The following Proposed District Safety Plan and Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan will be open for public comment at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, at 6 p.m. in the middle/high school.
This plan will update the currently posted plan.
2021 DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY PLAN DRAFT
PROJECT SAVE
(Safe Schools Against Violence in Education)
STILLWATER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY PLAN 2021
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. New York State School Districts are required to develop a district-wide school safety plan designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents, declared state disaster emergencies involving a communicable disease or local public health emergency declaration and other 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 man-made disasters. To address these threats, the State of New York has enacted the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) law. Project SAVE is a comprehensive planning effort that addresses prevention, response, and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies in each school district and its schools.
The Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES, in coordination with the Stillwater Central School District, supports and complies with the SAVE Legislation, and is intent on being proactive and reflective regarding the planning process. The Superintendent of the Stillwater Central School encourages and advocates for on-going district-wide cooperation in support of Project SAVE.
Section I: General Considerations and Planning Guidelines
Purpose
The Stillwater District-wide School Safety Plan was developed pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17. At the direction of the Stillwater School District Board of Education, the Superintendent of Stillwater School District appointed a District-wide School Safety Team and charged it with the development and maintenance of the District-wide School Safety Plan. Building level plans use the District-wide School Safety Plan as a foundation; they are not public documents due to the specificity of their content.
B. Identification of Chief Emergency Officer
The Stillwater Central School District designates the Superintendent of Schools as the
chief emergency officer whose duties shall include, but not limited to:
Coordination of the communication between school staff, law enforcement, and other first responders;
b. Lead the efforts of the district-wide school safety team in the completion and
yearly update by September 1, of the district-wide school safety plan and the coordination of the district-wide plan with the building-level emergency
Response plan;
c. Ensure staff understanding of the district-wide school safety plan;
d. Ensure the completion and yearly update by September 1, of building level
emergency response plans for each school building;
e. assist in the selection of security related technology and development of
Policies for the use of such technology;
f. coordinate appropriate safety, security, and emergency training for
district and school staff, including required training in the emergency response
plan Yearly by September 15; and
g. ensure the conduct of required evacuation and lock-down drills in all district
buildings as required by Education Law section 807.
C. Identification of School Teams
The Stillwater School District has created a District-wide School Safety Team
consisting of, but not limited to, representatives of the School Board, students, teachers, administrators, parent organizations, school safety personnel and other school personnel. The members of the team are as follows:
Representative of the School Board
Superintendent
Teacher
Parent
Building Administrators
Superintendent of Building and Grounds
District Safety Personnel
Transportation Director
Representatives from local Emergency Response Agencies
Representatives from Town / Village
D. Concept of Operations
The District-wide School Safety Plan shall be directly linked to the individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans for each school building. Protocols reflected in the District-wide School Safety Plan will guide the development and implementation of individual Building-level Emergency Response Plans.
In the event of an emergency or violent incident, the initial response to all emergencies at an individual building will be by the Building Emergency Response Team.
Upon the activation of the Building Emergency Response Team, the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee will be notified and, where appropriate, local emergency officials will also be notified.
Efforts may be supplemented by Saratoga County and New York State resources, if needed. For emergency response needs, the Superintendent of Schools will contact the highest-ranking local Village and/or Town officials to provide notification and/or request assistance, and follow existing protocols.
E. 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 September 1 of each year. A copy of this plan is available in the Superintendent’s office.
Pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17 (e)(3), this plan will be made available for public comment 30 days prior to its initial adoption on August 4, 2015. The district-wide school safety plan was adopted by the School Board after the one required public hearing that provided for the participation of school personnel, parents, students and any other interested parties.
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.
A copy of the District-wide School Safety Plan and any amendments will be posted on the Stillwater Central School District website within 30 days of adoption. Building-level Emergency Response Plans will be supplied to the Stillwater Police Department, the NY State Police and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department within 30 days of adoption.
Section II: General Emergency Response Planning
Identification of sites of potential emergency
A. The identification of sites of potential emergencies is located in Maps & Diagrams in each Building-level Emergency Response Plan. The location of potential hazards, such as: chemical storage, propane & motor fuel storage, potential fire hazards, electrical hazards, playground equipment, etc. are documented on a building and facility diagram. Potential off-site hazards are identified in the County/Town Hazard Assessment in each of the plans.
