C.A.R.E.

• C: CONSCIOUS of your student’s behavior.
• A: ALERT to signs of serious mental health issues.
• R: REFER concerns immediately to a trained school professional.
• E: EVERYONE plays a role in supporting student wellness.

Response and Postvention Protocols

• Immediate Safety Planning: If an acute threat of self-harm occurs, the district implements immediate supervisory safety planning, notifies parents / guardians, and activates available resources.
• Post-Incident Response Team (PIRT) Mobilization: In the event of a crisis or traumatic loss, the PIRT stabilizes the school community by deploying immediate grief counseling, structuring classroom peer support, and executing controlled communication plans to prevent suicide contagion.
• Crisis Resource Access: The district actively promotes and connects students to the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline alongside local behavioral health walk-in resources.

Summary of Communications and Safety Program Placements

The following programs are cross-referenced across our educational settings to maximize student-to-staff communication:

NAME OF PROGRAM

PBIS | Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

Restorative Justice

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

Safe Harbors

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

Therapeutic | Crisis Intervention

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

Training, Drills and Exercises

Annual Staff Training Compliance

• Mandatory Deadline: All staff must complete comprehensive training on the Building-Level Emergency Response Plan (BLERP) by September 15th annually. This covers violence prevention, mental health awareness, emergency operations, and the Incident Command System (ICS).
• New Hire Grace Period: Personnel hired after the start of the academic year must complete this safety training within 30 days of hire.
• Public Information Deadline: By October 1st, written emergency procedure details must be provided to all students and staff.

Emergency Drill Mandates and Protocols

The district executes a minimum of twelve (12) safety drills each academic year:

• Lockdown Drills: Four (4) required annually, with 2 completed before December 31st.
• Evacuation Drills: Eight (8) required annually, with 6 completed before December 31st. At least four (4) must utilize secondary egress or alternative exit routes.
• Environmental Drills: Annual shelter-in-place exercises are conducted to prepare for severe weather events.
• Summer Sessions: Summer programs require two (2) evacuation drills, with the first drill executed within the first week of classes.
• Emergency Dismissal Drill: Conducted once annually to test communication, transport, and early parent notification frameworks.

Strict Trauma-Informed Drill Execution

In compliance with New York State regulations and Education Law §807, all student exercises must be completed in an age-appropriate, trauma-informed manner.

Drills SHOULD

• Be conducted after foundational safety training is complete.
• Occur on varying days and during unscheduled blocks (lunch/assemblies).
• Be formally recorded using the standardized Lockdown Drills Worksheet.
• Track response metrics to discover specific structural improvements.

Drills SHALL NOT

• Simulate an actual emergency or active crisis.
• Use props, actors, or simulated physical violence.
• Be referred to as an "Active Shooter Drill."
• Intentionally cause occupants to believe an active threat is unfolding.

Parent / Guardian Notification Mandate

• To reduce anxiety and maintain district transparency, families must be notified of student drills within the following legal parameters:
• Emergency Dismissal Drill: Parents/guardians must receive notification at least one week in advance.
• Standard Student Drills (Evacuation / Lockdown): Advanced written notice must be provided to parents/guardians no more than seven (7) days and at least one (1) day prior to drill execution.

Tabletop vs. Full-Scale Multi-Agency Exercises

• Tabletop Exercises: Regular discussion-based sessions utilizing school staff and local law enforcement to test decision-making trees and NIMS-ICS structures.
• Full-Scale Exercises: Advanced crisis simulations using props, actors, and mutual aid partners (EMS, Fire, Police). These exercises shall not occur during standard instructional days or involve students unless explicit, prior written parental consent is obtained.

Implementation of School Security

• Orange-Ulster BOCES utilizes a multi-layered security framework combining hardware, personnel, and emergency service networks.
• Security Personnel Deployment: Trained security personnel are stationed to greet visitors, verify identification, monitor building access points, and maintain active perimeter patrols.
• Personnel Qualifications: Security staff are vetted based on prior law enforcement background, military service, or specialized training in juvenile intervention and school-safety operations.
• On-Site Law Enforcement Partnerships: Through an active partnership with the local Sheriff’s Office, uniformed School Resource Officers (SROs) are stationed on-site. These officers provide immediate emergency response capabilities, serve as community mentors, and assist campus leadership in continuous risk analysis.

Site Assessments and Continuous Plan Adjustments

• Periodic Safety Audits: The Orange-Ulster BOCES Health and Safety Division conducts periodic, comprehensive safety and security assessments of all school sites.
• Data-Driven Feedback Loops: Findings and vulnerability analyses from these assessments are shared directly with each Building-Level Emergency Response Planning Team to guide the continuous updating and iterative improvement of their site-specific plans.
• Strategic Alignment: These assessments serve to proactively identify structural vulnerabilities, support ongoing state compliance, and strengthen overall building security in strict alignment with district-wide safety goals.

B. EARLY DETECTION OF POTENTIALLY VIOLENT BEHAVIORS

Orange-Ulster BOCES is committed to the early identification, tracking, and prevention of behaviors that may indicate an evolving risk of targeted violence. The district utilizes a proactive, multi-tiered approach combining systemic staff training, student empowerment, and collaborative multi-disciplinary interventions to recognize and neutralize warning signs before they escalate.

Student Engagement and Code of Conduct

• Tailored Code of Conduct Delivery: All students receive the Code of Conduct within their program-specific student handbooks. Behavioral expectations are communicated clearly and consistently, with delivery methods explicitly tailored to the age, grade level, and developmental capacity of the student population.
• Low-Level Reporting Threshold: Students, parents, and community stakeholders are actively encouraged to report any anomalous or concerning behaviors to a building administrator. Orange-Ulster BOCES operates under the safety principle that no piece of information is too small or insignificant to warrant evaluation. Early reporting ensures that vulnerable individuals receive support before a behavioral crisis develops.

Mandated Training and Toolkits for Staff

• To ensure frontline efficacy, faculty and operational staff are equipped with the diagnostic tools required to identify early warning signs of targeted violence. In compliance with state regulations, relevant elements of these modules are completed by September 15th annually, or within 30 days of hire for new employees.
• Training opportunities include, but are not limited to:
• Violence Prevention & Mitigation: Core techniques in early behavioral intervention and threat mitigation.
• Threat Assessment Team Protocols: Detailed training under the district's standardized behavioral evaluation toolkits.
• Mental Health & Trauma Awareness: Identifying indicators of severe social withdrawal, sudden affective changes, depression, or acute distress.
• DASA Compliance: Recognizing and investigating bias-driven harassment, systemic bullying, and discrimination.
• Emergency Preparedness: Incident Command System (ICS), Stop the Bleed, Family Reunification Procedures, and multi-agency response protocols for mass-casualty events.

Behavioral Threat Assessment Methodology

Orange-Ulster BOCES employs a standardized, evidence-based threat assessment process that strictly aligns with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), the New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCFSS), the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), and the Dewey Cornell Model (Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines / CSTAG).

Core Guiding Principles

• Focus on Support and Intervention: The threat assessment process operates as a supportive, multi-tiered intervention tool. Its purpose is to uncover underlying student needs (such as mental health trauma, housing insecurity, or deep-seated conflict) and implement safety plans, keeping this process operationally distinct from standard punitive disciplinary pathways.
• Focus on Behavior Over Profiles: Orange-Ulster BOCES strictly prohibits the use of demographic, racial, or psychological profiling. Instead, the threat assessment framework evaluates an individual's specific, observable actions and markers that suggest a progression along the "pathway to violence."
• Broad Information Gathering: Evaluation is not limited to explicit verbal or written threats, as individuals plotting an attack may never state their intent. Teams proactively analyze attack-related tracking markers, including unusual surveillance of facilities, intense preoccupation with past mass violence, or an inappropriate interest in firearms and tactical weaponry.

The 10 Key Investigative Diagnostic Questions

District and Building-Level Threat Assessment Teams utilize the following ten standardized investigative questions to objectively evaluate the credibility, severity, and operational reality of a reported threat:

1. Motivation: What motivated the individual to make the concerning statement or display the specific alarming behavior?
2. Communication of Intent: What has the individual explicitly communicated to others (including via digital platforms, social media, or gaming channels) regarding their intent or target?
3. Preoccupation with Violence: Has the individual shown an unusual or escalating interest in prior acts of targeted school violence, assassination plots, weapons systems, or extremist ideologies?
4. Attack-Related Behaviors: Has the individual engaged in behavior indicative of a plan, such as trying to acquire weapons, map out building vulnerabilities, bypass security, or conduct physical/digital surveillance?
5. Mental Health Context: Is there a documented history of mental illness, particularly with evidence of command hallucinations, persecutory delusions, or acting on irrational thoughts?
6. Planning and Organizational Capacity: How organized, capable, and resourceful is the individual of planning, weaponizing, and successfully executing a targeted act of physical violence?
7. Recent Stressors or Grievances: Has the individual experienced a recent severe personal loss, institutional humiliation, romantic rejection, or disciplinary action that may induce a sense of desperation?
8. Behavioral Consistency: Are the verbal or written statements made by the individual consistent with their observable daily actions, history, and physical behavior? 
9. Peer and Community Concern: Are those around the individual (e.g., classmates, roommates, family members, or school staff) actively concerned about the person's potential for targeted violence? 
10. Protective vs. Aggravating Factors: What stabilizing, protective factors exist in the individual's life (e.g., strong family bonds, therapeutic relationships, or peer support) that could mitigate the likelihood of violence, and what aggravating factors are worsening the risk? 

Team Infrastructure and Cross-District Coordination

Multidisciplinary Threat Assessment Teams

Each school facility maintains an active, campus-specific Building-Level Threat Assessment Team that coordinates directly with the District Safety Team and the Chief Emergency Officer.

These teams are comprised of building administrators, licensed mental health professionals (social workers, counselors, psychologists), dedicated security staff, and law enforcement representatives.

All core team members receive continuous, certified training in:

• Advanced threat identification and behavioral analytics based on CSTAG standards.
• FERPA and NYS Education Law §2-d data-privacy compliant information-sharing practices.
• Comprehensive de-escalation, active containment, and therapeutic intervention techniques.
• Coordination toolkits curated by the New York State Center for School Safety (NYSCFSS).

Cross-Agency Coordination

Because Orange-Ulster BOCES operates as a regional educational entity, the threat assessment matrix integrates directly with external municipal entities:

• Home School District Integration: Cases involving students enrolled from component districts are managed via an active, dual-district feedback loop. This ensures that safety monitoring, behavioral data tracking, and clinical counseling support continue seamlessly across both the BOCES program and the student's home educational system.
• First Responder Synergy: Active data-sharing pipelines are maintained with local police departments, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and regional mental health mobile crisis teams to facilitate rapid intervention if a threat escalates outside of instructional hours.

All assessment findings, formal risk ratings, and customized behavioral intervention plans generated through the threat assessment process are encrypted and securely archived in strict compliance with state educational confidentiality protocols.

C. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Orange-Ulster BOCES is committed to the continual identification, tracking, and mitigation of localized environmental, structural, and industrial hazards that could impact the physical safety of occupants.

Daily Visual Inspection

To ensure real-time threat tracking, all faculty and staff are required to conduct daily visual safety inspections of their assigned classrooms, offices, specialty rooms, playgrounds, athletic fields, and adjacent workspaces.

• Immediate Reporting Path: Any discovered hazardous or failing physical condition must be immediately reported to the building administrator.
• Imminent Threat Escalation: If a hazard presents an imminent threat to life, health, or structural integrity, the building administrator must bypass standard work-order channels and notify the Chief Emergency Officer immediately for rapid containment.
• Administrative Oversight: Building administrators ensure that all reports are digitally logged, escalated to the Facilities or Risk Management departments, and compiled into periodic safety asset assessments.

Safety and Security Partners

The district collaborates continuously with internal and external agencies to perform proactive physical inspections, vulnerability modeling, and disaster simulation exercises:

• The Orange-Ulster BOCES Health and Safety Division / Risk Management Department
• Local, county, and state emergency management offices (OEM)
• Campus Building-Level Safety Committees and local first responders

Internal Site Risks and Material Hazards 

The following are examples of sites across Orange-Ulster BOCES and the types of hazards they may present: 

• Laboratories: Volatile chemical spills, specialized gas storage breaches, and material fires.
• Culinary Arts Rooms: Thermal burns, lacerations, high-temperature commercial equipment failures.
• Technology / Shop Areas: High-voltage electrical hazards, pneumatic power tool trauma, mechanical crush injuries.
• Outdoor Fields & Playgrounds: Structural collapse, severe weather exposure, extreme fall risks, stinging insect infestations.
• Playgrounds: Fall risks, unsafe structures, insect nests.
• Parking Lots & Walkways: Vehicle-pedestrian conflict zones, structural lighting failures, active black ice accumulation.
• Mechanical Rooms: Confined space risks, high-pressure steam distribution leaks, main utility gas breaches.
• Hallways & Stairwells: Slips, trips, structural falls, and crowd congestion blocking primary egress during rapid emergency evacuations.
• Loading, Delivery & Receiving Areas: Heavy equipment operation, forklift/pallet jack malfunctions, and delivery vehicle-pedestrian blind-spot hazards.

Site-Specific Campus and Satellite Hazard Matrix

The following registry outlines specific regional infrastructure, geographical, industrial, and transportation-related hazards unique to each Orange-Ulster BOCES campus, satellites, or host district placement:

Orange-Ulster BOCES  | Amy Bull Crist Campus

Emmanuel Axelrod Special & Alternative Education Center
53 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Commercial cargo/hazardous freight transport accidents via State Route 17.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Localized aboveground fuel storage tank leaks.

CTE AM/PM Day Sessions, Adult Education Evening Sessions
39 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

Career & Technical Education Center
39 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

Administration Building | Gibson Road Campus
53 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

Operations | Health & Safety & Carl P. Onken Conference Center
43 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Commercial cargo/hazardous freight transport accidents via State Route 17.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Localized aboveground fuel storage tank leaks.

Orange-Ulster BOCES | Arden Hill Campus

Terrance L. Olivo Building at the Regional Education Center at Arden Hill
4 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924

Central Administration –| Arden Hill Campus
2 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924

• Commercial cargo freight transport hazards via the Route 17 corridor.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Underground storage tank leaks.
• LEGOLAND proximity: High-volume tourist transit surge congestion; elevated target profile for mass-gathering incidents.

