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
PE/HE CONSORTIUM - Developing the Whole Child for 21st Century Learning
Instuctor: Brent Heidorn
This comprehensive session for K-12 health and physical education teachers provides emphasis on student learning in health and physical education programs, while considering the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children and adolescents. Topics included in the one-day professional learning session:
• Student Learning: Emphasis on Schools, Teachers, and Physical Education Programs
• Students' Cognitive, Physical, Social, and Emotional Development and the Relationship to Physical Education and Physical Activity
• Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
450 Mamaroneck Avenue, Harrison
RECOVS MHELP (Mental Health Education Leaders Partnership) Meetings
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
- MTSS-i (including systems & structures and data & assessment)
- professional learning
- budget & logistics
- other grant-related considerationsCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
NYSED Lead Evaluator Training - Foundations in Leading Educators (required for APPR Initial Certification)
This professional learning experience is designed for school and/or district leaders who are new to their role. Together we will explore NYSED APPR evaluation requirements for school and district leaders. Specific emphasis will be on aligning your APPR process to your school/district strategic goal, mission/vision, and 2025-26 initiatives, cross-team calibration, and feedback.
Please check your district's APPR plan to determine the number of days/hours approved by NYSED for your district's Lead Evaluator Training.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Early Learning (PK-3) Educators Network
Our early learning network has a new look! We will meet in person at the Center for Professional Learning and visit host schools to engage in learning walks focused on Early Learning.
Join us for collaborative learning experiences with colleagues who are dedicated to enhancing the educational experiences of Early Learners (PK-3) across all content areas. Together we will explore best practices, theories, and innovative approaches to early childhood education. Members of the group will engage in activities including sharing resources, analyzing current research, developing curriculum strategies, and reflecting on their teaching methods. We welcome teams of teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, early learning specialists, department chairs, and all who support Early Learning.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS- Discovery Education BTS Bootcamp
Discovery Education continues to empower educators with resources, strategies and tools for creating quality lessons using multi-modal digital resources. For Back-to-School 2025-26, we are combining all that teachers and students love about the DE ecosystem with new content, including Career Connect and the AI Assessment Generator!
Join us this Fall at Southern Westchester BOCES to learn about the best ways to utilize all that Discovery Education has to offer as well as exciting updated features, synchronous and asynchronous activities, assignment templates, background builder lessons and much more:
*Ready-to-Use Activities & Video Quizzes
*Supports for NYS Science Investigations
*AI Assessment Generator *Career Connect
*Core 4 Focus & Supplemental Supports
*Spotlight on Strategies for All Subjects and Grade Levels RECOMMENDEDLunch will be provided by Discovery Education.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
504 Chairperson Training
Participants will learn to effectively facilitate 504 meetings by defining team roles, engaging parents in meaningful collaboration, and managing challenging conversations. Through practical strategies, participants will gain the skills to develop legally sound 504 Plans that align accommodations with student needs and ensure successful classroom implementation. They will explore methods for monitoring and reviewing 504 Plans, collaborating with educators to track progress, and making data-informed adjustments. Finally, participants will examine the intersection of 504 Plans with other school support systems, applying principles of cultural competence and equity to ensure fair and effective student access to accommodations.
This professional learning is focused on the facilitation of 504 meetings and the implementation of 504 plans for those who serve as Chairpersons for 504 Committee Meetings.
Professional learning will include the following areas:
1. Legal Foundations and Compliance Overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
2. Roles and Responsibilities
3. 504 Plan Development
4. Meeting Facilitation and Parent Engagement
5. Monitoring and Review
6. Intersection with Other School Supports
7. Cultural Competence and Equity
8. Resource ReviewCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
Supporting Reading Proficiency & the Science of Reading Across Content Areas (Virtual Series)
While students are often expected to comprehend complex texts in their middle and high school classes, even students who can name every word may not be reading actively or making sense of the texts they're given. How can we improve students' reading proficiency across content areas in secondary classrooms? How can we build skills connected to the components of "The Big 6” of the Science of Reading emphasized in New York State's Literacy Initiative? This virtual series will build educators' toolkits for integrating attention to vocabulary (coupled with phonemic awareness and phonics), fluency, comprehension, and oral language within content area instruction.
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.
The full day session/s will be followed by optional Zoom sessions in the following months focused on classroom application.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher Recertification
The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher is designed to help improve your understanding of key program concepts, enhance your skills and provide strategies to apply the information to workplace realities. Only participants who have completed the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training in the last 12-18 months are eligible to participate in the Refresher Training. In addition, we are asking that individuals attend in pairs or trios so that they can perform the physical interventions with a partner. All participants must complete the physical interventions in order to receive certification.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
2025-26 DEI Leaders' Action Network: Advancing Equity Through the NYSED Portrait of a Graduate
Join a powerful network of school district teams committed to advancing equity, and access in ways that transform classrooms and communities. This year, we will ground our work in Liz Kleinrock's Start Here, Start Now and connect its practical strategies directly to the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
Over five full-day sessions, district teams will:
1.Engage in deep professional learning on equity-centered leadership and culturally responsive-sustaining practices.
2. Participate in guided book study discussions and collaborative activities that link Start Here, Start Now to Portrait of a Graduate attributes.
3. Design and refine a district-specific DEI initiative anchored to one of the six Portrait attributes.
4. Receive targeted support and coaching to move from concept to actionable implementation.
5. Showcase their work and leave with a clear action plan for 2026-2027.
By the end of the year, each team will have:
-Selected a Portrait of a Graduate attribute to anchor their DEI work.
-Designed and tested a district-specific initiative that advances equity and belonging in their school community.
-Developed stakeholder engagement and sustainability strategies to ensure lasting impact.
-Built strong cross-district connections to share resources, successes, and lessons learned.Each participating district is strongly encouraged to register as a team of at least two members and up to 5.
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