B. The Stillwater Central School District has plans for taking the following actions in response to an emergency where appropriate, including but not limited to:
- School cancellation
- Early dismissal
- Evacuation (before, during and after school hours, including security during evacuation and along evacuation routes), and
- Sheltering sites (internal and external)
- Emergencies include, but are not limited to:
-
- Threats of Violence
- Intruder
- Hostage/Kidnapping
- Explosive/Bomb Threat
- Natural/Weather Related
- Hazardous Material
- Civil Disturbance
- Biological
- Radiological
- School Bus Accident
- Gas Leak
- Epidemic
- Others as determined by the Building-level School Safety Team
*These protocols are protected and will not be elaborated upon in this plan. The identification of district resources which may be available for use during an emergency, including the identification of personnel and other resources.
C. District & Building Resources and Supply Inventory which identifies the district resources available during an emergency, (ie facilities, blankets, cots, food supply, communications equipment, fire extinguishers, first aid supplies, flashlights, bull- horn, district vehicles and buses.) This inventory will be updated and maintained in the District Office.
D. Description of procedures to coordinate the use of school district resources and manpower during emergencies, including: The identification of the officials authorized to make decisions and the staff members assigned to provide assistance during emergencies.
E. Policies and procedures for annual multi-hazard school training for staff and
students, including the strategies for implementing training related to
Multi-hazards.
Training, Drills, and Exercises
The district has established the following procedure(s) for multi-hazard school safety training for staff and students. Policies and procedures for annual multi-hazard school safety training for staff and students, provided that the district must certify to the commissioner that all staff have undergone annual training by September 15, 2016, and each subsequent September 15th thereafter on the building-level emergency response plan which must include components on violence prevention and mental health, provided further that new employees hired after the start of the school year shall receive such training within 30 days of hire or as part of the district’s existing new hire training program, whichever is sooner:
- Annual review of building emergency response procedures with staff and students.
- Full participation in the Annual Early Dismissal – Go Home Evacuation Drill.
- Full participation in an on-site sheltering and accountability drill done every other year.
- Full participation in an evacuation and relocation drill done every three years.
- Full participation with four (4) Building Lockdown/Security Drills done annually.
- The District conducts (8) Fire Alarm Activation and Evacuation Drills annually as per NYS Fire Drill Requirement (2020 Fire Code of New York State Section 403.5 and 405.2)
- The District conducts three (3) School Bus Safety and Evacuation Drills annually.
- Emergency Response Incident Team members participate in simulated tabletop exercises annually to test the building-level safety plan components.
- The district has conducted drills and other training exercises to test components of the emergency response in coordination with the following agencies:
- Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services
- Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department
- Stillwater Police Department
- Stillwater Fire Department
- New York State Police Troop G
- Capital Region BOCES Health Safety Risk Management Service
- Town of Stillwater Emergency Management Committee
- Stillwater Community EMPC
Note: Directly following each test or drill, a debriefing will be conducted to evaluate the exercises and determine if changes to the emergency response plan are necessary.
Section III: Responding to Threats and Acts of Violence
A. The school refers to its Crisis Intervention Plan via the post-incident response team and the Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Guides located in the building-level emergency response plan. These are reviewed by the district-wide school safety team to ensure content and consistency throughout the district. These policies and procedures are for responding to implied or direct threats of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school, including threats by students against themselves, which includes suicide. The following types of procedures are addressed in the plan.
B. Policies and procedures for responding to implied or direct threats of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school, including consideration of zero-tolerance policies for school violence.
- The following types of procedure(s) are addressed, and could be used by the district:
- The use of staff trained in de-escalation or other strategies to diffuse the situation.
- Informing the Building Principal of implied or direct threat.
- Determining the level of threat with the Superintendent/Designee.
- Contacting the appropriate law enforcement agency, if necessary.
- Monitoring the situation, adjusting the district’s response as appropriate, and including possible implementation of the Emergency Response Team.
C. Policies and procedures for contacting the appropriate law enforcement officials in the event of a violent incident.
The District-wide Safety Plan provides guidance for obtaining assistance during emergencies from emergency services organizations and local government agencies. The following examples are the types of arrangements that could be used by the district:
- In an emergency, the superintendent, or his/her designee, will contact the regional emergency dispatch center by calling 911. The dispatcher will determine the appropriate services needed by the school.
- The Superintendent, or his/her designee, will contact the highest-ranking local Village and/or Town officials to provide notification and/or request assistance.