Orange-Ulster BOCES | Adult Education, Orange County Government Building

Newburgh Adult Learning Center
3 Washington Center, Newburgh, NY 12550

• Heavy commercial freight logistics accidents via State Route 9W and the I-84 Newburgh-Beacon Bridge corridor.
• Water Street industrial maritime terminals and heavy rail hazards.
• Active rail trackage: Directly borders the CSX freight mainline rail corridor.

Orange-Ulster BOCES | Middlehope Satellite, Marlboro SD

Middlehope Elementary School
2 Overlook Drive, Newburgh, NY 12550

• Cargo transit accidents along the State Route 9W/I-84 logistical corridor.
• Hudson River industrial maritime shipping freight emergencies.

Orange-Ulster BOCES Including Communities

129 West Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924

• Municipal transit gridlock and vehicle-pedestrian hazards.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Proximity to the Orange County Government municipal target shape.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Goshen Satellite, Goshen SD

Goshen Main Street
227 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924

• Municipal transit gridlock and vehicle-pedestrian hazards.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Proximity to the Orange County Government Center municipal target area.
• Shared building with the Goshen School District.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Chester Satellite, Chester SD

Chester Academy
64 Hambletonian Ave, Chester, NY 10918

• High-speed commercial cargo and hazardous logistics transport accidents via the State Route 17 corridor.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Minisink Satellite, Minisink SD

Minisink Valley High School & Middle School
2320 Route 6, Slate Hill, NY 10973

• Logistics transport infrastructure accidents via US Route 6 and I-84.
• Black Dirt agricultural dust storms.
• Agricultural pesticide drift, chemical runoff, and aerosol volatilization zones.
• Energy infrastructure: proximity to the high-capacity Millennium Gas Transmission Pipeline corridor.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Otisville Satellite, Minisink SD

Otisville Elementary School
2525 Mount Hope Rd, Otisville, NY 10963

• Active railway hazards via the adjacent NJ Transit Port Jervis Line.
• Agricultural chemical runoff and pesticide aerosol infiltration risks.
• Proximity to the high-capacity Millennium Gas Transmission Pipeline corridor.
• Correctional institution proximity: bordering NYS DOCCS Otisville Correctional Facility and FCI Otisville (Federal Bureau of Prisons).

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Pine Island Satellite, Warwick SD

Pine Island Elementary School
20 School House Rd, Pine Island, NY 10969

• High-density agricultural pesticide drift and aerosol volatilization zones.
• Direct exposure to regional Black Dirt dust storms.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – HBE Satellite, Port Jervis CSD

Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School
929 US-209, Cuddebackville, NY 12729

• Commercial logistics transport accidents via US Route 209.
• Hydrological and flash flooding: the Neversink and Basher Kill convergence.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – PJMS Satellite, Port Jervis CSD

Port Jervis Middle School
10 Route 209, Port Jervis, NY 12771

• Commercial logistics transport accidents via US Route 209 and US Route 6.
• Rail and transit infrastructure: Port Jervis Rail Yard Zone and NJ Transit Port Jervis Line railway tracks.
• Hydrological and flash flooding hazards: Delaware and Neversink floodplains.

Orange-Ulster BOCES – PES Satellite, Pine Bush Central SD

Pakanasink Elementary School
1953 NY-302, Circleville, NY 10919

• Local commercial logistics shipping and transport accidents along the NYS Route 302 transit corridor.

Indian Point Energy Center Contextual Response

The Indian Point Energy Center, located in Buchanan, NY, is permanently closed and currently undergoing active decommissioning, having ceased all nuclear power generation operations in April 2021.

Emergency Planning Radius Safeguards

No physical Orange-Ulster BOCES facilities are located within the strict 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) radius of the facility. However, because the district serves a regional population, numerous students reside in or are transported daily through communities that fall inside the designated 10-mile EPZ.

Nuclear Emergency Activation Protocols

In the event of an extraordinary radiological emergency or an activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) regarding the Indian Point site:

• EOC Command Structure: Orange-Ulster BOCES will immediately adopt a unified command posture, deploying tactical safety procedures consistent with directives from the Orange County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and state emergency managers.
• Student Accounting Priority: The district will prioritize strict accountability tracking, rapid transportation routing adjustments, and secure family reunification specifically for students whose primary residences fall inside the active EPZ communities.
• Transport Directives: Student transportation operations will follow county EOC safety directives. This protocol may include immediate early dismissal, building shelter-in-place procedures, localized relocation to designated safe areas, or coordinated off-site family reunification zones.

A. NOTIFICATION AND ACTIVATION (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS)

Orange-Ulster BOCES operates automated, multi-channel notification protocols to guarantee the immediate transmission of life-safety instructions during a crisis.

Core Communication Architecture

• Automated 9-1-1 Triggers: The district's Voice over IP (VoIP) network automatically cross-triggers internal administrative notifications the moment 9-1-1 is dialed from any campus phone line.
• SSD Radio / Staff Cell Escalation Mandate: If a staff member contacts emergency services via a personal cell phone, or an SSD (School Safety Deputy) contacts emergency services via Sheriff’s Portable Radio, they must immediately flash-notify the main office. Office personnel will instantly escalate the alert to the building principal, designee, or central administration.
• Alternative Command Post Continuity: If a primary administrative suite is physically compromised, communications automatically drop to the pre-identified Alternate Command Site detailed within the confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plan (BLERP).
• The Lockdown Emergency Notification System (LENS): In the event of an active threat, any staff member is empowered to activate LENS. This system instantly broadcasts visual and auditory alerts throughout the facility while establishing a direct data pipe to law enforcement dispatch.
• Mass Notification Engines: Public-facing alerts, parent updates, and structural instructions are deployed via ParentSquare, Finalsite Connect, and/or Raptor Emergency Management.

District Emergency Contact Directory (Public Hierarchy)

Security Control Notice: In accordance with emergency data preservation standards, all direct internal telephone extensions have been redacted from this public document to prevent communication network interception during a crisis.

ORANGE-ULSTER BOCES

• Main District Switchboard: 845-291-0100
• Special Education Switchboard: 845-291-0200
• Career and Technical Education Switchboard: 845-291-0300
• Health & Safety / Risk Management: 845-781-4887

ORANGE-ULSTER BOCES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTORATE 

OU BOCES CABINET

• Chief Operating Officer: Deborah McBride Heppes
• Deputy Superintendent: Kerri B. Stroka
• Assistant Superintendent: Mark P. Coleman

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

• Director of Operations: Kevin Sullivan
• Assistant Director of Operations: Tiffany Douglas

DISTRICT CHIEF EMERGENCY OFFICER

• Director of Safety and Security: Duane J. Lopez

COMMUNICATIONS

• Director of Communications: Lisa Ramirez
• Information Processing Manager: Catherine Sherlock

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Coordinator of Health: Mikayla Higgins
• Coordinator of Safety: Anthony J. Weed

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

• Director: Sara Puccio
• Assistant Director: Russell Burns
• Principal, Amy Bull Crist Campus: Elizabeth Bassett
• Principal, Regional Education Center at Arden Hill: Eugene Hewitt

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS

• Director: James Higgins
• Assistant Director: Keith Sullivan
• Principal, Raymond C. Cramer: Kelley O’Neill
• Principal, Liberty ES, Middlehope ES, IDT ES, Pakanasink ES, SPARC ES: Meghan Gildea
• Principal, STRIVE — Jodie Maassen
• Principal, AH – GED, John A. Flannery HS, John A. Flannery MS, SPARC MS: Barbara Gasperetti
• Principal, AH – AAH M/HS, IDT M/HS: Cynthia Brescia

TECHNICAL SERVICES

• Director of Technology: Forrest M. Addor
• Assistant Director of Technology: Dale Francis

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES

• Director of Instructional Support Services: Diane E. Lang
• Assistant Director of Instructional Support Services: Melanie Lofaro

SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE

• School Food Service Director: Katherine Lynch

ATHLETICS

• Interscholastic Athletics Coordinator: Dan Morse

TRANSPORTATION

• Transportation Coordinator: Patricia Milburn
• Coordinator of Purchasing: Laurie Feuer

OU BOCES SATELLITES

• Adult and Continuing Education
  Amy Bull Crist Campus, CTE Building, Newburgh Adult Learning Center, The Maple Building: Renee Mulligan
• Special Education.  Middlehope Elementary School: Lydia Woodard
• Special Education, Chester Academy: Marissa Carlton
• Special Education, Including Communities: Jodie Maassen
• Special Education, Goshen Main Street: Jennifer Lepore
• Special Education, Minisink Valley High School & Middle School: Pilar Rocha
• Special Education, Pine Island Elementary School: Marissa Carlton
• Special Education, Port Jervis:
• Port Jervis Middle School, Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School: Lauren Miller
• Special Education, Pine Bush
• Pakanasink Elementary School: Suzanne Arrington

B. STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL

Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Procedures

Orange-Ulster BOCES follows the New York State Standard Response Protocols (SRP’s) to ensure a uniform, efficient, and safe approach to any school emergency. This protocol outlines the immediate actions all staff and students should take in response to various emergency scenarios.

Initial Response Actions: Safe Schools NY Protocol

The five standard emergency response protocols are:

• Shelter – Weather or environmental hazard. Seal spaces, transition to interior structural rooms away from glass.
• Hold – Isolated corridor incident (e.g., medical emergency, behavioral crisis, fight, bomb threat). Keep students in rooms, clear hallways until cleared.
• Evacuate – Fire or structural hazard. Move occupants along pre-mapped paths to exterior Safe Assembly Areas.
• Secure Lockout – Threat outside building. Bring everyone inside, lock all exterior doors, increase situational scanning. Business as usual inside classrooms.
• Lockdown – Immediate internal threat. Clear halls, lock rooms, lights out, maintain absolute silence. Prepare to run / hide / fight.

Critical Command Parameters

• Universal Lockdown Authority: Any staff member who observes an immediate threat to life is legally and operationally authorized to trigger a Lockdown immediately. They do not need administrative pre-approval.
• Incidental Stand-Down Rule: During an active Lockdown, personnel within the impacted zone focus exclusively on interior survival. They will not answer doors or reply to internal communication channels. External Response Operations must be managed from an outside uncompromised building or mobile command post.
• Contextual Safe Areas: A "Safe Area" is dynamic and hazard-dependent. Staff are encouraged to use field discretion to pivot if primary escape vectors are compromised.
  Evacuate Alternative: Move uphill / upwind of smoke, chemical vapors, or structural threats.
  Lockdown Alternative: If caught in open corridors with no lockable room available, immediately apply Run, Hide, Fight defensive principles.

C. COORDINATION AND ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

EMERGENCY DISPATCH PIPELINE
DIAL 9-1-1 FOR ALL EMERGENCIES: POLICE - FIRE - EMS

The district works in close synchronization with municipal emergency services. The Chief Operating Officer (or Chief Emergency Officer) serves as the primary Emergency Management Coordinator, interfacing directly with the Orange County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during county-wide disasters.

EMERGENCY AGENCY DIRECTORY

• Orange County Sheriff’s Office: 845-291-2329 / 7929
• Town of Goshen Police: 845-294-9555
• Village of Goshen Police: 845-294-7988
• New York State Police: 845-344-5300
• Goshen Fire Department: 845-294-3448
• Goshen Town Government: 845-294-6250
• Goshen Village Government: 845-294-6750
• Garnet Medical Center: 845-333-1000
• Goshen Ambulance: 845-294-9695
• Orange County EMO: 845-615-0400
• Town of Newburgh Police: 845-564-1100
• City of Newburgh Police: 845-561-3131
• Town of Warwick Police: 845-986-3423
• City of Port Jervis Police: 845-856-5101
• Town of Deerpark Police: 845-856-4333
• Town of Wallkill Police: 845-692-6757
• FBI: 845-220-4200

Utility System Emergency Lines

• Poison Control: 1-914-366-3030
• Orange & Rockland Utilities: Gas 1-800-533-5325 / Electrical 1-877-434-4100
• Central Hudson Gas & Electric: Gas 1-800-942-8274 / Electrical 1-800-527-2714
• New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG): Gas 1-800-572-1121 / Electrical 1-800-572-1131

EMERGENCY RESOURCES AND CRISIS RESPONSE KITS

Inventory of Command Assets

To manage incidents before first responders arrive, each command post maintains an array of accessible administrative resources, including complete digital District-Wide Plans, confidential BLERPs, Critical Response Group (CRG) digital building floor plans, two-way multi-channel radios, comprehensive student rosters, and high-priority special needs medical registries.

Rapid Response Crisis Kits

Every principal or building administrator must keep two identical Rapid Response Crisis Kits on opposite sides of each school building (one in the main office suite and one in a secure, distant structural location) to ensure accessibility if one half of the campus is cut off.

These kits must include:

1. Building Master Keys and secure access fobs.
2. High-visibility incident identification vests (Incident Command roles).
3. Comprehensive classroom telephone and internal radio channel maps.
4. Up-to-date building utility shut-off master diagrams (Water, Gas, Electrical).
5. Comprehensive student/staff rosters with daily attendance exceptions.
6. Special emergency medical tracking sheets (nursing/medication rules).

PROTECTIVE ACTION OPTIONS

Decisions regarding school schedule modifications are directed by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) in coordination with regional transportation departments and emergency management personnel.

School Cancellation

• Protocol: Executed prior to student transit when weather, system utility failures, or external structural hazards threaten the safe opening of facilities.
• Action Chain: The COO coordinates notifications across mass media platforms, pushes digital alerts via Finalsite Connect, and alters district web portals and regional transportation hubs.

Early Dismissal

• Protocol: Activated when a developing crisis requires facilities to be cleared before regular dismissal hours.
• Action Chain: The district coordinates with the Transportation Supervisor to deploy bus Fleets ahead of schedule. A dedicated Parent Information Center is established online or via an unaffected external hotline. Essential administrative, nursing, and security teams must remain on site until all students are verified as successfully returned home or transferred to legal guardians.

Emergency Evacuation & Off-Site Relocation

• Protocol: Triggered by acute internal hazards (such as fire, structural breaches, gas leaks, or validated bomb threats).
• Action Chain: Building leaders clear structures using pre-mapped BLERP routes to Safe Assembly Areas. Accountability managers run 100% checks of student and visitor rosters. If the hazard requires prolonged exposure control, the district mobilizes buses to move occupants to designated secure off-site locations.

Shelter-in-Place (Internal & External Safekeeping)

• Protocol: Implemented during active external environmental threats (such as hazardous material rail/highway spills) or surrounding community law enforcement actions.
• Action Chain: All external building perimeters are locked down while interior operations shift to designated structural safe rooms. The Public Information Officer (PIO) handles communications with families and media outlets while safety monitors track human needs (medical supplies, hydration, food, and facilities access) during extended holds.

