PROJECT SAVE (Safe Schools Against…

                        PROJECT SAVE
         (Safe Schools Against Violence in Education)
               TUPPER LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL
                       DISTRICT-WIDE
                   SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN
                      Commissioner's Regulation 155.17



INTRODUCTION

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

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




      SECTION I: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PLANNING GUIDELINES

A. Purpose

   The Tupper Lake Central School District-wide School Safety Plan was developed
   pursuant to Commissioner's Regulation 155.17. The Board of Education appointed a
   District-wide School Safety Team and charged it with the development of the District-
   wide School Safety Plan.




    Adopted by the Board of Education: 12/3/01; Revised 12/12/07
A. Identification of School Teams

  The District has created a District-wide School Safety Team including the following
  persons:
  Daniel Bower, Superintendent
  Garry Lanthier, Business Manager
  Seth McGowan, Elementary Principal
  Pam Martin, Secondary Principal
  Pierre St. Pierre, Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds
  Charles Perham, Transportation Supervisor
  Thomas Fee, Chief, Tupper Lake Police Department
  Matt Southwick, TLUT Representative
  Michael Dechene, Board of Education
  Charlotte Walsh      , Parent Organization Representative



B. Concept of Operations

  ·   The District-wide School Safety Plan is directly linked to the individual Building-level
      Emergency Response Plans for each school building. This District-wide School
      Safety Plan will guide the development and implementation of individual Building-
      level Emergency Response plan.

  ·   In the event of an emergency or violent incident, the initial response to all
      emergencies at an individual school will be by the School Emergency Response
      Team.

  ·   Upon the activation of the School Emergency Response Team, the Superintendent
      of Schools or his/her designee will be notified and, where appropriate, local
      emergency officials will also be notified.

  ·   Emergency response actions including Crisis Response may be supplemented by
      Village, County and State resources through existing protocols.

C. Plan Review and Public Comment

  ·   This plan shall be reviewed and maintained by the District-wide School Safety Team
      and reviewed on an annual basis on or before July1 of each year.

  ·   Pursuant to Commissioner's Regulation 155.17 (e)(3), this plan will be made
      available for public comment 30 days prior to its adoption. The district-wide and
      building-level plans may be adopted by the School Board only after at least one
      public hearing that provides for the participation of school personnel, parents,
      students and any other interested parties. The plan must be formally adopted by
      the Board of Education.
  ·     While linked to the District-wide School Safety Plan, Building level Emergency
        Response Plans shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under
        Article 6 of the Public Officers Law or any other provision of law, in accordance with
        Education Law Section 2801-a.

  ·     Full copies of the District-wide School Safety Plan and any amendments will be
        submitted to the New York State Education Department within 30 days of adoption.
        Building-level Emergency Response Plans will be supplied to both local and State
        Police within 30 days of adoption.

                  SECTION II General Emergency Response Planning

A. Identification of sites of potential emergency

  The District has established procedures for the identification of potential sites and the
  internal and/or external hazards that may be present in them. These procedures are
  developed in coordination with the Fire Department and law enforcement agencies.

  Identified sites are: HS Chemistry Lab; HS proximity to State Route 3; Elementary
  school proximity to Sunmount Developmental Center. (See building plans)


B. Actions in response to an emergency.

  The District has identified the following general response actions to emergency
  situations. These actions include school cancellation, early dismissal, evacuation, and
  sheltering and lockdown/lockout procedures. The Building level Emergency Response
  Plans include identification of specific procedures for each action depending upon the
  emergency.


  Emergencies include, but are not limited to:

      Threats of Violence                      Intruder
      Hostage/Kidnapping                       Explosive/Bomb Threat
      Natural/Weather Related                  Hazardous Material
      Civil Disturbance                        Biological
      School Bus Accident                      Radiological
      Gas Leak                                 Epidemic
      Others as determined by the Building-level School Safety Team

C. District resources and personnel available for use during an emergency.

  The District has committed the full inventory of its resources to be available for use
  during an emergency. These resources will be utilized in line with the Building Level
  Emergency Response Plans as deemed appropriate by the Incident Command Team.

  Specific personnel and resources are identified in the Building Level Emergency
  Response Plans.
D. Procedures to coordinate the use of school district resources during
   emergencies.

   The District uses the Incident Command System model for emergency actions. For
   district-wide emergencies the Incident Commander will be Superintendent of Schools.
   In building-level emergencies, the administrator in charge or his/her designee will act
   as the Incident Commander. As time permits these decisions should be made after
   consulting with the Superintendent of Schools. The Incident Commander is authorized
   to activate such resources and personnel as are appropriate to the incident. The
   Incident Commander is empowered to render such decisions as may be necessary in
   keeping with the response actions as identified in the Building Level Emergency
   Response Plan. Building-level Incident Command staff are identified in the Building
   Level Emergency Response Plans.