D. Identification of appropriate responses to emergencies, including protocols for responding to include the following, but are not limited to:
- Threats of Violence
- Natural/Weather Related
- Civil Disturbance
- Gas Leak
- Intruder
- Bomb Threat
- Hazardous Materials
- Biological Threat
- Public Health Threat
- Water Emergency
- Hostage/Kidnapping
- Building Structural Failure
- School Bus Accident
- Explosion
- Mass Casualty
- Radioactivity
- Loss of Transportation
The district has developed multi-hazard response plans. These guidelines are present in the Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Action Guidelines in each Building-level Emergency Response Plan.
.The district policies and procedures for contacting the appropriate law enforcement officials.
In the event of a violent incident, the district policies and procedures for contacting the appropriate law enforcement officials are located in each Building-level Emergency Response Plan. Each plan identifies individuals who are authorized to initiate contact with local law enforcement agencies. All communications during an incident at the school will flow through the Incident Command Center. Emergency services will be requested through the 911 system.
E. Policies and procedures for contacting parents, guardians or persons in parental relations to students in the event of a violent incident or early dismissal.
In the event of an emergency staff, students and visitors will be contacted in one or more of the following manners:
- Telephone (landline and cellular)
- Runner with verbal message
- School Messenger
- Radio System
- Regional Repeater Base Station Radio
For small-scale incidents, school personnel may directly call the parents / guardians of all students directly impacted by any acts of violence. All other parents / guardians receive an informational letter. The Crisis Intervention Plan and post-incident response team are activated and available. If needed, as needed, community meetings are scheduled in a timely manner for further discussion.
For any major incident, the district works through the above-mentioned forms of communication, including the media (TV, radio) to relay pertinent school related information (i.e., how and where can parents be reunited with children, etc.) It is unfortunate, although important, to remember that major emergencies can quickly tie up phone lines with incoming and outgoing calls and roads can be quickly blocked by traffic of emergency vehicles, concerned parents and community members. School personnel directly call the parents / guardians of all students directly impacted by acts of violence. All other parents / guardians receive an informational letter. Community meetings are scheduled in a timely manner.
Section IV: Communication with Others
The District-wide School Safety Plan provides the framework for the Building-level Emergency Response Plan.
A. Description of the arrangements for obtaining assistance during emergencies from emergency services organizations and local government agencies.
The district will utilize procedures outlined in Emergency Communications and the Incident Command System sections in the Building-level Emergency Response Plans 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 types of procedures for obtaining advice and assistance from local governments during countywide emergencies could include the following:
- Superintendent/Designee in an emergency will contact emergency management coordinator and/or the highest-ranking local government official for obtaining advice and assistance.
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 district has identified resources for an emergency from the following agencies:
- Malta-Stillwater EMS
- Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services
- Adirondack Chapter of the American Red Cross
- New York State Police
- Saratoga County Public Health Department
- Stillwater Police Department
- Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department
- Mayor of the Village of Stillwater
- Stillwater Town Supervisor
- Capital Region BOCES Health Safety Risk Management Services
- Waterford-Halfmoon UFSD
- Mechanicville CSD
- Schuylerville CSD
- Hoosic Valley CSD
C. A system for informing all educational agencies within a school district affected by a disaster.
In the event that the Stillwater Central School District has an emergency or has been informed of an emergency that could impact the district, it will be incumbent upon the school district to notify Stillwater Area Community Center, Palmer Street, Stillwater, NY 12170; (518) 664-2515, ext. 223.
Section V: Prevention and Intervention Strategies
The Stillwater Central School District regularly conducts programs for students, staff and parents, such as:
- Non-Violent Conflict Resolution Training Programs
- Student Mentoring Program
- Athletic Programs
- Transportation Safety Program
- Transition Program for Students entering Grade 6 and Grade 9
- Character Education
- Counseling Program
- Social Work Program
- Bullying Prevention Program
- Fire Safety Program
- Student Safety Forum
- Parent Safety Forum
- New York State Police Safe Schools Program concerned with bullying and violence prevention
- Established anonymous reporting mechanisms for school violence
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) training for emergency response team members
- Violence Prevention Training
- New York State School Safety Guide (2007)
- Collaboration with the Saratoga County Emergency Preparedness
- Committee/Town of Stillwater Emergency Planning Representatives
- School Resource Officer- Saratoga County Sheriff
- Utica National Safe Schools Staff Trainings
- On-site Student/ Family Mental Health Clinic- Parsons
- Threat Assessment Team
- School safety programs
A. Policies and procedures related to school building security, including, where appropriate, the use of school safety officers and or/security devices or procedures.