Late Dismissal Hold

• Protocol: Implemented when severe weather gridlock, active area law enforcement searches, or local highway logistics failures make immediate student transport dangerous.
• Action Chain: Students are safely held inside classrooms past normal dismissal times. Parents are updated continuously via ParentSquare regarding estimated departure adjustments, while staff teams—including health and security personnel—remain deployed for extended student care.

A. DISTRICT SUPPORT FOR BUILDINGS: PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTERMATH

Orange-Ulster BOCES recognizes that the structural stabilization of a physical facility is only the first phase of emergency recovery. Managing the psychological and emotional aftermath of a school tragedy is a critical mandate.

The district utilizes a multi-tiered, trauma-informed mobilization strategy to reduce collective fear, facilitate healthy grieving, and restore a supportive learning environment.

CORE PRINCIPLES OF POSTVENTION CARE

• Reduction of Acute Fear: Fear thrives in a factual vacuum. The district minimizes panic and irrational anxiety by quickly delivering clear, age-appropriate, and verified factual data to staff, students, and families, thereby eliminating rumors. Normal structural schedules are maintained with as few disruptions as possible to restore a sense of predictability and safety.
• Expression of Natural Grief: Grief is an appropriate response to trauma. Postvention actions accommodate a broad spectrum of emotional responses. Program leaders ensure that counseling protocols encourage expressive recovery (verbal communication, art, writing, and counseling sessions) rather than stoic suppression.
• Constructive Educational Processing: Crises offer profound, painful opportunities for emotional development. Crisis clinicians help students and staff evaluate their trauma responses, learn effective mutual-aid behaviors, and process the realities of loss in a healthy manner.

Deployment Hierarchy

In the event of a critical loss, sudden death, or large-scale community trauma:

• The Chief Operating Officer’s office, through Instructional Support Services, will assist in the coordination and activation of the regional Post-Incident Response Resources (CISM).
• The district will coordinate directly with the Orange County Department of Mental Health to trigger the County-Wide Response Plan to Sudden Child / Adolescent Death, deploying external crisis counselors, behavioral specialists, and traumatic loss coalitions to the affected campus.

B. POSTVENTION OPERATIONAL CHECKLIST & SYSTEM TASKS

To guide building administrators through recovery, the district adapts the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Multi-Hazard Program for Schools checklist into nineteen (19) targeted operational tasks:

1. Core Command and Communication Roles

• Task 1: Crisis Response Team Selection: Activate a highly specialized 3-to-5 member incident management sub-team consisting of building administrators, clinical staff (psychologists/social workers), and security leaders to direct postvention logistics.
• Task 2: Media Liaison Containment: Designate the District Director of Communications as the sole media point-of-contact. News crews, reporters, and cameras are strictly prohibited on campus properties. Staff and students are directed to route all inquiries to the communications desk.
• Task 3: Family Liaison Deployment: Appoint a compassionate, trained representative to interface directly with the family of the deceased or injured. This liaison coordinates mutual aid, determines the family’s wishes regarding funeral/memorial visibility, and discreetly manages the flow of supportive information.
• Task 4: Rapid Staff Notification Network: Execute mass communication alerts (via ParentSquare and secure emergency emails) immediately after an incident to brief all instructional, custodial, administrative, and transportation personnel, directing them to a mandatory morning safety briefing.

2. External Resource Integration

• Task 5: Crisis Consultant Oversight: Retain an external specialist in trauma and traumatic loss to advise the Building Crisis Team, evaluate the effectiveness of the response, and monitor internal school counselors for compassion fatigue.
• Task 6: Community Response Personnel: Mobilize an immediate network of pre-vetted local mental health professionals, regional clergy, and county social workers to embed within the school facilities on the days following a tragedy.

3. Classroom and Campus Logistics 

• Task 7: Guided Classroom Discussion - During the initial morning instructional block, teachers deliver verified facts in a calm, low-key manner to halt rumors. Instructors provide a clear schedule of the day's safety accommodations and direct students to available counseling spaces.
• Task 8: Crisis Center & Counseling Rooms - Establish a high-visibility, dedicated Counseling Center equipped with outside phone access. A coordinator is stationed in the room at all times to route students, staff, and external support assets efficiently.
• Task 9: Funeral & Ritual Attendance Policy - Establish an official posture on funeral attendance. The Crisis Team coordinates parent permission rules, transport logistics for students wishing to attend, and substitute coverage for staff members attending services.
• Task 10: Permanent School Memorial Policy - Establish structured, healthy parameters for permanent memorials (such as scholarships, yearbook pages, or tree plantings) in consultation with the family of the deceased, avoiding highly visible, triggering displays in common hallways.
• Task 11: Student Leader Collaboration - Coordinate with formal student organization leaders and peer counselors to gauge the student body's emotional climate and direct vulnerable individuals to professional resources.
• Task 12: Therapeutic Resource Tables - Instruct library media staff to curate accessible resource materials, pamphlets, and educational guides on trauma processing, coping mechanisms, and managing acute grief.
• Task 13: Substitute Teacher Deployment - Maintain a priority registry of emergency substitute teachers to step into classrooms if an instructor becomes emotionally overwhelmed or needs to utilize crisis counseling services.

4. Long-Term Vulnerability Tracking and Evaluation

• Task 14: Morning-After Staff Briefing: Execute a mandatory meeting for all building personnel (including cafeteria workers, bus operators, custodians, and volunteers) 30 to 45 minutes prior to the student arrival bell to review the safety plan, deliver talking points, and answer questions.
• Task 15: Tracking At-Risk Student Cohorts: Instruct counselors and faculty to proactively review student databases to identify high-risk individuals—specifically close friends of the deceased, romantic partners, or students with an active history of severe depression.
• Data Privacy Mandate: All behavioral tracking, clinical notations, and critical diagnostic referrals compiled during postvention care must be stored within a secure, encrypted system in strict compliance with FERPA and NYS Education Law §2-d data governance rules.
• Task 16: Informative Parent Communication: Draft and distribute a transparent, supportive digital letter to all families before the end of the first recovery school day. The communication provides verified incident facts, details the school's clinical response, outlines signs of severe trauma to watch for at home, and shares crisis hotline data.
• Task 17: After-School Debriefing Sessions: Hold a mandatory staff evaluation meeting at the conclusion of the first recovery day. Teams review structural performance, identify students who exhibited acute distress, adjust counselor assignments, and support exhausted faculty members.
• Task 18: Evening Community Forums: When appropriate, hold a structured evening informational forum for parents and neighbors a few days after the crisis. Led by the Crisis Consultant, this meeting provides community members with guidance on supporting grieving adolescents.
• Task 19: Postvention Efficacy Evaluation: Three to four weeks following the event, reconvene the core Crisis Response Team to perform a formal post-incident assessment. The team reviews data, updates postvention policy text based on lessons learned, and verifies that long-term mental health monitoring continues for deeply impacted individuals.

C. GENERAL RECOVERY OPERATIONAL CHECKLIST

The post-incident recovery phase begins immediately following the containment of an acute hazard. The Incident Command Team executes the following sequential checklist to stabilize the district community:

1. Support Resource Assessment: Evaluate the scope of the incident to determine the immediate volume of psychological, medical, and operational mutual aid required.
2. County Plan Activation: Notify the Orange-Ulster BOCES Central Office to activate the Orange County Department of Mental Health County-Wide Crisis Plan if regional clinical backup is necessary.
3. Logistics and Crowd Management: Designate an operational lead to manage traffic control, crowd containment, and visitor redirection at the affected site.
4. End-of-Day Staff Synchronization: Assemble all building faculty, auxiliary workers, and support staff prior to dismissal on Day One to deliver verified situational updates and clear instructions for the following morning.
5. Executive Alignment Briefing: Meet with Central Office Administration (and Board of Education members, if appropriate) to review the incident timeline, evaluate the response, and solidify immediate protocols for Day Two.
6. Media Boundary Enforcement: Assign the official District Spokesperson to manage all media vectors and shield personnel, students, and families from press intrusion.
7. Community Resource Mobilization: Assess localized community needs. Coordinate with Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTOs) or municipal agencies to establish secondary support infrastructure, such as family informational meetings, childcare resources, or food distribution services.
8. Next-Day Morning Debriefing: Conduct an early morning briefing on Day Two for all mental health clinicians, support service providers, and building administrators to align assignments.
9. Clinical Deployment: Assign incoming mutual-aid counselors and trauma specialists to specific rooms and structural zones across affected facilities.
10. Hospital Liaison Support: Designate specific district representatives (such as health office personnel) to serve as institutional liaisons for hospitalized individuals, ensuring strict adherence to family privacy boundaries.
11. Information Monitoring & Adjustments: Deploy official press releases when contextually appropriate. Continuously monitor the medical status of critically injured individuals throughout the day to adjust the postvention response if a condition shifts.
12. Spiritual & Community Care Frameworks: Evaluate the community climate to determine the need for coordinating with inclusive regional interfaith networks, non-denominational support groups, or secular community care frameworks.
13. Institutional Funeral Representation: Establish an administrative protocol to organize and designate voluntary staff or community representatives to attend visitations and funeral services.
14. Status Update Chain: Maintain a continuous, secure information pipeline to keep key district coordinators and board leadership informed of situational changes.
15. Continuous Debriefing Cycle: Hold mandatory clinical debriefing sessions at the beginning and conclusion of every school day until the acute crisis stage has passed. Anticipate and prepare for long-term psychological echoes, recognizing that initial shock can obscure the true depth of a community's mental health needs.

D. COUNTY OF ORANGE COUNTY-WIDE RESPONSE TO SUDDEN CHILD / ADOLESCENT DEATH PLAN

1. Structural Purpose and Alliance Framework

The tragic reality of sudden adolescent loss requires an organized, multi-jurisdictional approach. Orange-Ulster BOCES participates in a formal alliance alongside regional educational leaders and the Orange County Department of Mental Health to administer the County-Wide Response Plan to Sudden Child/Adolescent Death.

This plan ensures that any component or host school district can immediately access specialized, external trauma teams for one to two days post-incident, while following strict, standardized procedural guidelines to prevent secondary trauma or contagion.

2. Strategic Operational Phases

Phase I: Preparatory Protocols (Pre-Incident Controls)

• Clinical Team Matching: Districts pre-designate specific internal clinical support personnel (school psychologists, social workers, licensed counselors) to serve on building-level crisis teams.
• Crisis Space Pre-Mapping: Building principals pre-identify specific interior rooms (such as guidance suites or multi-purpose rooms) to serve as dedicated Crisis Stabilization Centers.
• Scalability Estimations: District leadership pre-calculates the threshold at which external county crisis resources must be requested to supplement internal staff.
• Operational Command Substitutes: Identify and train an Assistant Organizer within each facility to assume immediate leadership over recovery operations if the principal is personally impacted or unavailable.

Phase II: The Alert Day Protocol (Immediate Post-Incident Actions)

Note: This phase typically occurs immediately following notification of a sudden loss, often over a weekend or after instructional hours.

1. Verification & Activation: Upon receiving confirmation of a sudden death, the building principal or central administrator immediately contacts in-district Crisis Team members.
2. Regional Resource Request: The district representative contacts the Chief Operating Officer or Deputy Superintendent of Orange-Ulster BOCES to formally request immediate deployment of the County-Wide Crisis Team.
3. Media & Logistics Lock: The COO confirms the activation of the primary media spokesperson. Concurrently, the building principal activates the designated Assistant Organizer to prepare the physical school building for the upcoming day.
4. Inter-School Risk Analysis: The principal coordinates with crisis teams at neighboring district schools to identify and support siblings, relatives, or close friends attending other regional facilities.
5. Parent Inquiry Desk: Assign a dedicated administrator or office lead to manage incoming parent calls, ensuring uniform, accurate communication.
6. Staff Telephone Chain: Activate the emergency phone, text, or email tree to mandate a faculty and staff meeting prior to the arrival bell on Day One.

Phase III: Day One Protocol (On-Site Crisis Stabilization)

A. Mandatory Morning Faculty Briefing

• Prior to student arrival, the building principal and crisis team conduct a closed meeting with all facility staff to execute the following:
• Establish Fact Baseline: Review verified facts to clear out social media rumors and gossip.
• Deploy Logistics: Introduce incoming external crisis team members, map out the day's modified schedule, and confirm the exact locations of the Crisis Stabilization Centers.
• Clinical Guidance: Mental health professionals brief teachers on expected behavioral reactions, share intervention strategies, and provide immediate support to staff members who are experiencing intense grief.
• Vulnerability Mapping: Distribute explicit checklists for identifying high-need students or close friends of the deceased who require immediate, proactive clinical follow-up.

B. Classroom Intervention Parameters

• Free Expression & Securing Routines: Teachers are encouraged to allow controlled, supportive expression of grief within the classroom. The core objective is to return to standard, predictable routines within the school day as safely as possible. Mass school-wide assemblies or spontaneous public memorial structures are discouraged to prevent emotional escalation.
• Demythologizing Guidelines: Staff are directed to clear out rumors immediately and systematically discourage the glamorization or romanticization of suicide. Discussions must focus on honoring the family's grief and steering students toward constructive, real-world coping strategies.
• Targeted Student Assemblies: Principals, guidance staff, and clinical clinicians may meet with students by grade level or homeroom to reinforce the availability of the Crisis Stabilization Center, address shared fears, and empower students to escort any distressed peer to a safe adult.

C. Post-Dismissal Operations

• Parental Intervention Calls: Clinical staff make direct telephone contact with the parents or guardians of any student who exhibited intense distress during the day. Staff explain the child’s specific reactions, provide behavioral guidance for home care, or coordinate immediate parental pick-up.
• End-of-Day Faculty Debriefing: Reassemble all building personnel at the conclusion of Day One to debrief. Teams evaluate the day's challenges, catalog vulnerable students based on staff observations, and provide a mutual support space for emotionally exhausted faculty members.

Phase IV: Long-Term Follow-Up Activities

The Crisis Team continually routes long-term stabilization recommendations to the building principal and Superintendent. Follow-up operations prioritize the following actions:

• Objective Consultation: Maintain engagement with outside trauma consultants to provide objective, non-emotionally involved direction for ongoing recovery plans.
• High-Risk Notification & Due Diligence: Contact the parents of all students identified as "high-risk" to provide a directory of local Orange and Ulster County mental health resources.
• Administrative Protocol: If a student exhibits severe, ongoing risk factors, the principal and Chief Operating Officer will send a formal letter to the parents or guardians strongly recommending a private professional evaluation. It is recommended to send this communication via Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested to formally document the district's due diligence.
• Community Mental Health Forums: Conduct evening informational forums led by outside trauma consultants for concerned parents and neighbors, focusing on adolescent depression screening, tracking warning signs, and utilizing county health resources.
• Frontline Staff Postvention Support: Organize dedicated, mandatory processing and clinical support sessions for the "frontline" counselors, nurses, and safety personnel who managed the primary weight of the crisis, preventing secondary traumatic stress.

