School Safety and Facilities
Brandon A. Cruz, Supervisor
School Safety & Facilities
(914) 345-8500, Ext. 3167
bcruz@swboces.org
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention®
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Training provides your educators with the skills to safely recognize and respond to everyday crisis situations. You will learn to:
- Minimize Physical Interventions
- Recognize & Respond to Defensive Behaviors
- Understand What’s Behind the Behavior
- Address the Needs of the Individual
Regional Crisis Response Team
The SWBOCES Regional Crisis Response Team (RCRT) supports school districts after a crisis by providing Consultation, Counseling, Debriefing, and Support. A crisis can be a natural disaster, the passing of an individual within your school community, or a distant event that has a deep effect on students and staff. More information about the becoming an RCRT member or accessing services is available on the RCRT Resources Page
Coronavirus Resources
Southern Westchester BOCES has assembled and shared reliable resources about the COVID-19 outbreak since early in the pandemic. Our Coronavirus Resources Page is a continuously updated repository of information and guidance from medical professionals and public health officials, curated to inform and protect the health and safety of our community.
Events coming up
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SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Growing Student Learning & Literacy in Secondary Classrooms Day 1: Engaging & Responsive Instruction
Participants can register for one or both sessions of this two-day series focused on attending to key elements of instruction (Day 1) and curriculum (Day 2) to support students' learning and improve their literacy skills in secondary classrooms. Educators are encouraged to attend in teams to plan collaboratively for launching 2025-26 with the greatest impact and will receive a 10% credit for attending with at least two other district colleagues.
Day 1: Engaging & Responsive Instruction: What do the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading tell us about conditions and practices for supporting students' success? How can we support students' engagement and literacy skill development across content areas in secondary classrooms? This session will share and engage participants in instructional strategies that help students improve their skills as learners, thinkers, readers, and communicators. Participants will consider the development of classroom culture, thinking and literacy routines, and metacognitive practices to boost engagement and get skills to stick.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Growing Student Learning & Literacy in Secondary Classrooms Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum
Participants can register for one or both sessions of this two-day series focused on attending to key elements of instruction (Day 1) and curriculum (Day 2) to support students' learning and improve their literacy skills in secondary classrooms. Educators are encouraged to attend in teams to plan collaboratively for launching 2025-26 with the greatest impact and will receive a 10% credit for attending with at least two other district colleagues.
Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum: How can we adjust our curriculum to embody the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading to support students' success? How can our lessons, units, and materials support students' engagement and literacy skill development across content areas in secondary classrooms? This session will share frameworks for curriculum development to help students improve their skills as learners, thinkers, readers, and communicators. Participants will apply key concepts and use the curriculum frameworks to write or revise existing units for the upcoming school year.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Summer Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice
The kick of PLCS's Summer at the Center programs, the 2nd Annual Summer Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice is designed for educators, instructional leaders, and literacy advocates committed to equity and excellence in literacy instruction. This year's symposium brings together nationally recognized literacy experts and passionate educators like you to explore research-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Together, we'll deepen our understanding of literacy instruction-and how to apply it across the curriculum in systematic and explicit ways that meet the needs of all learners. Through engaging learning sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative planning time, you'll leave with actionable tools and strategies to drive real change in your classroom or school.
Sessions led by literacy experts from:
- LEXIA
- Green River Literacy
- IDE
- Scholastic
And more to come!
All attendees will be entered into a raffle for a seat in our 25-26 Science of Reading study groupCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Summer Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice
The kick of PLCS's Summer at the Center programs, the 2nd Annual Summer Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice is designed for educators, instructional leaders, and literacy advocates committed to equity and excellence in literacy instruction. This year's symposium brings together nationally recognized literacy experts and passionate educators like you to explore research-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Together, we'll deepen our understanding of literacy instruction-and how to apply it across the curriculum in systematic and explicit ways that meet the needs of all learners. Through engaging learning sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative planning time, you'll leave with actionable tools and strategies to drive real change in your classroom or school.
Sessions led by literacy experts from:
- LEXIA
- Green River Literacy
- IDE
- Scholastic
And more to come!
All attendees will be entered into a raffle for a seat in our 25-26 Science of Reading study groupCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
RECOVS Mental Health Education Leaders Partnership (MHELP)
Mental health leadership teams from SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium will meet to discuss and collaborate around grant implementation, including:
- Social-Emotional Learning (including launching CASEL's Leading Schoolwide SEL course for district leadership teams)
- MTSS-i (including systems & structures and data & assessment)
- professional learning plans
- budget & logistics
- other grant-related considerationsCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Summer @ the Center: The Institute for Opportunities in Education
This interactive summer conference is designed for educators, administrators, and practitioners eager to deepen their understanding and enhance their practices around creating supportive and welcoming learning environments for all students.