Each building has internal/external cameras and emergency strobes located conspicuously in essential indoor and outdoor locations.
The district has finalized secured entries at both the elementary school and middle/ high schools. These entries are accessed by the use of personalized swipe cards for personnel.
Exterior lock cores will be exchanged for new cores in the fall of 2021 to ensure that exterior door key access is secure.
B. Policies and procedures for the dissemination of informative materials, regarding the early detection of potentially violent behaviors, including, but not limited to:
Annual staff, parent, student trainings
Parental newsletter
Informational video
Emergency Response Quick Guide
Email
C. Appropriate prevention and intervention strategies such as:
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 (TCI training)
Peer mediation programs
D. Strategies for improving communication among students, and between students and staff, and reporting of potentially violent incidents, such as the establishment of:
- Youth-run programs, i.e., SADD, Student Council, Friends of Rachel,
- Peer mediation
- Wellness activities, including: anti-bullying presentations, internet safety, cyber-safety
E. Description of duties, hiring and screening process, and required training of hall monitors and other school safety personnel.
Currently the Stillwater Central School District does not employ hall monitors. The SCSD contracts with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department to employ a full-time School Resource Officer. SCSD subscribes to the Health Safety Risk Management Services through the WSWHE BOCES. In addition, the district has implemented a Student Safety Committee.
REQUIRED APPENDICES
Appendix 1: (District-owned facilities)
Stillwater Elementary School
1072 Hudson Avenue
Stillwater, NY 12170
Principal: Mrs. Rebecca Toleman
(518) 373-6100, ext. 31001
Stillwater Middle School
1068 Hudson Avenue
Stillwater, NY 12170
Principal: Mr. Timothy Hulihan
(518) 373-6100, ext.30010
Stillwater High School
1068 Hudson Avenue
Stillwater, NY 12170
Principal: Dr. Michael Johnson
(518) 373-6100, ext. 30002
Stillwater Transportation Department
21 Palmer Street
Stillwater, NY 12170
Director: Mr. Thomas Murphy
(518) 664-5661
Appendix 2: (Communicable Disease – Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan)
This Continuity of Operations Plan (plan) has been developed to meet the requirements of subsection (2)(m) of Education Law §2801-a which requires public employers to prepare a plan for the continuation of operations in the event that the Governor declares a public health emergency involving a communicable disease. This plan is built upon the components of the District-Wide School Safety and the Building-Level Emergency Response Plan(s). The Plan includes elements of COVID-19 Reopening Plan and will be updated regularly to reflect current guidance and best practices. The District-Wide School Safety Team assumes responsibility for development and compliance with all provisions of this plan and implementation at the building level through the Building-Level Emergency Response Team.
The Stillwater Central School District will work closely with the Saratoga County Department of Health (local health department) to determine the need for activation of this plan. The district will report suspected and confirmed cases of communicable diseases (e.g., influenza, corona virus, etc.) on the monthly Communicable Disease Report, (DMS-485.7/93; HE-112.4/81) and submit it to the local health department. Depending on the severity of the disease, the district may be required to report information more frequently and in another format (i.e., daily for COVID-19).
The local health department will monitor county-wide communicable disease cases and inform school districts as to appropriate actions.
When this plan is activated, the District-Wide School Safety Team may invite additional people to the meetings to aid in the planning efforts, including but not limited to the following:
- District Medical Director
- School nurse(s)
- Business Manager
- Facility Director
- Food Service Director
- Transportation Director
- Public Information Officer
- Chief Information Officer
- Executive Assistant to the Business Manager
- Other administration
- School Resource Officer
Communication with parents, students, staff, and the school community is important throughout a pandemic outbreak. Communication methods will include postings to the district website, general mailings, email, social media, school communication apps, and the public media. The district Superintendent (Communications) has been designated to coordinate this effort. Communications will work closely with the Chief Information Officer, Christopher Lynch (Tech) to ensure proper function of all communication systems.
Essential Positions/Titles
The district has developed this plan to prepare for any future government ordered shutdowns that may occur, similar to the corona virus shutdown in the spring of 2020. Attachment 1 includes a list of essential positions that would be required to be on-site or in district to continue to function as opposed to those positions that could work remotely. The list includes:
- Title – a list of positions/titles considered essential (i.e., could not work remotely) in the event of a state-ordered reduction of in-person workforce.