Introduction and Scope

While primary emergency procedures prioritize immediate life-safety, tactical containment, and medical triage, this Addendum establishes the operational framework for managing the psychological, clinical, and structural aftermath of a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI).

Large-scale disasters require a multi-year recovery apparatus. This plan details the mechanism for activating, embedding, and transitioning regional, county, and state mental health professionals to the impacted site to stabilize the district ecosystem and safely restore instructional operations.

PRE-CRISIS PLANNING & TRAINING CONTROLS

To guarantee administrative readiness prior to a catastrophic event, the district enforces the following preparation standards:

• Annual Policy Maintenance: The District-Wide School Safety Plan and all building-level emergency response protocols are reviewed, updated, and re-authorized annually. Building administrators must conduct an annual review of crisis roles with all staff.
• NIMS & Clinical Training Matrix: Key administrators, emergency coordinators, and pupil personnel service (PPS) staff must maintain active certifications in the following disciplines:
  National Incident Management System (NIMS) & Incident Command System (ICS) protocols.
  Advanced Crisis Intervention and Psychological First Aid (PFA).
  Traumatic Loss Grief Counseling and long-term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) clinical screening.
• Multi-Tiered Communication Matrices: Maintain a dedicated crisis communications playbook establishing explicit timelines, verification steps, and distinct messaging templates for targeted distribution to staff, families, Board of Education members, the New York State Education Department (NYSED), medical facilities, and the press.
• Regional Asset Repositories: Maintain an updated, secure registry of community mutual-aid resources, including emergency medical professionals, volunteer support agencies, disaster relief organizations, private security firms, and regional county/state emergency management contacts.
• Trauma Resource Libraries: Maintain a centralized digital database of trauma-informed behavioral literature and psychological coping guides tailored for parents, instructors, and clinical responders.

THE DAY OF THE DISASTER: IMMEDIATE COMMAND ACTIONS 

In the event of a Mass Casualty Incident on district property, the Chief Operating Officer, District Chief Emergency Officer, or their designees will immediately execute the following command directives: 

1. Emergency Center Activation 

Dial 9-1-1 to contact the Orange County Emergency Services Center. Explicitly report a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) to instantly trigger the Orange County Mass Casualty Incident Plan and mobilize multi-agency tactical, medical, and transport assets. 

2. Regional Postvention Mobilization 

Contact the Orange-Ulster BOCES Central Office to activate the County-Wide Response Plan. Provide the regional command desk with: 

• The precise nature and physical scale of the incident. 
• A high-end projection of the number of incoming mutual-aid Crisis Team members required. 
• The specific composition of personnel needed (e.g., school psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses). 

3. Operational Task Committee Delegations 

The Incident Commander will organize district personnel into seven dedicated operational branches to manage recovery logistics. These branches must meet daily throughout the acute phase: 

• Branch A: Crisis Coordination: Oversees the entire postvention footprint, builds daily clinician schedules, and serves as the primary advisor to executive leadership regarding on-site resource gaps. 
• Branch B: Parent Notification: Executes automated mass-alerts and operates dedicated phone banks to deliver verified incident details, transportation logistics, and safety instructions directly to parents and guardians. 
• Branch C: Student-Parent Reunification Center (SPRC): Establishes a highly secure, climate-controlled shelter zone isolated from the tactical area. Implements rigid, ID-verified tracking procedures to govern and document the safe release of students to authorized guardians. 
• Branch D: Clinical Intervention: Embeds internal staff and arriving mutual-aid clinicians into designated zones. A designated District Team Leader briefs arriving mutual-aid staff, coordinates shift rotations, and tracks high-risk student behavioral metrics. 
• Branch E: Media Containment & Boundary Control: Isolates all press personnel inside a designated, off-site Media Center. Enforces strict district regulations prohibiting unauthorized photography, videotaping, or interviewer access to students and staff. 
• Branch F: Volunteer and Donation Logistics: Registers, vets, and coordinates all incoming spontaneous volunteer services (e.g., emergency food provisions, childcare for impacted families, transport logistics, and financial donations). 
• Branch G: Multi-Facility Risk Mapping: Contacts crisis teams at neighboring buildings or external districts to trace and provide immediate counseling  coverage for siblings, neighbors, or close friends of victims who attend other regional facilities. 

4. Strategic Site Adjustments

• Hospital Crisis Staffing: Deploy specialized Crisis Team members directly to regional receiving hospitals to establish immediate command posts, supporting families, coordinating logistics, and shielding them from public intrusion.
• Emergency Facility Closures: Authorize the immediate suspension of instruction and secure closure of affected facilities. Issue public notifications via established district media networks.
• Structural Re-Entry Directive: Following any catastrophic physical event, the affected facility shall remain under an absolute lockdown. No staff, students, or administrators may re-occupy the facility until a licensed structural engineer conducts a comprehensive assessment and issues a formal certification of structural integrity.
• Logistical Center Mapping: Establish two tiers of counseling zones within safe facilities: large, open areas for communal gathering, nourishment, and shared discussion; and private, sound-insulated rooms for intense, one-on-one psychological stabilization.
• Information Redundancy Protocols: Recognizing that acute trauma severely impairs cognitive retention and causes memory gaps or factual confusion, administrators must clearly display and frequently refresh vital instructions across all physical and digital messaging spaces.

5. Crisis Documentation Packets

To ensure absolute continuity of care, the Crisis Team will instantly assemble and distribute the following standardized packets:

• All Crisis Team Members & Administrators: Complete operational rosters detailing clinician names, home organizations, verified contact numbers, shift lengths, and explicit zone assignments.
• Arriving Mutual-Aid Responders: Comprehensive Crisis Plan Overviews defining local command reporting lines, operational guardrails, and highly detailed physical facility floor plans.
• Volunteer Support Workers: Curated community resource reference directories, emergency contact trees, and localized logistical maps.
• Faculty and Instructional Staff: Clinical manuals detailing the psychological indicators of acute trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) warning signs, classroom behavioral tracking logs, and student counseling referral slips.
• Parents and Community Members: Coping strategies, home-care guidance for traumatized youth, and immediate 24/7 crisis hotline access directories.

THE DAY(S) AFTER THE DISASTER: SHORT-TERM CONTINUITY

Executive leadership and building administrators coordinate short-term continuity operations through the following mandates:

• Adaptive Instructional Suspension: Maintain the suspension of standard classes as long as contextually necessary. Keep facilities open exclusively as Crisis Support Sites to provide counseling, secure childcare, and parental resources. Teachers remain stationed within their spaces to anchor the environment with a visible sense of stability and support.
• Roster Integrity & Acknowledgment Protocols: Maintain absolute tracking logs of all active mutual-aid clinicians and community volunteers (names, organizational affiliations, precise dates/hours served, and work locations) to ensure accurate post-incident debriefing and formal written institutional acknowledgments.
• Bereavement & Memorial Controls: Coordinate voluntary district representation at visitations and funeral services. Implement non-denominational, inclusive, and secular community support frameworks to avoid structural violations of the Establishment Clause.
• Continuous Hospital Care Tracking: Maintain daily administrative and counseling touchpoints with hospitalized students and staff, providing an ongoing bridge between the families and the district.
• Public Informational Forums: Organize structured community briefings in partnership with outside trauma experts. These forums provide verified situational realities, outline available disaster assistance or mental health resources, and allow structured community comment within a controlled environment.
• Financial Ombudsmen Coordination: Assign a central business official to act as a financial liaison between medical facilities, risk management providers, and families to streamline direct insurance billing, minimizing secondary financial stress for impacted households.
• Unified Daily Debriefing Loops: Execute mandatory morning and evening synchronization briefings across all responder tiers to update patient clinical statuses, re-assign staff clusters, adjust the operational footprint, and arrange for immediate substitute teacher coverage.
• Command Resiliency Mandate: School leaders must actively monitor all frontline responders and administrators for acute trauma and decision-making fatigue. The Incident Commander is authorized to mandate immediate temporary relief from command roles or enforce shift rotations for any personnel showing signs of psychological exhaustion. Outside trauma clinicians will be utilized to run formal debriefings for affected faculty, transportation teams, and support staff.

LONG-TERM RESPONSE & RECOVERY TRANSITION

By the second- or third-day post-incident, long-term stabilization plans must be established by leadership to manage the multi-year timeline of a Mass Casualty Incident:

[Acute Crisis Phase] → [Warm Handoff Protocols] → [Long-Term Clinical Care]

• Strategic Transition Planning: Meet with the Crisis Coordinating Committee to map long-term structural and psychological milestones, auditing operational capacity to scale response resources.
• Clinical Staffing Rotations: Formally arrange for secondary and tertiary waves of replacement counselors to relieve exhausted frontline staff, preventing burnout.
• Warm Handoff Protocols: Meet directly with representatives from regional public mental health systems, private clinical networks, and state providers to execute an organized, explicitly defined "handoff" of long-term trauma cases from acute crisis teams to permanent care networks.
• Persistent High-Risk Tracking: Maintain a secure, confidential tracking index of highly vulnerable individuals, ensuring continuous clinical monitoring, targeted academic accommodations, and structured family outreach throughout the subsequent school years.
• Formal Incident Compilation: Designate an administrative lead to compile all crisis response data, operational timelines, and logs into a definitive written After-Action Report (AAR) to guide future policy modifications.
• Resource Staffing Projections: Continually evaluate district hiring patterns, instructional frameworks, and budget priorities to accommodate long-term mental health support demands across the school community.
• Disaster Mental Health Infrastructure: Maintain open communication lines with the County Health Department and external mental health authorities, utilizing the temporary reassignment of district providers to ensure sustained care following any large-scale emergency.

Emanuel Axelrod Special and Alternative Education Center
103 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Special and Alternative Education

Administration
103 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Administrative Offices

Career & Technical Education Center
39 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Career and Technical Education
• Adult Education (Evenings)

Operations – Health & Safety / Carl P. Onken Conference Center
43 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924

• Operations - Health & Safety
• Risk Management
• Conference Center

Terrence L. Olivo Building at the Regional Education Center at Arden Hill
4 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924

• Special and Alternative Education
• Career and Technical Education
• Receiving
• Communications
• Information Technology
• Instructional Support Services

Central Administration Building
2 Harriman Drive, Goshen, NY 10924

• Administrative Offices

Including Communities
129 West Main St, Goshen, NY 10924

• Satellite / Community Program

Goshen Main Street
227 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Newburgh Adult Learning Center
3 Washington Center, Newburgh, NY 12550

• Adult Education

Middle Hope Elementary School
62 Overlook Drive, Newburgh, NY 12550

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Chester Academy
64 Hambletonian Ave, Chester, NY 10918

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Minisink Valley High School & Middle School
2320 Route 6, Slate Hill, NY 10973

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Otisville Elementary School
2525 Mount Hope Road, Otisville, NY 10963

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Pine Island Elementary School
20 School House Road, Pine Island, NY 10990

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School
929 US-209, Cuddebackville, NY 12729

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Port Jervis Middle School
10 Route 209, Port Jervis, NY 12771

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Pakanasink Elementary School
1953 NY-302, Circleville, NY 10919

• Satellite / Special and Alternative Education

Annually, Orange-Ulster BOCES files the Building-Level Emergency Response Plans with local law enforcement agencies, as well as the New York State Police through the web portal.

Local law enforcement agencies that receive our plans are:

• Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• Town of Goshen Police Department
• Village of Goshen Police Department
• Town of Newburgh Police Department
• City of Newburgh Police Department
• Town of Warwick Police Department
• City of Port Jervis Police Department (via Port Jervis CSD ERP)
• Town of Deerpark Police Department (via Port Jervis CSD ERP)
• Town of Wallkill Police Department (via Pine Bush CSD ERP)

REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT & ON-SITE SECURITY PERSONNEL AGREEMENTS

Orange-Ulster BOCES utilizes a multi-layered campus safety structure that incorporates both public law enforcement personnel and contracted private security operations. To ensure absolute compliance with New York State Education Law § 2801-a(10) and Commissioner’s Regulation 8 NYCRR § 155.17, the operational roles, duties, and strict behavioral boundaries of these entities are defined below.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office — School Safety Deputies (SSDs)

• Primary Operational Role: SSDs provide a visible, armed law enforcement presence across BOCES educational campuses. Their primary objectives are to deter criminal activity, monitor facility access control points, provide tactical security guidance, and execute immediate counter-threat operations during critical life-safety emergencies.
• Administrative Note: This agreement is administered and standardized directly by the Orange County Government. Orange-Ulster BOCES maintains minimal formatting control over the underlying boilerplate legal text; however, the district explicitly enforces the statutory operational boundaries detailed below.

Atlas Security Services, Inc. — Contracted Security Personnel

• Primary Operational Role: Contracted security personnel from Atlas Security Services provide supplemental security infrastructure, including facility monitoring, perimeter safety checks, visitor screening enforcement, and localized traffic / pedestrian control across designated BOCES sites and events.
• Operational Integration: Atlas Security personnel function as vital components of the frontline security team, escalating active security breaches or criminal threats directly to on-site SSDs, local or State Police and or local emergency dispatchers.

Community Engagement and Positive School Climate

Beyond traditional physical security measures, Orange-Ulster BOCES recognizes that true campus safety is rooted in trust, communication, and mutual respect.

• Proactive Relationship Building: Both School Safety Deputies and contracted security personnel are strongly encouraged to actively interact with students, faculty, and staff in a positive, non-adversarial manner during the school day.
• Fostering a Culture of Safety: Through daily informal conversations, visibility during non-instructional times (such as arrivals, departures, and lunch periods), and participation in school safety education, personnel help cultivate a welcoming campus environment.
• Engaged Bystander Culture: By establishing approachable, trusting relationships, safety personnel play a key role in fostering an engaged bystander school community. This encourages students and staff to feel comfortable, confident, and supported when reporting safety concerns, potential threats, or peers in need of crisis intervention ("see something, say something").