E. Annual multi-hazard school training for staff and students.

   The District conducts annual training for both staff and students in school safety issues
   at the beginning of each school year. Training will be coordinated by the
   Superintendent and will include classroom activities, general assemblies, tabletop
   exercises, full scale drills of other appropriate actions to increase the awareness and
   preparedness of staff and students and violence prevention training.

   Drills and other exercises may be coordinated with local, county and state emergency
   responders and preparedness officials. Existing Plans will continue be revised in
   response to post-incident critiques of these annual drills. Violence Prevention Training
   will be offered to staff annually. Local police and fire departments will continue to be
   involved in the drills.

F. Staff development.
   Elements of school safety including violence prevention and anti-bullying strategies are
   included in the yearly updates to the Professional Development Plan (PDP).

G. Training and Hiring.
   The district does not currently employ hall monitors or other safety personnel.
   Teachers and support staff have a visible presence in the hallways of our school
   buildings.


        SECTION III: RESPONDING TO THREATS AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE

A. Policies and procedures for responding to implied, or direct threats of
   violence or acts of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and
   visitors to the school

   The District has enacted policies and procedures dealing with violence. These policies
   and procedures deal with the safety of the school community as well as the range of
   discipline of those making the threat or committing the act of violence. (see also
   district Code of Conduct.) Specific policies include: 6150, Alcohol, drugs and other
   substances; 6151, Drug free workplace; 7310, Student conduct and discipline; 7311,
   Loss or destruction of school property; 7330, Searches and interrogations; 7350,
   Corporal punishment; 7360, Dangerous weapons in school;7530, Child abuse; 7531,
   Sexual harassment; 7532, Notification of release of sexual offenders.
   The normal procedures to respond to implied or direct threats of violence will be:
   · Use of staff trained in de-escalation or other strategies to diffuse the situation
   · Inform building principal
   · Determine level of threat ­ consult Administrative Regulation 7330,Calling police
      agencies to investigate potential acts of school violence
   · Monitor and adjust as necessary

B. Policies and procedures for contacting appropriate law enforcement officials
   in the event of a violent incident

   ·   Law enforcement officials will be contacted by the Incident Commander in line with
       the Building Level Emergency Response Plan, and will be requested based upon the
       "closest response agency" concept to ensure that the response to the incident is as
       rapid as possible. Administrative Regulation 7330,Calling police agencies to
       investigate potential acts of school violence was developed jointly by the school
       district, local and state police.


C. Appropriate responses to emergencies.

   The District recognizes that appropriate response to emergencies varies greatly
   depending upon the actual threat or act as well as the magnitude of such emergency.
   The Building Level Emergency Response Plans detail the appropriate response to such
   emergencies.

D. Policies and procedures to contact parents, guardians or persons in parental
   relation to the students in the event of a violent incident or an early dismissal

   The District will contact appropriate parents, guardians or persons in parental relation
   to the students via media release, telephone contact or other appropriate means in the
   event of a violent incident or early dismissal. Conditions requiring such notification are
   outlined in the Building Level Emergency Response Plans.


                   SECTION IV: COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS

A. Obtaining assistance during emergencies from emergency services
   organizations and local government agencies.

   During emergencies, local government agencies, including emergency services, can be
   obtained via the local emergency management office or through the local emergency
   communication center. The Incident Commander will authorize the procurement of
   these agencies. See Building specific plans, Appendix 5 for emergency contacts and
   phone numbers.

B. Procedures for obtaining advice and assistance from local government
   officials including the county or city officials responsible for implementation
   of Article 2-B of the Executive Law.

   The Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee shall be the contact person for
   issues related to Article 2-B of the Executive Law which deals with the use of public
   buildings in the case of a state of emergency. See Building specific plans, Appendix 5
   for emergency contacts and phone numbers.
C. A system for informing all educational agencies within a school district of a
   disaster

  The District will notify any appropriate educational agencies within its boundaries as
  well as adjacent to its boundaries in the case of a disaster that would affect any of
  these agencies. The Incident Commander will determine the extent of notification and
  delegate its delivery. See Building specific plans, Appendix 5 for emergency contacts
  and phone numbers.



D. A system of maintaining certain information about each school building
   located in the school district.

  Each Building Level Emergency Response Plan will include the following information:
  · School population
  · Number of staff,
  · Transportation needs, and
  · Business and home telephone numbers of key officials of each such educational
     agency

  The Building Level School Safety Teams will insure that this information is current and
  accurate.




           SECTION V: PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

               1. Policies and procedures related to school building security,
                  including, where applicable, the use of school safety officers
                  and or/security devices or procedures.