- Description – brief description of job function.
Justification – brief description of critical responsibilities that could not be provided remotely. - Work Shift – brief description of how work shifts of essential employees and/or contractors will be staggered in order to reduce overcrowding in the district.
- Protocol – how precise hours and work locations, including off-site visits, will be documented for essential employees and contractors.
To maintain a safe and secure environment which allows for tracing of employee access to building locations, essential employees will use their ID badges to sign in/ sign out where applicable. Sign in sheets, will be used as necessary.
Working/Learning Remotely
As practicable, the District will assess devices and technology needs of all non-essential employees and contractors in order to enable telecommuting.
Options for assessing district needs include stakeholder meetings or surveys to determine:
- Who will need devices and/or peripherals at home,
- What programs will need to be added to these devices, and
- The availability of viable existing at-home Internet service.
The information from these surveys will be used to determine what items need to be purchased, which programs need to be installed on devices and if appropriate Internet bandwidth can be provided to those in need.
Reducing Risk
Depending on the exact nature of the communicable disease and its impact, the district is prepared to use the strategies below to reduce traffic congestion and maintain social distancing:
- Limiting building occupancy to 25%, 50% or 75% of capacity or the maximum allowable by state or local guidance.
- Forming employee work shift cohorts to limit potential contacts.
- Limit employee travel within the building and/or between buildings.
- Limit restroom usage to specific work areas.
- Stagger arrival and dismissal times.
- Alternate work-days or work weeks.
- Implement a four-day work week.
- Limit or eliminate visitors to the building.
- Document all building visitors at entries.
The district may need to include additional strategies based on updated federal, state, and local guidance.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Face Coverings
The district will procure a six-month supply of face coverings and PPE required for essential work tasks. Disposable PPE will be provided in quantities of at least two pieces per work day.
PPE Type and Task/Role
N-95:
Nurses/Nurses’ Aides
Cleaners/Custodians (based on disinfectants used)
Transportation Department Employees, as needed
Face Shields, Goggles:
Nurses/Nurses’ Aides
Special Education
Cleaners/Custodians
Disposable Protective Suits:
Nurses/Nurses’ Aides
Special Education
Gloves:
Nurses/Nurses’ Aides
Special Education
Cleaners/Custodians
Maintenance/Mechanics
Cloth Face Coverings:*
All faculty, staff and students
* OSHA does not consider cloth face coverings to be formal personal protective equipment because their capability to protect the wearer is unknown. However, cloth face coverings are important as a source control for COVID-19 and provides some protection to the wearer. As such, OSHA strongly encourages workers to wear face coverings.
Those individuals that are required to wear N-95 respirators will be fit-tested and medically screened prior to use to ensure they are physically able to do so.
The use of cloth face coverings to reduce the spread of communicable diseases is important to the health and safety of faculty, staff and students. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected (asymptomatic) and are essential when physical distancing is difficult. Information will be provided to faculty, staff and students on proper use, removal, and cleaning of cloth face coverings. All faculty, staff and students will be encouraged to utilize their own personal face coverings but the district will secure and provide face coverings as needed.
PPE and face coverings will be stored in a manner which will prevent degradation. These supplies will be monitored through an inventory report through our preferred vendor to ensure integrity and track usage rates.
Continuity of Operations
Continuity of operations could be severely impacted by a loss of staff. The table below describes the procedures for maintaining essential functions and services.
Listed by Role/Topic, Task, Responsible Party(ies)
Overall Operations
– Have decision-making authority for the district.
– Propose district policies and procedures to reflect crisis response.
Those listed below are assigned to this role:
Superintendent, Patricia Morris
Business Official, Scott Messineo
Business Office:
– Maintain overall function and facilities operation.
– Review essential functions and responsibilities of back-up personnel.
– Monitor utilization of supplies, equipment, contracts, and provided services and adjust as necessary.
Purchasing- Business Official, Scott Messineo
Payroll- Treasurer, Michael Cavanaugh
Accounts Payable, Donna Muir
HR/Benefits, Dee Wescott
Facilities:
-Keep the Business Office informed of staffing issues and of the point at which buildings can no longer be maintained
-Provide building administrators with procedures for maintaining essential building functions (e.g., HVAC system operation, alarms, security, etc.) along with a list of telephone numbers of outside companies and alternates for repair and maintenance of these systems
– Meet with staff and monitor their ability to maintain essential function
James Spooner or designee
Human Resources:
– Monitors absenteeism and ensures appropriate delegation of authority.