Statutory Boundaries and the Discipline "Firewall" (Mandatory)

In accordance with New York State statutory mandates, both the Orange County Sheriff's SSDs and Atlas Security Services personnel are governed by the following strict operational boundaries while deployed on BOCES property:

• The Discipline Firewall: The management, enforcement, and execution of student discipline remain the sole and exclusive responsibility of school administrators and designated educational staff. Neither law enforcement deputies nor private security guards shall be requested, permitted, or utilized to handle routine classroom behavioral infractions, enforce internal school regulations, or intervene in administrative disciplinary processes that do not present an active criminal violation or an immediate threat to physical safety.
• Code of Conduct Alignment: The presence, operational actions, and professional conduct of all on-site law enforcement and security contract personnel shall at all times conform with and support the standards established in the approved Orange-Ulster BOCES Code of Conduct.

Verification and Execution Records

The respective county authorization records, standardized municipal agreements, and executed corporate procurement documents establishing active status for both the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Atlas Security Services are maintained securely on file within the district administrative offices.

Purpose and Authority

This protocol defines the operational implementation of Orange-Ulster BOCES Board Policy 6312 (Student Behavior) within the District-Wide School Safety Plan. It establishes the mandatory procedural safety boundaries for all instructional staff, administrators, and crisis-trained support teams responding to student behavioral emergencies, with specific emphasis on programs within the Special Education division.

Standard Tiered Behavioral Intervention

• Classroom-Level Management: Instructional staff shall manage non-emergency behavioral disruptions utilizing established school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and student-specific Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).
• Administrative Escalation: When a student’s behavior escalates beyond classroom-level management and necessitates supervisory intervention, staff must immediately contact the Program Director, building administrator, or the designated crisis-response team. All such incidents require the immediate completion of formal behavioral documentation.

Emergency Crisis Response & Physical Intervention Boundaries

In circumstances where a student experiences a severe behavioral crisis, the phrase "whatever action is appropriate" within Board Policy 6312 is strictly and exclusively defined by New York State regulatory boundaries. Staff must adhere to the following emergency protocols:

• Imminent Risk Standard: Physical intervention or emergency restraint may only be used as an absolute last resort in crisis situations where a student's behavior poses an imminent risk of serious physical injury to themselves or others.
• Prohibited Practices: In accordance with 8 NYCRR Part 19.5, the use of corporal punishment, aversive interventions, seclusion, mechanical restraints, and prone (face-down) physical restraints is strictly prohibited under any circumstances by any BOCES staff member.
• Certified Staff Restriction: Only personnel who maintain current, annual certification in state-approved crisis intervention and de-escalation frameworks (e.g., Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools [TCIS] or Crisis Prevention Institute [CPI]) are authorized to implement an emergency physical restraint.

Mandatory Post-Incident Notification & Documentation

Following any crisis or emergency behavioral intervention, the following multi-agency notifications must be executed within legally mandated NYSED timelines:

• Immediate Notifications: The student’s parents / guardians, the home school district Principal, and the BOCES Central Administration must be notified immediately (and no later than the same day as the incident).
• Special Education Continuity: The student’s home district Committee on Special Education (CSE) Representative must be formally notified to review the incident. If the emergency intervention results in a disciplinary removal or a pattern of behavioral exclusions, it shall immediately trigger an assessment of the student's Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and the scheduling of a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR).

Regulatory References:

• New York State Education Law § 3214
• 8 NYCRR § 100.2(l) (School Code of Conduct Mandates)
• 8 NYCRR Part 19.5 (Prohibition of Corporal Punishment, Seclusion, and Prone Restraint) 
• Orange-Ulster BOCES Board Policy 6312 

Legislative and Operational Intent

Orange-Ulster BOCES is committed to maintaining a safe, resilient, and supportive environment for all students, staff, and campus visitors. This appendix establishes the district’s public acknowledgment, inventory controls, and routine maintenance protocols for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and emergency mobility transit equipment.

The deployment and upkeep of these resources are executed in direct alignment with the district-wide Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) managed under Appendix 14, in compliance with NYS Education Law § 2801-a (Desha’s Law), and NYS Education Law § 917.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Public Access Framework

Facility Distribution and Accessibility

• Placement Standards: Operational AED units are strategically distributed across all district-administered instructional facilities, permanent athletic complexes, and designated extracurricular venues.
• Visibility: Devices are housed in uniformly marked, highly visible, and unobstructed protective cabinets to ensure immediate accessibility by trained responders in a medical emergency.
• Mobility Allocation: Portable AED units are allocated to athletic coaching staff and program supervisors to maintain emergency readiness during off-site, school-sponsored events or field experiences.

Technical Maintenance and Quality Assurance

• Manufacturer Standards: All Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) equipment is serviced, updated, and maintained in strict accordance with specifications provided by the device manufacturers and the evidence-based guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA).
• Routine Compliance Inspections: Designated building personnel conduct structural physical inspections of all AED cabinets, units, pediatric/adult pads, and battery power profiles on a monthly basis.
• Safety Office Reporting: Completed monthly inspection logs are submitted directly to the District Safety Office for compliance archiving and programmatic oversight.

Emergency Mobility Operations (Evacuation Chairs)

Scope and Purpose

To ensure equitable safety and accessibility during structural emergencies, the district maintains specialized emergency mobility evacuation chairs. These devices are intended exclusively for assisting individuals who experience temporary or permanent mobility challenges and cannot independently navigate stairwells during an evacuation event, emergency drill, or mechanical elevator service interruption.

Deployment and Structural Compliance

• Strategic Staging: Evacuation chairs are permanently staged in proximity to primary egress stairwells within multi-level campus facilities.
• Operational Safeguards: Hardware inspections are integrated into the district's monthly life-safety maintenance cycles to verify that tracking systems, restraint straps, and braking mechanisms are fully operational.
• Egress Support: During any structural evacuation event, designated and trained members of the Building-Level Emergency Response Team are tasked with deploying this equipment to ensure all individuals are safely and efficiently escorted to designated outdoor assembly zones.

Post-Incident Review and Communications

• Family Notification: Following any emergency event requiring the mobilization of specialized life-safety hardware or external emergency medical services (EMS), district administration will immediately initiate priority contact workflows to notify parents, guardians, or persons in parental relation.
• System Review: Every activation of an AED or emergency evacuation asset is subject to an administrative review directed by the Chief Emergency Officer to ensure adherence to state reporting mandates and to verify equipment replenishment needs.

Introduction

A public health emergency or pandemic is a global outbreak of a novel virus or infectious agent characterized by rapid spread, widespread illness, and potentially high mortality. Unlike seasonal illnesses—which are typically managed through routine annual vaccinations and localized mitigation—a pandemic or public health emergency emerges from a new pathogen, often leaving the population without pre-existing immunity.

This plan outlines the high-level, coordinated strategies designed to protect students, staff, and the broader community through comprehensive planning, structured communication, operational continuity, and coordinated response.

The Orange-Ulster BOCES public health emergency response aligns with the broader framework mandated by New York State Labor Law § 27-c and NYS Education Law § 2801-a, ensuring the activation of necessary protocols to maintain essential operations while safeguarding the health of the school community.

SEQUENTIAL RESPONSE ACTIONS

This checklist serves to assist school officials in managing a coordinated response upon receiving notification from a reliable source regarding a communicable disease outbreak or public health emergency.

Public Health Directive: If notified by local or state health authorities about a pandemic outbreak or imminent public health threat in the region, the District will fully mobilize the comprehensive Public Employer Health and Emergency Plan (PEHEP) and activate the District-Wide Incident Command Structure.

1. Verification and Reporting

• Upon initial notification of a communicable disease from any source, the district will immediately verify and coordinate the report with official health authorities:
• Coordination with Local Health Authorities: Contact the Orange County Department of Health (or the designated regional public health authority) to confirm the statistical validity of the outbreak and to obtain localized data, medical directives, and mitigation instructions.
• Medical Provider Validation: If written or verbal notice is delivered directly to a school building by a student, parent, or staff member via a private physician’s office or hospital, the district health coordinator will confirm the directive with the issuing medical authority and immediately cross-reference the case with the Orange County Department of Health.

2. Internal Chain of Command Mobilization

The District-Wide Incident Command Team will be alerted immediately to evaluate the operational impact. High-level notifications will proceed through the established administrative chain of command via the Chief Emergency Officer or their designated representative, alerting:

• Chief Operating Officer / District Superintendent
• Deputy and Assistant Superintendents
• Director of Operations
• Director of Safety and Security (Chief Emergency Officer)
• Divisional Directors and Principal Stakeholders

3. Continuity of Operations & Public Safety Alignments

• Public Information & Communication: All public-facing communications, family notifications, and media disclosures regarding school operational status, remote learning pivots, or exposure risks will be centralized through the District Public Information Officer (PIO) to ensure absolute alignment with HIPPA, FERPA, and Department of Health guidance.
• Building-Level Activation: The Chief Emergency Officer will direct Building-Level Emergency Response Teams (BLERT) to activate their specific, confidential public health response appendices, including localized isolation protocols, enhanced sanitization schedules, and building-specific staffing matrices.

CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS

Preface

On September 7, 2020, the Governor of New York State signed into law amendments to subdivision 2 of Section 2801-a of the New York State Education Law and New York State Labor Law § 27-c. These amendments require all public employers, including school districts and BOCES, to develop and adopt a public health emergency pandemic plan to ensure continuity of operations. These protocols must explicitly identify and detail:

• Essential employees and their functional roles (per Section 27-c of the Labor Law).
• Telework procedures and technology allocations for non-essential staff.
• Methods for procuring, housing, and distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Policies for cleaning, disinfection, and exposure management to prevent congregate or facility spread.

Note: While this appendix has been informed by lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is designed to serve as an adaptable, foundational response framework for any future infectious disease public health emergency as declared by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) or the Governor.

Declaration of Essential Workers

Due to the unique operational functionalities of a BOCES, many positions must remain operational to support both Orange-Ulster BOCES internal infrastructure and the operational needs of its Component Districts. The titles and roles listed below are deemed essential in times of a mandated workforce reduction or state-ordered facility closure:

Cabinet | Directors | Administration and Support Staff

Justification
Necessary for district-wide executive oversight, emergency planning, continuity of learning logistics, fiscal management, and procurement of emergency goods and services.

• Board of Education (Governance)
• Chief Operating Officer
• Deputy Superintendent
• Assistant Superintendent
• District Superintendent
• Human Resources Staff
• Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Purchasing Staff
• Division Directors and Assistant Directors
• Program Principals (All Instructional & Career and Technical Programs)
• Transportation Coordinator

Custodial Staff

Justification
Needed to maintain sanitary and healthy conditions for the buildings and all essential occupants. May aid in distribution services of food or technology.

• Building Lead Custodians
• All Support Staff Custodians

Maintenance and Grounds Staff

Justification
Needed for the general upkeep and repair of the facilities as well as ensure all building features are functioning as designed. Meet with contractors for equipment install / repair.

• All Maintenance Staff
• All Grounds Staff

Information Technology Staff

Justification
Needed for maintenance and upkeep of data services. Acquisition and distribution of technologies needed for both remote and in person instruction.

• All Technology Staff

Instructional Support Staff

Justification
Needed to assist districts in all instruction needs for both in-person and remote learning.

• Director of Instructional Support Services
• Assistant Director of Instructional Support Services

Food Services Staff

Justification
Needed for meal preparation and distribution for both in-person and remote learning.

• All Food Service Staff

Public Relations and Print Media Staff

Justification
Needed for all notifications to the public for closures or changes in learning. Creation and fabrication of required signage for safe operations.

• Director of Communications
• Information Processing Manager and Staff

Shipping and Receiving Staff

Justification
Needed for acquisition and receiving of goods such as PPE and cleaning supplies. Distribution of goods to component districts as received from the Emergency Operation Center.

• Shipping and Receiving Purchasing Clerk
• Couriers

Safety and Security Staff

Justification
As needed for building access or security of District-Wide Operations or events such as meal or technology distribution.

• Director of Safety and Security
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office – School Safety Deputies
• Atlas Security Services – Security Guards

Operations / Risk Management / Health and Safety Staff

Justification
Needed for planning and implementation of all policies. Inspections and oversight for adherence to all regulations. Ensure all facilities and employees are safe and healthy. Acquisition of supplies. Coordination with the Emergency Operation Center.

• Director of Operations
• Assistant Director of Operations
• Coordinator of Health
• Coordinator of Safety
• Health and Safety Technicians
• Emergency Planning Technicians
• Clerical Support Staff

Members of Response / Planning Teams

Justification
As needed for coordination planning and implementation of policies and procedures.

• District-Wide School Safety Team
• Building-Level Emergency Response Planning Teams
• Building-Level Emergency Response Teams
• Post-Incident Response Teams (Crisis Response Team / CISM)
• Threat Assessment Teams
• Health & Safety Committee

Staggered Schedules

Where possible, essential staff will work on staggered schedules to reduce contact and allow for social distancing. Shared spaces will rotate use or be reconfigured. All shared vehicles will transport only one employee at a time and will be disinfected between uses.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Procurement & Storage

To comply with Labor Law § 27-c and NYS Education Law § 2801-a(2)(m), Orange-Ulster BOCES maintains protocols to ensure adequate supplies are available to safeguard essential workers.

The 60-Day Supply Baseline

Orange-Ulster BOCES will procure and maintain a baseline stockpile of PPE in a quantity sufficient to provide for each essential employee during any given work shift, maintaining an operational target of a 60-day supply based on recommended state emergency management baselines. Each essential worker will be provisioned according to their functional role needs (e.g., standard surgical masks, N95 respirators, face shields, gowns, or nitrile gloves).

Storage and Inventory Control

• Central Storage: The primary stockpile of pandemic PPE will be securely housed within the central warehouse facilities at the main Orange-Ulster BOCES campus.
• Inventory Audits: The Purchasing Department, in coordination with the Operations division, will conduct bi-annual inventory checks to audit expiration dates, rotate stock, and ensure baseline quantities are maintained.

Distribution Protocol

During a declared public health emergency, the Director of Facilities (or designee) will coordinate the localized distribution of PPE.

• Emergency requests or re-supply orders will be submitted by Program Principals or Division Directors via the internal procurement portal.
• PPE will be delivered directly to building main offices or designated distribution hubs weekly to minimize cross-facility travel.

Telework Protocols for Non-Essential Staff

For positions not declared essential, Orange-Ulster BOCES utilizes a robust remote work framework to ensure uninterrupted educational and administrative services.

• Technology Allocation: The Information Technology (IT) Department maintains a rolling inventory of district-issued laptops, Chromebooks, and secure mobile hotspots. Non-essential staff requiring hardware to perform duties remotely will be issued equipment prior to or immediately upon the activation of a mandated workforce reduction.
• Secure Access: All remote data exchanges must utilize the BOCES-approved Virtual Private Network (VPN) or multi-factor authenticated (MFA) cloud platforms to preserve student and staff data privacy in accordance with NYS Education Law 2-d.
• Expectations: Non-essential employees working remotely are required to maintain standard working hours, remain accessible via digital communication platforms (e.g., email, phone routing, or video conferencing), and complete assigned duties as directed by their supervisors.