Participants will:
- Explore practical, actionable strategies for fostering inclusive practices
- Collaborate with peers
- Gain tools for cultivating meaningful and supportive changes within classrooms and schools
- Access valuable resourcesAttendees can anticipate engaging sessions focused on practical strategies for creating environments where all students thrive, providing innovative resources and insights applicable to their educational settings.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Integrating Social Studies into ELA for Elementary Teams
As we understand the importance of knowledge-building to improve students' reading development - and we struggle to find time for Social Studies in our elementary schedules - let's improve the integration of Social Studies within our ELA units.
In this workshop, we will unpack our existing ELA/literacy and Social Studies standards and practices, identify opportunities to bridge the subjects, and begin revising units to integrate ELA/literacy and Social Studies.
Participants are encouraged to come as teams to support collaboration around curriculum updates to implement in the new school year and will receive a 10% credit for attending with at least two other district colleagues.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
Restorative Practices for School & District Leaders for RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium
Please note that this training is limited to leaders from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium. If you have questions about whether you are eligible to attend, please contact Maisha Campbell (mcampbell@swboces.org). Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive training, which is essential for leaders who are bringing restorative practices to their schools/districts - to understand key principles of restorative practices and conditions for systemic implementation designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.
The training will focus on:
• Restorative practices as a trauma-informed approach for creating a culture of belonging, safety, and inclusion.
• Responsive restorative practices, including Affective Communication/Non-Violent Communication, Tier 2 Whole Group Responsive Circles, and Tier 2 Restorative Circles to respond to specific incidents of harm.
• Systemic considerations, including implementation science and discipline policies and practices (e.g. Codes of Conduct)Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
Restorative Practices for School & District Leaders for RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium
Please note that this training is limited to leaders from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium. If you have questions about whether you are eligible to attend, please contact Maisha Campbell (mcampbell@swboces.org). Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive training, which is essential for leaders who are bringing restorative practices to their schools/districts - to understand key principles of restorative practices and conditions for systemic implementation designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.
The training will focus on:
• Restorative practices as a trauma-informed approach for creating a culture of belonging, safety, and inclusion.
• Responsive restorative practices, including Affective Communication/Non-Violent Communication, Tier 2 Whole Group Responsive Circles, and Tier 2 Restorative Circles to respond to specific incidents of harm.
• Systemic considerations, including implementation science and discipline policies and practices (e.g. Codes of Conduct)Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
Restorative Practices for School & District Leaders for RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium
Please note that this training is limited to leaders from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium. If you have questions about whether you are eligible to attend, please contact Maisha Campbell (mcampbell@swboces.org). Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive training, which is essential for leaders who are bringing restorative practices to their schools/districts - to understand key principles of restorative practices and conditions for systemic implementation designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.
The training will focus on:
• Restorative practices as a trauma-informed approach for creating a culture of belonging, safety, and inclusion.
• Responsive restorative practices, including Affective Communication/Non-Violent Communication, Tier 2 Whole Group Responsive Circles, and Tier 2 Restorative Circles to respond to specific incidents of harm.
• Systemic considerations, including implementation science and discipline policies and practices (e.g. Codes of Conduct)Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support
Mandated Training
The Mandated Training Link above lists School Safety training mandates and Facilities requirements for all NYS schools and districts. Please refer to the link and to our Training and Services listed below.
Regional Facilities News
Southern Westchester BOCES is proud to partner with the Southeastern Chapter of the New York State School Facilities Association (NYSSFA). Please use the links below to find the NYSSFA meeting calendar and training information.
NYSSFA Calendar
NYSSFA Training Opportunities
School Safety Training
- Active Shooter Training
- Building Level Emergency Response Planning
- CPR/AED
- Crisis Response Training
- DASA/Violence Prevention refreshers
- Develop Crisis Plans
- Incident Command Management
- Lockdown Emergency Training
- New Building Emergency Plan Template
- Risk Assessments
- Safety Audits
- Table Top Exercises
Facilities/Compliance
- Asbestos testing and training
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Chemical Hygiene Plan Development
- Chemical and Petroleum Storage
- Cooling Towers Inspections
- CPR/AED
- Fire Inspections
- Indoor Air Quality Testing
- Lockout/Tagout
- Playground and Gymnasium Inspections
- Right to Know
- Underground Storage Tank Programs
- Water Testing