– Work with bargaining units to develop the plan for emergency use of personnel in non-traditional functions and changes in the normal work-day such as alternate or reduced work hours, working from home, etc.
Business Office Staff
Administration
Department Heads
Recruitment/Staffing
Workplace Safety
Training
Labor Law Compliance
Compensation Planning
Additional functions as applicable
Continuity of Instruction:
Implemented in the event of significant absences or school closure.
Alternate learning strategies will include:
- Hard copy, self-directed lessons
- Use of mobile media storage devices for lessons (CDs, Jump Drives, iPads, Chromebooks)
- On-line instruction; on-line resources; on-line textbooks
- Communication modalities for assignment postings and follow-up: telephone; Postal Service; cell phone, cell phone mail, text messages; e-mail; automated notification systems; website postings
Response
The District-Wide School Safety Team will meet to determine the need for activation of a pandemic response based on internal monitoring and correspondence with the local health department and other experts.
- The Incident Command Structure at both the District and Building level will be informed that the response effort has been enacted. These individuals will meet to discuss the plan’s activation and review responsibilities and communication procedures.
- Communications will work closely with the Informational Technology Department to re-test all communication systems to ensure proper function. The District-wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will assist in this effort.
- An alert will be sent to the school community upon activation of this plan. The communication will be based on the latest information from federal, state and local health authorities.
- If the decision is made to close a school building, the district will notify the NYS Education Department and District Superintendent.
The district will assign the district Superintendent as the communicable disease safety coordinator whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the district’s reopening plan and any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels. The coordinators shall be the main contact upon the identification of positive communicable disease cases and are responsible for subsequent communication. Coordinators shall be responsible for answering questions from students, faculty, staff, and parents or legal guardians of students regarding the public health emergency and plans implemented by the school.
Hand Hygiene
Faculty, staff, and students will be trained on proper hand hygiene. Information will be provided to parents and/or legal guardians on ways to reinforce hand hygiene at home. The district will provide stations around the school buildings:
- For hand washing: soap, running water, and disposable paper towels.
- For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where hand washing facilities may not be available or practical.
- Accommodations for students and staff who cannot use hand sanitizer will be made.
Communicable Disease Exposures
The district must be prepared for communicable disease outbreaks in their local communities and for individual exposure events to occur in their facilities, regardless of the level of community transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have provided recommendations for strategies to follow after an exposure:
- Close off areas used by a sick person and not using these areas until after cleaning and disinfection has occurred;
- Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area when practicable.
- Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfection. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible;
- Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease, such as offices, classrooms, bathrooms, lockers, and common areas.
- Once the area has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected it can be reopened for use.
- Individuals without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease can return to the area and resume school activities immediately after cleaning and disinfection.
- If more than seven days have passed since the person who is suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease visited or used the facility, additional cleaning or disinfection is not necessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection should continue.
Contact Tracing
The district will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive communicable disease diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the district.
Districts may assist with contact tracing by:
- Keeping accurate attendance records of students and staff members
- Ensuring student schedules are up to date
- Keeping a log of any visitor which includes date and time, and where in the school they visited
- Assisting the local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual in accordance with the protocol, training, and tools provided through the NYS Contact Tracing Program
The district, in consultation with the local health department, will determine what process will be followed when communicable disease cases are discovered in the school (e.g., how many individuals will be quarantined, closing of areas or classrooms, etc.).
Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff should not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact without guidance and direction from the local health department.
Returning after Illness
The district has established protocols and procedures, in consultation with the local health department(s), about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who screened positive for communicable disease symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:
- Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
- Negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result
- Symptom resolution, or if positive for a communicable disease, release from isolation
The district will refer to the NYSDOH’s “Pre-K to Gr 12 COVID-19 Toolkit” and other applicable guidance regarding protocols and policies for faculty, staff, and students seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed communicable disease case or after the faculty or staff member had close or proximate contact with a person with a communicable disease.
The district requires that individuals who were exposed to a communicable disease complete quarantine and have no symptoms before returning to in-person learning. The discharge of an individual from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department.
Cleaning/Disinfecting
The district will ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and NYSDOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection – Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools and Homes” and other guidance, as applicable.