Visitor, Vendor, and Contractor Protocols

Contractor and Vendor Integration

In compliance with NYS Labor Law § 27-c, all third-party contractors and vendors performing essential structural, maintenance, or operational duties on Orange-Ulster BOCES property during a declared public health emergency are subject to the same health and safety mandates as essential employees.

• PPE Provisioning: Contractors will follow established health and safety protocols. If a vendor or contractor lacks appropriate protective equipment required for their tasks, Orange-Ulster BOCES may supply necessary emergency PPE from its reserve stock subject to availability, to ensure immediate facility safety.
• Logistics and Tracking: Independent contractors must log their specific hours and exact facility work locations with the Operations and Maintenance division daily to maintain precise facility occupancy records.

Visitor Access and Facility Entry Control

During an active public health emergency declaration involving a communicable pathogen, building access for non-essential visitors, volunteers, and parents will be restricted or heavily modified based on NYSDOH and NYSED directives. When facility entry is permitted, the following protocols apply:

• Contact Tracing Data Point Integration: The electronic visitor management framework (e.g., Raptor System) utilized at building check-in points will serve as a critical infrastructure tool for exposure tracking. In a public health emergency, these logs will be extracted to provide local health departments with exact time-stamps and locations of any third-party contractors, vendors, or visitors who were present in an affected facility.
• Conditional Public Health Screenings: Visitors and vendors may be required to complete a health questionnaire or undergo non-invasive health screenings (such as symptom checks) at designated security checkpoints prior to gaining facility access.
• Pathogen-Specific Mitigation: Visitors must adhere to all active building-wide mitigation mandates, which may include designated directional foot-traffic patterns, localized social distancing rules, or targeted face-covering directives issued by the Commissioner of Health.

Cleaning, Disinfection, and Exposure Management

Sanitization Schedules

In the event of a public health emergency involving an airborne or surface-transmissible pathogen, custodial staff will execute enhanced cleaning protocols. High-touch surfaces (doorknobs, handrails, light switches, main office counters) will be disinfected multiple times daily using EPA-registered antimicrobial products effective against the specific pathogen.

Exposure and Isolation Protocols

If an employee or student exhibits symptoms of the communicable disease while on campus:

1. Isolation: The individual will be immediately moved to a designated isolation room supervised by school health personnel.
2. Notification & Contact Tracing: The Human Resources department, in coordination with School Nurses, will notify the local Department of Health and cooperate fully with contact tracing efforts while maintaining strict HIPAA confidentiality.
3. Targeted Disinfection: The affected classroom, office, or communal space will be temporarily closed and undergo deep cleaning and disinfection prior to re-occupancy.
4. Contact Tracing Cooperation: In the event of a confirmed or suspected case of a communicable disease on campus, the Human Resources Department, in coordination with School Nurses and Building Administrators, will serve as the primary liaisons to the Orange County Department of Health. Orange-Ulster BOCES will securely provide requested attendance data, facility logs, and class rosters to assist health officials with contact tracing. All tracing operations will be conducted in a manner that protects employee and student privacy in strict accordance with FERPA, HIPAA, and NYS Education Law § 2-d.

Housing for Essential Employees

In an effort to minimize disease spread in a Public Health Emergency, it may be necessary for essential employees to be housed on site or local to the facility in order to complete essential job duties. Orange-Ulster BOCES is equipped with lavatories and showers for essential employees along with sleeping cots in the Operations Building. If emergency off-site housing is required, the Operations Division maintains a confidential ledger of emergency lodging agreements with local hospitality vendors within Orange County, managed in coordination with the regional Emergency Operations Center.

Orange-Ulster BOCES utilizes a hardcoded Lockdown Emergency Notification System (LENS) to deliver clear, automated, plain-language audio and visual directives across all campus facilities during an incident. In accordance with NYS SAVE Act guidelines, the system avoids ambiguous color codes and relies on direct instructions.

The system is programmed to broadcast clear notifications for the following standard emergency conditions:

• Lockdown Directive: Automatically broadcasts a plain-language alert instructing all occupants to immediately move to secure locations, lock doors, and follow established lockdown protocols.
• Evacuation Directive: Broadcasts an emergency order instructing occupants to immediately and calmly vacate the facility via the nearest safe exit to designated external assembly areas.
• Shelter Directive: Broadcasts an internal notification instructing staff and students to execute localized shelter-in-place safety procedures, such as weather or hazardous material protocols.
• System Reset / Incident Transition: Delivers an administrative status update to building occupants.

Note: Verbatim system activation sequences, technical integration details, and specific operational clearance protocols are protected for emergency response integrity and are maintained within the Confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans.

Orange-Ulster BOCES ensures that all instructional, administrative, and support personnel complete annual mandatory compliance and safety training. This training framework aligns with the requirements of NYS Education Law § 2801-a (Project SAVE / Desha’s Law), NYS Labor Law, and federal workplace safety mandates.

• Right to Know / Hazard Communication (NYS Labor Law / OSHA)
• Bloodborne Pathogens & Universal Precautions
• HIV & AIDS Awareness
• School Safety & Emergency Response Protocols
  Emergency Disaster Plan & Standard Response Protocols (SRP)
  Bomb Threat Response & Mitigation Protocols
• Comprehensive Alcohol & Chemical Substance Abuse Prevention
• Use of Computerized Information Systems & Data Privacy (NYS Education Law § 2-d)
• Suspected Child Abuse Identification & Mandatory Reporting
  Child Abuse Involving School Personnel
  Reporting Child Abuse in an Educational Setting
• Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Bullying/Harassment Prevention
• Mental Health & Youth Suicide Prevention
• Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (NYS Labor Law § 201-g)
• School Violence Prevention & Crisis Intervention
• Workplace Violence Prevention Program Training (NYS Labor Law § 27-b)
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Response Awareness (Mandated under Desha’s Law)
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) & Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness

Response to Emergencies
The identification of appropriate responses to emergencies, including protocols for responding to bomb threats, hostage-takings, intrusions, and kidnappings.

Improving Communication with Students
Strategies for improving communications among students and between students and staff to facilitate the reporting of potentially violent incidents. This includes the establishment of youth-run programs, peer mediation, conflict resolution, creating fora or designating mentors for students concerned with bullying or violence, and establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms for school violence.

Informing All Educational Agencies
In the case of a school district or BOCES, a standardized system for immediately informing all component educational agencies within the geographic area of an active disaster or emergency condition.

Information About Educational Agencies
A mandated system for obtaining and maintaining vital data for each educational agency located within the district footprint, including school population, total staff counts, transportation resource needs, and the emergency contact details of key officials.

Chain of Command
A series of management positions operating under the Incident Command System (ICS) in order of authority. Individuals in the chain of command may represent different agencies, disciplines, and positions.

Incident Command System
A standardized, on-scene emergency management framework designed specifically to allow multiple agencies to integrate and work together seamlessly without jurisdictional or boundary constraints.

Shelter
A protocol used to shelter occupants inside the building when a hazard is present, typically severe weather such as high winds or a tornado. Students and staff move away from windows and proceed to designated internal safe zones.

Hold
A protocol used to restrict movement within hallways and common spaces while managing a short-term, localized emergency or medical incident in an isolated area of the school. Building areas unaffected by the incident may continue normal operations.

Evacuate
A protocol used to systematically relocate staff and students from the facility to external safety. This includes standard short-term evacuations (such as fire drills) or a full relocation to a designated off-site facility.

Secure (Lockout)
A protocol that restricts facility access to unauthorized personnel. All exterior doors are locked, and the main entrance is strictly monitored by security or administration. Normal indoor business continues seamlessly, but outside activities are curtailed. Typically activated due to an external threat on or near school property.

Lockdown
A protocol executed when there is an immediate, imminent threat of violence to the building population (e.g., an active intruder). Staff and students are immediately secured inside locked rooms, lights are extinguished, occupants remain silent and out of sight, and no movement is permitted until the hazard is cleared by law enforcement.

District-Wide School Safety Plan
A comprehensive, multi-hazard plan that outlines how the BOCES will prevent, mitigate, and respond to emergencies, serious violent incidents, and crises. This public document covers all regional programs and facilities, including provisions for digital remote instruction during emergency closures. It serves as the policy framework for individual building-level plans.

Building-Level Emergency Response Plan
A confidential, building-specific operational plan containing localized policies and procedures for the safe execution of security maneuvers, sheltering, or evacuation of students, staff, and visitors. The document secures vital data including evacuation routes, shelter locations, medical emergency protocols, transportation plans, and specialized parent notification paths.

District-Wide School Safety Team
The administrative body responsible for the comprehensive development, annual review, and update of the District-Wide School Safety Plan.

Building-Level Emergency Response Planning Team
The stakeholder committee appointed by the building principal or division head responsible for developing the confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plan and appointing all functional response teams (Emergency Response, Post-Incident, and specialized teams). Mandatory composition includes representatives of teacher and administrator organizations, parents, safety personnel, community members, local law enforcement, fire officials, and emergency response agencies.

Emergency Response Team
The designated, functional team appointed for each facility by the Building-Level Emergency Response Planning Team. Members are assigned specific operational roles, tactical keys, and response responsibilities during an active incident or emergency.

Post-Incident Response Team
The specialized crisis stabilization team appointed for each facility by the Building-Level Emergency Response Planning Team. This team is responsible for providing mental health support, trauma-informed interventions, and organizational recovery assistance to the school community in the aftermath of a violent incident or emergency.

Threat Assessment Team
A multidisciplinary team established at the building or district level responsible for the identification, evaluation, and management of individuals who exhibit behaviors that may indicate a threat to themselves or the school community. The team utilizes an objective, evidence-based process to assess risk, implement targeted intervention strategies, and provide necessary support systems to mitigate potential violence before it occurs. Composition typically includes administrators, mental health professionals (school psychologists, social workers, counselors), security personnel, and local law enforcement liaisons.

This appendix addresses the 2022-2023 amendments of Sections 100.1, 155.17, and 175.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Remote Instruction and its Delivery under Emergency Conditions, and the amendments of Sections 200.7, 200.16, and 200.20 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Remote Instruction and its Delivery Under Emergency Conditions and Length of School Day for Approved School-Age and Preschool Programs Serving Students with Disabilities 

INTRODUCTION 

Orange-Ulster BOCES has developed the following Emergency Remote Instruction Plan to address the instruction of students if extraordinary circumstances prevent students and staff from physically attending school. The Emergency Remote Instruction Plan meets the requirements of New York State Education Commissioner’s Regulations for inclusion in the 2023-2024 District-Wide School Safety Plan. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 

The NYS Education Department (NYSED) authorized a “snow day pilot” program during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. This program allowed school districts to deliver instruction remotely on days in which they would otherwise have closed due to an emergency. 

To give districts greater predictability, in September 2022, the NYSED Board of Regents amended section 175.5(e) of the Commissioner’s regulations to codify this flexibility. Districts that would otherwise close due to an emergency may, but are not required to, remain in session and provide instruction through remote learning and count these instructional days towards the annual hours requirement for State Aid purposes. Instruction must be provided to all students and be consistent with the definition of remote instruction, as explained below. In addition, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, such instruction must be consistent with the school district’s Emergency Remote Instruction Plan. 

NYSED also amended section 155.17 of the Commissioner’s regulations to require public schools, BOCES, and county vocational education and extension boards amend their District-wide School Safety Plans to include plans for remote instruction beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. This gives the public an opportunity to provide feedback on such plans for remote instruction prior to their adoption. The Emergency Remote Instruction Plan must include the methods that the school district will ensure the availability of: devices; internet access; provision of special education and related services for students with disabilities; the expectations for time spent in different remote modalities. 

Such plans also require that each chief executive officer of each educational agency located within a public-school district report information on student access to computing devices and access to the internet each year. 

NYSED additions to section 100.1 of the Commissioner’s regulations define the term “remote instruction.” This definition identifies various ways in which remote instruction may be delivered, but which must include, in all situations, regular and substantive teacher-student interaction with an appropriately certified teacher. 

The NYS Board Regents adopted the amendments noted above that became effective as a permanent rule on September 28, 2022. 

Sections 200.7, 200.16, and 200.20 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education were amended, and became effective September 13, 2022, and December 12, 2022, as an emergency action for the preservation of the general welfare to permit approved special education providers to provide remote instruction in the 2022-2023 school year on days they would otherwise close due to an emergency and to count such instructional days towards 14 minimum requirements and to identify the ways in which such remote instruction may be delivered. These amendments relate to remote instruction and its delivery under emergency conditions for students in approved private schools for the education of students with disabilities, state-supported schools, state-operated schools, and approved preschool special education programs. These updated regulations now provide the same flexibility for remote instruction under emergency conditions 

NYSED additions to section 100.1 of the Commissioner’s regulations define the term “remote instruction.” This definition identifies various ways in which remote instruction may be delivered, but which must include, in all situations, regular and substantive teacher-student interaction with an appropriately certified teacher. 

The NYS Board Regents adopted the amendments noted above that became effective as a permanent rule on September 28, 2022. 

Sections 200.7, 200.16, and 200.20 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education were amended, and became effective September 13, 2022, and December 12, 2022, as an emergency action for the preservation of the general welfare to permit approved special education providers to provide remote instruction in the 2022-2023 school year on days they would otherwise close due to an emergency and to count such instructional days towards 14 minimum requirements and to identify the ways in which such remote instruction may be delivered. These amendments relate to remote instruction and its delivery under emergency conditions for students in approved private schools for the education of students with disabilities, state-supported schools, state-operated schools, and approved preschool special education programs. These updated regulations now provide the same flexibility for remote instruction under emergency conditions that was given to school districts. The effective date of the final rule was January 25, 2023.

REMOTE INSTRUCTION 

The Commissioner's regulations define remote instruction as “instruction provided by an appropriately certified teacher, or in the case of a charter school an otherwise qualified teacher pursuant to Education Law §2854(3)(a-1), who is not in the same in-person physical location as the student(s) receiving the instruction, where there is regular and substantive daily interaction between the student and teacher.” For the purpose of this plan, remote instruction means the instruction occurring when the student and the instructor are in different locations due to the closure of one or more of the district's school buildings due to emergency conditions as determined by the Superintendent of Schools. Emergency conditions include, but are not limited to, extraordinary adverse weather conditions, impairment of heating facilities, insufficient water supply, prolonged disruption of electrical power, shortage of fuel, destruction of a school building, shortage of transportation vehicles, or a communicable disease outbreak, and the school district would otherwise close due to such an emergency. 