  Specific policies include: the Code of Conduct and 6150, Alcohol, drugs and other
  substances; 6151, Drug free workplace; 7310, Student conduct and discipline; 7311,
  Loss or destruction of school property; 7330, Searches and interrogations; 7350,
  Corporal punishment; 7360, Dangerous weapons in school;7530, Child abuse; 7531,
  Sexual harassment; 7532, Notification of release of sexual offenders.

  ·   Except for the main entrances, all school building doors remain locked during the
      school day.
  ·   A sign at each entrance requires all visitors to report to the school office.
  ·   Security cameras and entry key-pads have been installed at the High School
      building.
             2. Policies and procedures for the dissemination of informative
                materials.

                   The District is committed to the use of the interpersonal violence
                   prevention education package for grades pre-kindergarten through
                   twelve, when available.

              3. Prevention and intervention strategies.
The District continues to develop and investigate various strategies regarding violence
prevention and intervention. These strategies include, but are not limited to:
· Collaborative agreements with state and local law enforcement officials designed to
   ensure that school safety officers and other security personnel are adequately
   trained including being trained to de-escalate potentially violent situations,
· Non-violent conflict resolution training programs,
· Peer mediation programs and youth courts, and
· Extended day and other school safety programs

             4. Strategies for improving communication among students and
                between students and staff and reporting of potentially violent
                incidents.

The District recognizes that communication is a vital key in the prevention and
intervention of violence in schools. The following programs are in place:
· Youth Activities Council
· Peer mediation
· Conflict resolution
· Student Assistance Counselor
· Community Intervention Program Counselor

             5. Early Detection of Potential Violent Behavior.

1. There are early warning signs in most cases of violence to self and others. Certain
   emotional and behavioral signs that, when viewed in context, can signal a troubled
   student. Teachers should be given a checklist of these signs that can be used to
   signal a student that may need help. The more signs a student exhibits, the more
   likely he/she may need intervention. The early warning signs include:
   · Social withdrawal
   · Excessive feelings of isolation
   · Excessive feelings of rejection
   · Being a victim of violence
   · Feelings of being picked on
   · Low school interest and poor academic performance
   · Expression of violence in writings and drawings
   · Uncontrolled anger
   · Patterns of impulsive, chronic hitting and bullying
   · History of discipline problems
   · History of violent and aggressive behavior
   · Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes
   · Alcohol and drug use
   · Affiliation with gangs
   · Inappropriate access/use of firearms
   · Serious threats of violence
   The above comes from the United States Department of Education's "Early
   Warning, Timely Response" document. This information will be available for all staff
   relating to early identification of potentially violent behaviors.
2. Information will be available to parents/guardians on how to identify potentially
   violent behaviors.

3. If a teacher or administrator feels help for a student is warranted, it will be
   discussed with appropriate school personnel to determine the next step.

4. Interpersonal violence prevention education package will be taught as appropriate.
                                        APPENDICES

                                         Appendix 1:
Listing of all school buildings in the district.

Building Name            Address                   Contact Name       Telephone Number
LP Quinn                 294 Hosley Ave.           Seth McGowan       518-359-2981
Middle/High School       25 Chaney Ave.            Pam Martin         518-359-3322



Additional information regarding contacts, school populations, number of staff, students
and transportation needs can be found in the building level plans. We would be happy to
send full copies to the department.

                                         Appendix 2:
Copies of all building-level emergency response plans. Identification of local and state law
enforcement agencies where building-level plans are filed.

Tupper Lake Police Department
NY State Police ­ Tupper Lake Substation
Tupper Lake Fire Department
Franklin County Emergency Management
                                   Appendix 3:


                 Incident Command System
                     Position & Description
Incident Commander (IC)                Responsible for emergency/disaster
                                       operations and shall remain at the
                                       command post to observe and direct all
                                       operations.
Deputy Incident Commander              Assists the IC with the management of
                                       the emergency/disaster. Assumes the
                                       role of the IC if required and fulfills the
                                       responsibility until relieved.
Operations                             Manages/directs the response to the
                                       incident.
Logistics                              Provides facilities, services, personnel,
                                       equipment and materials to support the
                                       incident.
Planning & Intel.                      Collects, evaluates and documents
                                       information about the development of
                                       the incident.
Admin./Finance                         Provides financial tracking,
                                       procurement, and cost analysis related
                                       to the incident.
Public Information Officer (PIO)       Acts as the official spokesperson for
                                       the district.
Safety Officer                         Ensures that all activities are conducted
                                       in as safe manner as possible under the
                                       circumstances which exist. The safety
                                       officer can enact emergency authority
                                       and override the decision of the IC.
Agency Liaison                         Contact person for responding
                                       agencies.
Log/Scribe                             Documents all activities of the
                                       Command Post. Maintains all
                                       information/documents of the ICT.