Attachment 2 describes cleaning and disinfection protocols and procedures for the district. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities will occur, including more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk and frequently touched surfaces. This will include desks and cafeteria tables, which will be cleaned and disinfected between each individual’s use. Cleaning and disinfection will be rigorous and ongoing and will occur at least daily, or more frequently as needed.
The district will ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms. Restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected more often depending on frequency of use.
The school district has determined employee policies for available leave in the event of the need of an employee to receive testing, treatment, isolation, or quarantine. These policies are consistent with existing federal, state, or local law, including regarding sick leave or health information privacy.
Housing for Essential Employees
The school district, in coordination with the local health department, will determine when the emergency housing of essential workers is necessary. Essential workers who will be required to use emergency housing will be identified.
Recovery
Re-establishing the normal school curriculum is essential to the recovery process and should occur as soon as possible. The district will:
- Work toward a smooth transition from the existing learning methods to the normal process.
- Use the described communication methods to keep the school community aware of the transition process.
- Work closely with the New York State Education Department to revise or amend the school calendar as deemed appropriate.
- Evaluate all building operations for normal function and re-implement appropriate maintenance and cleaning procedures.
Each Building-Level Post-incident Response Team will assess the emotional impact of the crisis on students and staff and make recommendations for appropriate intervention. The District-Wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will meet to debrief and determine lessons learned with input from all essential functions. The District-Wide School Safety Plan and Building-Level Emergency Response Plans will be updated accordingly.
Curriculum activities that may address the crisis will be developed and implemented.
Attachment 1 – Essential Positions
Listed by Title, Name, Description, Justification, Work Shift
Superintendent:
Patricia Morris
The Superintendent is the chief executive officer of the District. She is responsible for carrying out the policy of the Board and for keeping it informed of matters which should be weighed by the Board in reaching decisions. She is responsible to the Board for her stewardship of the entire school system.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the superintendent must be considered an essential role to enact policy, make decisions as applicable and make recommendations to the Board for approval.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Business Manager:
Scott Messineo
The Business Manager provides leadership and is responsible for fiscal management of district funds, operations management, transportation, school nutrition, human resources and other duties as assigned.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the business manager must be considered as essential to ensure that the fiduciary responsibilities of the district continue during a crisis.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Central Administration:
Michael Cavanaugh
The District Treasurer ensures that all accounting records are maintained and the finances of the district monitored. He also works to ensure that payroll is processed is timely and district bills continue to be paid.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the District Treasurer must be considered as essential to ensure that fiduciary responsibilities of the district continue during a crisis.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Executive Assistant to the Business Manager:
Dee Wescott
The executive assistant is human resource liaison for staff. Specifically, she manages FMLA leave requests and insurance information. She provides support to the business manager and completes other duties as assigned.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the Executive Assistant to the Business Manager must be considered essential to support staff and their human resource needs.
Business workday: 8 hours
Facilities Services
James Spooner
This position is responsible for planning, organizing and directing the operation, maintenance and repair of a School District’s facilities department.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the Director of Facilities must be considered essential to ensure proper operations and maintenance of the district’s buildings and grounds.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Facilities Personnel
Provide proper operation, maintenance and repair
Facilities personnel work under the direction of the Facilities Director and are considered essential.
Business workday: contractual
Transportation:
Tom Murphy
The transportation director is responsible for the safety and efficient operation maintenance of the transportation program for Stillwater School District. He is directly responsible to the Business Manager & Superintendent of School.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the transportation director must be considered essential to safely transport students as deemed appropriate and to ensure that the department meets all state laws, regulations and mandates.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Transportation Personnel
Provide transportation to students
Transportation personnel work under the direction of the Transportation Director and are considered essential.
Business workday: contractual
Food Service:
Joan Hopeck
The school lunch manager managers the school lunch program serving from 500 to 2,000 meals daily, including type A and ala carte meals, to children and adults; does related work as required.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the school lunch manager must be considered essential to provide meals to students for both in-person and remote dining.
Business workday: 8 hours per day (11 month employee)
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Food Service Personnel
Provide school meals to students and staff
Food service personnel work under the direction of the School Lunch Manager and are considered essential.
Business workday: contractual
Communications:
Monique Jacobs
Our BOCES public information specialist provides professional public relations work with responsibility for developing and implementing a program of planned and strategic two-way communication, which also includes publicizing and distributing information about school district news, events, programs, services and facilities.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the public information specialist must be considered essential to provide up-to-date information to our staff and community.