UNSCHEDULED SCHOOL DELAYS AND EARLY RELEASES 

Instructional hours that a school district scheduled but did not execute, either because of a delay to the start of a school day or an early release, due to emergency conditions, may still be considered as instructional hours for State aid purposes for up to two instructional hours per session day, provided the School Superintendent certifies such to NYSED, on the prescribed NYSED form, that an extraordinary condition existed on a previously scheduled session day and that school was in session on that day (NYSED Part 175.5). 

The Emergency Remote Instruction Plan shall identify various ways in which instruction may be delivered, including synchronous and asynchronous instruction. In all situations, remote instruction requires regular and substantive teacher-student interaction with an appropriately certified teacher. 

Synchronous instruction engages students in learning in the direct presence (remote or in-person) of a teacher in real time. During remote instruction, students and teachers attend together from different locations using technology. Asynchronous instruction is self-directed learning that students engage in learning without the direct presence (remote or in-person) of a teacher. Students access class materials during different hours and from different locations. During an emergency closing, synchronous instruction is the preferred method of instruction, whereas asynchronous instruction is considered supplementary instruction. 

ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY (INTERNET, COMPUTERS / DEVICES) 

While component school districts retain primary responsibility for tracking home digital access and provisioning baseline student devices, Orange-Ulster BOCES ensures that all students enrolled in its on-campus programs are equipped with or have seamless access to the necessary computing devices required to participate in BOCES-delivered synchronous instruction. It is the policy of OU BOCES to maintain a 1:1 ratio, Computing Device: Student. Computing devices will be available to all students enrolled with OU BOCES. Component districts shall survey families to identify who has a reliable high-speed internet connection. When students do not have internet access, the component district works with the families to develop a plan to provide instructional materials for them as well as a process for recording attendance and grading. The component district works with the community to provide locations where internet access could be used if they are able to use these locations. 

Commissioner’s regulation 115.17(f) outlines the annual data collection that districts must submit to SED every year by June 30. It requires the school district to survey families regarding internet and device access at the student’s place(s) of residence. The chief executive officer (School Superintendent) shall survey students and parents and persons in parental relation to such students to obtain information on student access to computing devices and access to internet connectivity. 

Emergency Remote Instruction Plan

POLICIES

The plan adheres to guidance set forth in the following Board of Education policies: Student Code of Conduct Policy (6312).

INTERNET AND DIGITAL DEVICE ACCESS

• OU BOCES provides all students in grades K-12 access to a computing device based on an individual student’s instructional needs. In the event of an emergency, closing provisions will be made to the greatest extent possible to ensure that all students have their device at home for instruction.
• OU BOCES participates fully in the SED Digital Access Survey along with locally developed surveys to assess how many students have internet access at home. The district provides hotspots to any families that indicate a need for reliable internet to facilitate access to learning at home.
• All faculty should have an alternative general activity for students in the instance that widespread power outages or other disruptions to connectivity occur preventing synchronous connection. If students lose connectivity, then the expectation is they will complete the alternate assignment provided.

PEDAGOGY

• All teachers in grades K-12 will use Google Workspace for Education (Meet, Classroom, etc.) as their primary instructional platform.
• Several Orange-Ulster BOCES provided instructional technology software programs are available to support instruction along with a wide array of other resources curated by faculty. Teachers will utilize these programs to differentiate instruction, accessing a variety of delivery methods that best suit their course, grade level, and teaching style. The instructional approach may include a combination of:
• Synchronous “Live” Instruction: Using Google Meet along with other digital platforms, teachers will deliver real-time instruction to a full group or subset of students. Teachers may incorporate asynchronous or project-based opportunities within this model.
• Teachers will make personal connections with all students during scheduled class times via Google Meet. These connections will allow teachers to take attendance, introduce new content or skills, and allow students to connect with their teachers and peers in order to be guided through lessons, ask questions, and maintain personal relationships. The duration of these synchronous connections depends on the grade level and daily instructional plan but should be the primary mode of instruction and substantial enough to guide learning.
• Asynchronous “Flipped” Instruction: Using a variety of digital platforms, teachers will deliver captured or recorded lessons with associated expectations for students’ participation and assignment completion “Flipped Classroom”. These activities may include teacher/student synchronous interactions for a portion of the lesson.
• Authentic Independent Instruction: Using a variety of methods, teachers will engage students in high quality learning activities. These activities must engage students in the learning process. Teachers will provide assistance to students in this mode of instruction through asynchronous and synchronous methods outlined above.
• Professional Learning: Professional Learning is provided annually on research-based methods, materials, and pedagogy for effective remote instruction.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

• All students will receive information on how to access course material and instruction from their teachers. Students are expected to follow all directions and requests to participate in instruction to the fullest extent possible. During synchronous instruction, students are expected to be school ready. This includes being on time for class, engaging fully through video and audio as directed by their teacher, and presenting themselves in a manner that is in accordance with school expectations.
• All students are expected to practice appropriate digital etiquette and responsible behavior during assigned Google Meets:
• Mute yourself on Meets as directed by your teacher.
• Cameras are to be kept on during classroom Meets unless directed specifically by your teacher to do otherwise.
• Students are expected to work in an appropriate setting when participating remotely/on-line. Workplaces include a desk, table, kitchen counter, etc. Other locations are not appropriate or acceptable.
• Student dress must be appropriate on all platforms. The Student Dress Code section of the Student Handbook/Code of Conduct applies to students on all platforms.

If there are any circumstances preventing full and appropriate participation, the student should let the teacher know. As this is a required attendance day, students must fulfill expectations for satisfactory participation as determined by their teacher.

DAILY SCHEDULE

The virtual day will follow the same schedule framework as the HS, MS, and Elementary School to which the student is assigned. As with all school schedules, appropriate breaks will be included in the daily schedule for students and faculty, including time for lunch. Students will attend all assigned classes at their scheduled time. The method of instructional delivery will vary to facilitate appropriate screen time per age level within these parameters. MS and HS teachers must be available for academic support during AAP (Tues-Thurs).

COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL: INTERVENTION

Teachers will follow the same communication protocols that are established in school for addressing areas of academic or behavioral need. This includes a combination of email, phone calls, and academic/behavioral referrals to the administration. All effective strategies should be accessed to maintain effective communication.

SPECIAL SERVICES

School districts are required to implement supports, services, and accommodations, as indicated in students’ IEPs or 504 Accommodation Plans, to the best of their ability. NYSED recognizes that there may be limitations to implementing certain services or accommodations through remote instruction and, as a result, encourages districts to apply a “lens of reasonableness” to their approach.

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES (TRANSPORTATION, FOOD SERVICE, MAINTENANCE, CUSTODIAL, CLERICAL / ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

When a school district is in remote session, non-instructional services may still be required to report to work to perform critical services related to their area of expertise. In the event that the change to remote instruction is due to a snow or other weather emergency, such change will likely impact transportation and other critical services. Decisions whether or not non-instructional employees should report to work will be made and communicated in real time by the appropriate supervisor or administrator based on whether services can be provided in a safe and efficient manner.

NYSED Plan Requirements

1. Policies and procedures to ensure computing devices will be made available to students or other means by which students will participate in synchronous instruction;
2. Policies and procedures to ensure students receiving remote instruction under emergency conditions will access internet connectivity;
3. Expectations for school staff as to the proportion of time spent in synchronous and asynchronous instruction of students on days of remote instruction under emergency conditions with an expectation that asynchronous instruction is supplementary to synchronous instruction;
4. A description of how instruction will occur for those students for whom remote instruction by digital technology is not available or appropriate;
5. A description of how special education and related services will be provided to students with disabilities and preschool students with disabilities, as applicable, in accordance with their individualized education programs to ensure the continued provision of a free appropriate public education; and
6. For school districts that receive foundation aid, the estimated number of instructional hours the school district intends to claim for State aid purposes for each day spent in remote instruction due to emergency conditions pursuant to section 175.5 of this Chapter.

INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS FOR STATE AID AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Pursuant to Section 175.5 of Education Law, the school district may decide to transition to remote instruction in the event emergency conditions dictate the closure of the PreK through Grade 12 facilities. Under the provisions of New York State Education Law and the District Emergency Remote Instruction Plan, any instruction sessions provided during the closure of the school facilities are counted towards annual hour requirements for meeting 180 days required for State financial aid.

OU BOCES synchronizes its remote learning day schedules to match the daily hourly thresholds required to ensure component districts meet NYSED annual aid allocations.

TRANSPORTATION

When a school district is in remote session, pupil transportation must be provided to students attending religious and independent schools, charter schools, or students whose individualized education program (IEP) have placed them out of district. In the event that the change to remote instruction is due to a snow or other weather emergency, such change will likely impact transportation for students attending school outside of the district. Decisions not to transport need to be based on real-time information relevant to the safety of students, staff, and vehicles. School districts and religious and independent schools, charter schools, and other programs are encouraged to work together to ensure continuity of education while ensuring that transportation can be provided in a safe and efficient manner. OUBOCES does not transport students, therefore this will be the responsibility of the home district. 

REPORTING

IMMEDIATELY

Whenever a school building must close to instruction due to the activation of its District-wide School Safety Plan or Building-level Emergency Response Plan, a Report of School Closure must be submitted to the Commissioner of Education by the School Superintendent as required under CR 155.17(f) via the NYSED Report of School Closure portal. Even when remote instruction is provided during an emergency closure, a Report of School Closure must be submitted. This also applies when instruction can be delivered in an interim location or via another instructional modality.

When it is determined that it is safe to re-open a school building after an emergency closure, the School Superintendent must notify the Commissioner by completing a corresponding Report of School Re-Opening, via the NYSED Report of School Re-Opening portal.

The Report of School Closure is intended to provide immediate notification to the Commissioner regarding an emergency closure. The Report of School Re-Opening notifies the Commissioner of the re-opening and also collects the actual duration of the closure, the location and modality of instruction, and detailed information that may not have been available at the time of the closure.

Reasons for building closures may include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, power outages, instances of infectious disease, extraordinary adverse weather conditions and threats of violence. It is no longer required to submit a Report of School Closure for routine snow days.

ANNUALLY BY JUNE 30TH

The School Superintendent shall notify the NYSED Commissioner of the results of the survey on student access to computing devices and access to internet connectivity through the Student Information Repository System (SIRS) every year by June 30th.

END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

The school district shall report Emergency Remote Instruction through the State Aid Management System at the end of the school year. After the close of the school year starting with the ending of 2024-2025, the School Superintendent reports remote instructional days under emergency conditions through the State Aid Management System and certifies this at the time NYSED’s Form A is submitted as part of other required certifications. Using the NYSED prescribed form, the School Superintendent certifies to NYSED:

• That an emergency condition existed on a previously scheduled session day and that the school district was in session and provided remote instruction on that day;
• How many instructional hours were provided on such session day; and
• Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, that remote instruction was provided in accordance with the district’s Emergency Remote Instruction Plan.

BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVAL

As part of the District-Wide School Safety Plan, the OU BOCES Cooperative Board shall make the Emergency Remote Instruction Plan available for public comment and public hearing for no less than thirty days (30) prior to adoption. The plan must be adopted as part of the District-Wide School Safety Plan annually prior to September 1st and posted on the district website in a conspicuous location.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DURING EMERGENCY CLOSING VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION

School districts are required to implement supports, services, and accommodations, as indicated in students’ IEPs or 504 Accommodation Plans, to the best of their ability, when providing virtual instruction.

Special education teachers who provide direct/indirect consultant services will initiate outreach to their students’ general education teacher(s) to collaborate on instructional modalities and any necessary accommodations or modifications required of assignments or assessments for the day.

Special education teachers who teach resource room, self-contained special classes, either content specific or specialized programs, should follow the same guidance and expectations as classroom teachers in regards to pedagogy, content, class meetings, and flexibility.

Teaching assistants are available for instructional support by way of participating in class meetings, keeping up on classroom assignments and expectations, and serving as additional academic support.

Related service providers are to provide “telepractice” services, to the best of their ability. Related service providers are expected to adhere to similar guidelines as other professionals in regard to student and teacher work at home, communication, and flexibility, and they will use the students’ IEPs to determine an appropriate/reasonable level of communication and support.

Documentation Requirements: Special education personnel are expected to document all supports and services provided to students during this time. Document the manner, means, duration of time, follow-up efforts, etc. IEP progress monitoring is required to be collected and reported to parents following the schedule listed on students’ IEPs. Medicaid session notes continue to be a requirement for eligible related service providers. Special education teachers/service providers are responsible to hold any virtual professional meetings already scheduled on a day that becomes a virtual instruction day.

 

1. Purpose 

Field trips are an essential component of Orange-Ulster BOCES's educational mission. These off-campus experiences provide students with hands-on, real-world learning opportunities that reinforce classroom instruction and align with New York State Education Department (NYSED) Learning Standards. 

2. Trip Planning & Approval 

Educational Alignment: All trips must clearly support curricular goals and have a defined educational purpose. 

Approval Process: 

• Day Trips: Require prior approval from the Building Principal or Division Director. 
• Overnight or Out-of-State Trips: Require approval from the Building Principal, Division Director and the District Superintendent. 

Documentation Requirements: Organizers must submit detailed objectives, full itineraries, transportation and supervision matrices, and localized medical/safety accommodation plans. 

3. Supervision & Chaperone Ratios 

Minimum Supervision Requirements: 

• Elementary School: 1 staff member and 2 additional adults for up to 30 students; add 1 adult per additional 10 students. 
• Middle School: 1 staff member and 2 additional adults for up to 30 students; add 1 adult per additional 15 students. 
• High School: 1 staff member and 1 additional adult for up to 30 students; add 1 adult per additional 15 students. 

Chaperone Eligibility
Only BOCES staff members and vetted parents/guardians of participating students may serve as official chaperones. Relatives, friends of staff, or unvetted individuals are strictly prohibited from serving in a supervisory capacity. 

4. Transportation 

Approved Vendors: All transportation must be formally arranged through OU BOCES-approved carriers and certified school bus networks. 

Safety Compliance: All transportation services must comply strictly with NYSED and NYSDOT safety regulations, including: 

• Use of certified Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS) for children under 4 years of age or weighing less than 40 pounds. 
• Adherence to all federal and state transportation laws governing school buses and pupil transit. 