Two days per week.8 hours per day
This position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends as necessary.
Technology:
Chris Lynch
The chief information officer is a multifaceted position which includes but is not limited to: protecting district data, uploading state reports, maintaining infrastructure (including communications and all data storage) and network security and providing software and hardware to staff and students.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the chief information officer must be considered essential as the wellbeing of the network and the support of staff and students for their technology needs is a priority.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Instructional Programs:
Building Principals
Rebecca Toleman
Tim Hulihan
Mike Johnson
The building principals are responsible for the administrative and supervisory tasks required to carry out Board policy, programs, decisions, and actions.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, building principals must be considered essential to support the academic, social, emotional needs of their staff and students during a crisis.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Teachers, Teaching Assistants
Classroom instructors and personnel are responsible for the planning, preparation, delivery and support of curriculum
To fulfill the obligations of the title, teachers and TAs are essential and follow the directive of the principals/ PPD to provide students with classroom experiences
Business workday: 7 hours, 10 minutes
Athletics:
Mike Kinney
The athletic director is responsible for all aspects of athletics including but not limited to: coaches, certifications, team management, scheduling, and the supervision of athletic programs, facility management and budget preparation.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the athletic director must be considered essential as athletics is an integral part of many students’ lives and educational experiences.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Special Education:
Carolyn Manzella
The Pupil Personnel Director is responsible for the administrative and supervisory tasks required to carry out Board policy, programs, decisions, and actions at the district level.
To fulfill the obligations of the title, the pupil personnel director must be considered essential top support the academic, social and emotional needs of staff and students and to ensure that legal documents such as IEPs and 504s are followed.
Business workday: 8 hours
The position expands beyond the regular business hours to evenings and weekends often and as necessary.
Attachment 2 –Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols and Procedures
Listed by Room Types/Areas, Cleaning Frequency, Disinfection Frequency, Responsible Party, Additional Information
Classrooms:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; staff and teachers
Information – Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Restrooms:
2x daily cleaning
2x daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – Doors and sinks will be done twice daily. Floors will be done once daily.
Health Offices/Isolation Rooms:
Various cleaning
Various disinfection
Responsible party – Nursing staff; Facilities
Information – Cots, bathrooms and health office equipment will be cleaned after each use. Floors will be done once daily.
Breakrooms:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – Doors, tables, chairs and floors
Cafeterias/Kitchens:
Various cleaning
Various disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; Food Service; staff
Information – Tables and chairs will be cleaned/disinfected in between each group’s use. Floors will be done once daily.
Outside Seating Areas:
Various cleaning
Various disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; staff and teachers
Information – Tables and chairs will be cleaned/disinfected in between each group’s use. Floors will be done once daily.
Computer Labs:
Various cleaning
Various disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; IT staff and teachers
Information – Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Science Labs:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; staff and teachers
Information – Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Maintenance Office and Work Areas:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Bus Garage:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Transportation staff
Information – Bathroom, doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Libraries:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; staff; Librarians
Bathroom, doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Information – Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Playgrounds:
As needed cleaning
N/A disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – All surface areas
School Buses:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Transportation staff
Information – High contact spots will be cleaned after the morning (AM) runs and cleaned/disinfected after the afternoon (PM) run.
School Vehicles:
After each use cleaning
After each use disinfection
Responsible party – Staff using vehicles
Administrative Offices:
Daily cleaning
Daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Large Meeting Areas (e.g., gymnasiums, auditoriums, music rooms):
As needed/required cleaning
As needed/required disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Information – These areas are not going to be used. When these areas will be returned to use, then an appropriate frequency for cleaning/disinfection will be established.
Athletic Training Rooms, Locker Rooms:
As needed/required cleaning
As needed/required disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities; Athletics
Information – These areas are not going to be used. When these areas will be returned to use, then an appropriate frequency for cleaning/disinfection will be established.
Frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, elevator buttons, copy machine buttons, handles, etc.):
2x daily cleaning
2x daily disinfection
Responsible party – Facilities
Shared frequently touched surfaces (e.g., keyboards, desks, phones, laptops, tablets, remote controls, etc.):
After each use cleaning
After each use disinfection
Responsible party – Staff using shared surfaces; IT staff
Shared equipment (e.g., hand tools, facilities equipment, groundskeeping equipment, golf cart, etc.):
After each use cleaning
After each use disinfection
Responsible party – Staff using equipment