Special Needs & Mobility Accommodations: Transportation must be fully accessible for students with disabilities. Vehicles must be equipped with appropriate lifts, ramps, and securements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and NYSED guidelines. Trained personnel must be available to assist students with boarding, exiting, and securing mobility devices safely. 

Driver Briefings: Drivers must be provided with precise route details, emergency contact info, and necessary student accommodation sheets (adhering to privacy laws). 

5. Health & Safety 

Medical Review: The program/school nurse must review all student medical files and emergency care plans well in advance of the trip. 

Medical Support: Students who require dedicated medical administration or specialized clinical support must be accompanied by a nurse or appropriately trained personnel. Medication handling must follow strict NYSDOH and NYSED documentation procedures. 

Emergency Preparedness: Each trip packet must contain a written trip-specific emergency response plan covering: 

• Direct communication protocols with the home facility. 
• Emergency contact infrastructure and local emergency services routing data. 
• Student Identification: To maximize operational security and student safety in public spaces, highly visible personal identification tags showing student names or home phone numbers shall not be worn externally. If identification metrics are utilized, they must consist of discrete, uniform markers (e.g., matching wristbands or institutional apparel). 

6. Parental Consent 

Permission Slips: Written permission from a parent or person in parental relation is mandatory for all off-campus trips. 

Trip Disclosures: Consent forms must explicitly disclose the purpose, full itinerary, transportation details, and supervisor contact framework. 

7. Equity & Inclusion 

Accessibility: Field trips must be proactively designed to accommodate all students, including those with severe disabilities or unique behavioral profiles. 

Non-Discrimination: No student shall be excluded from an educational field trip due to an inability to pay. Programs must secure equitable access via internal subsidies or alternative cooperative arrangements. 

8. Behavior & Conduct 

Code of Conduct: The OU BOCES Student Code of Conduct applies fully throughout the duration of all trips. 

Pre-Trip Briefing: Organizers must brief all students and chaperones regarding behavioral margins, safety boundaries, and emergency check-in procedures prior to departure. 

9. Post-Trip Review 

Debriefing: Organizers will evaluate educational benchmarks and note logistical successes or friction points. 

Incident Reporting: Any accidents, medical interventions, behavioral interventions, or notable safety incidents must be formally documented and routed to administration within 24 hours of return. 

I. Purpose 

The purpose of this annex is to establish comprehensive safety, security, and emergency response protocols for after-school programs, extended-day services, and events occurring outside of regular instructional hours. This includes routine after-hours activities and large-scale events (e.g., athletic competitions, performances, graduations, and community gatherings) that involve increased attendance, public access, or operational complexity. This annex ensures all such activities are conducted with appropriate supervision, access control, emergency preparedness, and strict alignment with the District-Wide School Safety Plan. 

II. Scope 

Applies to all district-sponsored and third-party events or programs conducted on school property beyond regular instructional hours. 

III. Objectives 

•  Ensure a safe and secure environment for all after-school programs, extended-day services, and after-hours large-scale events. 
• Establish clear emergency response protocols for incidents occurring outside regular school hours, explicitly covering Shelter, Hold, Evacuate, Secure, and Lockdown. 
• Define and implement Incident Command System (ICS) roles and responsibilities specific to after-hours/special event operations. 
• Maintain effective communication paths between after-school/event staff, building administrators, district leadership, and emergency responders. 
• Ensure all after-school/event staff receive annual emergency response training and participate in drills appropriate to their operational roles. 
• Coordinate operational planning and risk management procedures for all large-scale and after-hours events in collaboration with district departments including Operations, Risk Management, Health & Safety, Technical Services, Communications, and Security. 

IV. Security Protocols 

Access Control

• Facility entry is strictly limited to one designated, supervised entrance. 
• All other exterior doors must remain locked; entry is actively monitored via staff or on-site security. 
• All students, participants, and visitors must check in utilizing verified pre-screened rosters or the district's electronic visitor management system. 
• All staff must check in according to the event plan and visibly wear their district-issued identification badge or event credential. 

Staffing & Monitoring

• All after-school programs must have a designated lead staff member or event director on-site. 
• A building administrator or designated district supervisor must remain on-call and reachable throughout the event duration. 
• Facility security cameras and perimeter intrusion alarms must remain fully operational. Suspicious behavior must be immediately reported to on-site security and/or local emergency services (911). 

V. Emergency Response Actions 

All after-school and event personnel must be thoroughly trained in the five standard response actions and maintain the authority to initiate them immediately: 

• SHELTER (Hazard-Specific Protection): Used for environmental or hazardous threats (e.g., severe weather, hazardous materials). Occupants move swiftly to designated internal shelter areas and follow hazard-specific instructions. 
• HOLD (Clear the Hallways): Used to isolate movement inside the facility due to a localized, short-term issue (e.g., a medical emergency). Students and visitors remain inside classrooms or designated spaces; hallways are cleared, and normal indoor activities continue unless instructed otherwise. 
• EVACUATE (Move to Safety): Used when conditions inside the building are unsafe (e.g., fire, gas leak). Occupants evacuate via the nearest safe exit to a designated external assembly point. Staff maintain accountability rosters and await further emergency instructions. 
• SECURE LOCKOUT (Threat Outside): Used when there is an active threat in the vicinity outside the school building (e.g., local police activity nearby). All exterior doors are locked, and outdoor activities are terminated. Programs continue inside the building under heightened situational awareness. 
• LOCKDOWN (Threat Inside): Used when an immediate threat of violence is present inside the facility. Staff and students immediately secure rooms, lock doors, extinguish lights, move out of the line of sight, and remain absolutely silent. Staff do not open doors for anyone; rooms are cleared exclusively by law enforcement personnel. 

VI. Incident Command System (ICS) – After-School Roles 

When an incident occurs after hours, the first on-site trained adult assumes Incident Commander (IC) responsibilities until relieved by an administrator or emergency responder.

• Incident Commander (IC): Senior after-school staff member, supervisor, or coach on-site. Coordinates immediate response actions, establishes command, and directly notifies 911 and district administration.
• Operations Section Chief: Directs tactical, immediate safety actions (e.g., managing a lockdown or evacuation). Typically assumed by the IC or a co-supervisor in smaller events.
• Safety Officer: Monitors the incident environment, ensures the safety of students/staff during response actions, and identifies secondary hazards.
• Public Information Officer (PIO): Acts as the sole conduit for information, coordinating directly with district communications or the building principal to manage public updates and parent notifications.
• Liaison Officer: Serves as the designated point of contact for responding law enforcement, fire officials, and EMS, providing immediate situational briefings upon their arrival.
• Logistics Section Chief: Secures necessary physical resources, including first aid kits, emergency radios, flashlights, and coordinates facility access keys.
• Planning Section Chief: Tracks student/staff rosters, logs incident progression, and coordinates post-incident accountability data.
• Finance/Admin Section: Tracks and logs response documentation, personnel hours, facility damages, and compounding operational costs.

Unified Command Note: Upon the arrival of emergency personnel, a Unified Command structure will immediately be established between the on-site school incident commander and arriving first responders (police, fire, EMS). 

VII. Medical Emergencies 

• At least one CPR/AED/First Aid certified adult must be physically present on-site for all authorized after-hours activities. 
• Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), Bleeding Control Kits, and trauma supplies must remain completely accessible at all OUBOCES event sites. 
• Emergency Medical Services (911) must be engaged immediately for any severe injury, altered mental state, or acute medical event. 

VIII. Communication 

• Emergency contact lists and protocol cards must be prominently posted in all instructional and athletic areas used after hours. 
• District-issued two-way radios or mobile devices shall be utilized for internal safety coordination. 
• The district's mass notification system will be utilized by authorized personnel for all emergency parent and stakeholder broadcasts. 

IX. Coordination with Outside Groups 

• All third-party facility use permits and agreements are legally conditioned upon strict compliance with the OUBOCES District-Wide School Safety Plan. 
• At least one designated representative from any outside organization utilizing the facility must be formally briefed on emergency protocols prior to occupancy. 
• The district retains absolute authority to modify, curtail, or cancel facility use permits instantly due to emergent safety conditions or weather hazards. 

X. Training & Drills 

• All after-school coordinators, coaches, and recurring event supervisors must receive annual emergency response and basic ICS training. 
• Periodic after-hours emergency drills (such as Evacuation and Lockdown variations) shall be executed to evaluate extended-hours readiness. 
• Complete documentation of all after-hours training, sign-in sheets, and drill evaluation logs shall be permanently maintained by the responsible Program Administrator. 

XI. Event Safety and Operational Planning for After-Hours and Large-Scale Functions 

For any large-scale, after-school, or community-based events—such as graduations, award ceremonies, conferences, performances, regional competitions, or facility rentals that draw significant attendance—proactive safety and emergency planning must be coordinated through the following district departments: 

• Operations 
• Risk Management 
• Security 
• Health & Safety 
•  Information Technology Services 
• Communications 
• Food Services 

Key Planning Requirements: 

1. Pre-Event Planning Meeting(s) 

• A pre-event safety planning meeting must be held for any function expected to draw 100 or more attendees, or those involving multiple buildings or regional sites. 
• Planning committees must include representatives from the following areas, as applicable to the event scale:
  Hosting program or department 
  Building Administration / Division Directors 
  Operations & Maintenance 
  Risk Management 
  Security 
  Health & Safety 
  Information Technology Services 
  Food Services 
  Security Personnel 
  Communications 
  Local Law Enforcement, Fire, and/or EMS (as required by risk profile) 

2. Emergency Action Plan (EAP) 

A customized, event-specific Emergency Action Plan (EAP summary sheet) must be developed for each large-scale event. This plan must explicitly document: 

• Site-Specific SRPs: Standard Response Protocols including Shelter, Hold, Evacuate, Secure, and Lockdown. 
• Crowd Management: Protocols for ingress, egress, and interior crowd monitoring. 
• Medical Logistics: Designated first aid stations, triage coordinates, and emergency medical access routes. 
• Command & Communication: Operational chain of command and dedicated radio channels. 
• Weather & Contingency Actions: Triggers for delay, shelter-in-place, or absolute cancellation. 
• Traffic Control: Dedicated parking, pedestrian pathways, and emergency vehicle staging clearances. 

3. Incident Command Event Structure 

• A designated Event Incident Commander (EIC) must be assigned to lead the event operation (e.g., the building principal, division director, or facility manager). 
• ICS roles must be pre-assigned among event staff, with coordination through the Building-Level Emergency Response Team and/or Principal. 
• District ICS infrastructure and radio communication systems will be provisioned for all events of scale. 
• Master fillable ICS organizational charts with precise position descriptions are maintained within all Confidential Building-Level Emergency Response Plans, including:
  Incident Command Chart – Full Scale 
  Incident Command Chart – After School 
  Student-Parent Reunification Command Chart 

4. Coordination with First Responders 

• Local police, fire departments, and EMS providers should be formally notified in writing well in advance of high-attendance events. 
• In the event of a critical incident, an immediate transition to a Unified Command structure with arriving first responders will apply. 
• A dedicated on-site presence of law enforcement or emergency services may be requested based on the event's comprehensive risk assessment. 

5. Accessibility & Special Needs Considerations 

• All emergency egress routes, student-parent reunification zones, and public safety announcements must be fully accessible to all attendees, including individuals with mobility, visual, auditory, or cognitive needs. 
• Specialized transportation assets and physical accessibility modifications must be audited and verified prior to doors opening. 

6. Post-Event Review / Debrief 

• A formal administrative debrief will be conducted following any large-scale event that required an emergency response, crowd management intervention, or critical medical response. 
• Identified lessons learned and logistical adjustments will be shared directly with the District-Wide School Safety Team to inform future annual revisions. 

I. Purpose and Regulatory Alignment 

This appendix establishes the district-wide policy framework in fulfillment of NYS Education Law § 2801-a (Desha’s Law) and NYS Education Law § 917. The district is committed to maintaining a comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to effectively mitigate, prepare for, and manage sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) risks across all district-administered instructional facilities, regional campuses, and school-sponsored activities. 

II. Policy Mandates and Device Standards 

• Public Access Defibrillation: The district ensures that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are operational, clearly designated, and accessible at all campus locations and school-approved extracurricular events. 
• Maintenance Framework: All life-safety devices are maintained in strict accordance with the evidence-based guidelines established by the American Heart Association (AHA) or other nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care organizations. 
• Administrative Oversight: Documented maintenance logs, battery expirations, and pad readiness metrics are compiled routinely and archived by the District Health & Safety Office, under the direction of the Chief Emergency Officer. 

III. Emergency Response Integration 

The District-Wide School Safety Team collaborates actively with regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) dispatch providers to ensure that the internal CERP is seamlessly integrated with local municipal emergency response protocols. This framework includes establishing unobstructed facility access routes for external medical vehicles and providing documented incident event summaries to regional providers following any emergency deployment. 

IV. Personnel Training and Awareness 

• Mandatory System Awareness: Informational components detailing the signs, symptoms, and immediate notification protocols for sudden cardiac arrest are integrated into the mandatory annual school safety training provided to all district staff. 
• Clinical Certifications: Comprehensive CPR and AED instructional certification is maintained as a mandatory qualification for all school health professionals, physical education instructional personnel, and athletic coaching staff in accordance with NYSED Commissioner’s Regulation § 135.4 and § 136.4. Training is made available on a voluntary basis to general members of Building-Level Emergency Response Teams. 
• New Hire Onboarding: Personnel onboarded after the official start of the academic year must receive specialized sudden cardiac arrest awareness training within 30 days of their initial hire date. 

V. Student Populations and Instructional Boundaries 

Due to the unique regional structure of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), student educational components regarding cardiac health are administered based on program enrollment profiles: 

• Full-Time Special Education Programs: Instructional components regarding proper AED awareness and hands-only CPR are integrated directly into the health and physical education frameworks for center-based students, subject to individual accommodations, adaptive physical education guidelines, or modifications defined within each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). 
• Part-Time Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs: Core health education curriculum completion and statutory graduation requirements—including clinical CPR training—remain the structural and jurisdictional responsibility of the student's home (sending) school district. 
• General Awareness: Basic emergency notification protocols (how to recognize an immediate medical crisis and quickly alert an adult) are reviewed generally with all student cohorts during initial building orientations. 

VI. Post-Incident Review and Compliance Controls 

• Parental Notification: District administrative protocols mandate immediate, direct contact with parents, guardians, or individuals in parental relation to the student upon the initiation of an emergency medical response or emergency transport on school property. 
• Quality Assurance: Every instance of sudden cardiac arrest response or AED activation is subject to a formal administrative review led by the Chief Emergency Officer to certify compliance with state health reporting guidelines and optimize future response capabilities.