Brewster Central School District
Code of Conduct 2022-2023

IX.  Standards and Procedures to Ensure the Security and Safety of Students and School Personnel

1. Safety of Students
   
   The Board of Education recognizes the District's responsibility for ensuring the safety of all students in school buildings or on school grounds, and/or participating in school activities.
   
   The safety of all students shall be the responsibility of all staff members. In case of accident or injury, students shall receive first aid from the nurse or other trained professionals nearest the scene. The nurse or administrator/administrator’s designee shall notify the parent(s) as soon as possible or, if neither parent(s) is available, the family or school physician shall be notified.
   
   The safety of students will be assured through close supervision of students on school premises and on school buses. Special attention will be given to the following:
   • maintaining a safe school environment through periodic inspection of the physical condition of all buildings and grounds;
   • observation of safe practices on the part of school personnel and students, (e.g. use of personal protective equipment) particularly in those areas of instruction or  extracurricular activities which offer special hazards. Section 409-a of the Education Law and the relevant sections of the Commissioner's Regulations regarding the wearing of eye safety devices in shops and laboratories, etc. will be strictly observed;
   • offering safety education to students, as appropriate, in subjects such as laboratory courses in science, technology education, and health and physical education;
   • notifying the school nurse of all accidents. For every accident, an accident report must be completed and filed; and,
   • adherence to health and safety guidelines
   
   

   In addition, school personnel shall be conscious of suspicious strangers loitering in or near the school. The Superintendent/Building Administrator shall notify law enforcement agencies if the circumstances seem to warrant it. Students shall be instructed to notify teachers, their parents / persons of parental relations, police (school resource officer) or school officials of any suspicious strangers.

   The Board recognizes its responsibility to include in the curriculum instruction that deals with student safety and welfare. Such instruction will meet state mandates in the following areas:

   • fire and arson instruction;
   • bus emergency drills;
   • disaster planning and civil preparedness;
   • substance abuse prevention;
   • the use of safety devices;
   • energy conservation; and
   • environmental conservation.
     
     
2. Safety Measures
   
   All required and mandated drills will be implemented by the District.  Evacuation drills are to be conducted on a regular basis and at least as often as required by law.  The Superintendent or his or her designee is responsible for a decision to close school or to evacuate the schools in case of emergency.  The safety and welfare of the children is to be the prime consideration in such decisions.
   
   
3. Elopement
   
   The District shall ensure that there are building policies, procedures and protocols in place to prevent and address instances of wandering and elopement, particularly for students with cognitive impairments and other disabilities. In addition, the District should identify students with known elopement behaviors to all building staff.
   For students with disabilities, the District should identify if the student has the tendency to wander or elope from school property, and, if so, should ensure that the proper steps are taken to address those behaviors, including training staff assigned to work with the student(s).
   
   
4. Notification of Sex Offenders
   
   The Board of Education acknowledges the efforts of local law enforcement to notify the District when a person with a history of sex offenses against a child is being paroled or released into the community, in accordance with the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration Act, commonly known as Megan's Law. The purpose of this notification is to protect members of the community, particularly children, by notifying them of the presence of individuals in their midst who may present a danger. Consistent with its duty to protect students under its care, the District shall cooperate with local law enforcement agencies in this endeavor.
   
   Any information provided by local law enforcement officials pursuant to Megan's Law shall be posted in an appropriate location in all school buildings. In addition, the Superintendent of Schools shall ensure the dissemination of any such information to all staff who might come into contact with the offender in the course of doing their jobs, including Building Principals, staff who issue visitors' passes, bus drivers, custodians, playground monitors, security personnel, and coaches. All other staff members and community residents shall be informed of the posting requirement for such information established by this policy and of the availability of the information, upon request.
   
   Community residents shall also be reminded of the security measures and personal safety instruction provided at school. All staff requests for information provided by the law enforcement agencies shall be directed to the Building Principal. Requests for information from community residents shall be directed to the District Clerk.
   
   The Superintendent shall establish any necessary regulations for implementing this policy with the advice of the school attorney.
   
   
5. Reporting of Hazards
   
   The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to provide an environment which is reasonably secure from known hazards. The Board therefore directs the Superintendent of Schools and all professional and support staff members to comply with occupational safety and health regulations, including the Hazard Communication Standard and "Right- to-Know" legislation.
   
   The Superintendent will direct appropriate personnel to develop and oversee a written hazard communication program. Such program will include the following:
   1. the acquisition, maintenance and review of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for all known hazardous materials on District property;
   2. the compilation of a hazardous materials inventory;
   3. employee training in hazardous materials management and protection; and
   4. “Right to Know” posters and the “Labor Law Information Relating to Public Employees” posters must be posed in common areas informing workers of relevant work hazards and associated rights; and
   5. the recording of all incidents involving exposure to known hazardous materials.
   
   
   Records of employees who have been exposed to substances with enforceable exposure standards shall be kept for forty years.
   
   It is the responsibility of the entire school community to report any unsafe building or equipment conditions to the main office as soon as possible. In addition, designated administrators will provide notice of hazardous materials to current and former employees within 72 hours of a request, exclusive of weekends and holidays.
   
   
6. Students and Staff Reporting Unsafe Conditions
   
   The Board of Education also seeks to ensure the safety of students and employees of the District while on District property.  The Board and administrative staff, in cooperation with students and employees, will take reasonable measures to prevent accidents on the school premises.
   
   Any dangerous conditions involving equipment or buildings or any unsafe practices by anyone in the building or on the grounds of the District are to be immediately reported to the Building Principal or his/her designee.
   
   Formal objective investigations of all accidents or unsafe conditions are to be immediately conducted by the Building Principal and the results of the investigation are to be presented to the Superintendent in a written report. The results of selected investigations should be communicated to employees and students for the purpose of determining how the accident might have been avoided.
   
   
7. Visitors to the Schools (and school grounds)
   
   All visitors will be required to report to the Main Office upon arrival at school and state their business.  Visitations to classrooms for any purpose require permission in advance from the building principal in order to allow teachers the opportunity to arrange their schedules to accommodate these requests.
   
   When individual Board members visit the schools, they must abide by the regulations and procedures developed by the administration regarding school visits.  Visitors to the schools are expected to adhere to any required procedures and protocols, including any applicable health protocols.
   
   
8. Electronic Visitor Management System
   
   The District utilizes an electronic visitor management system (EVMS) in order to ensure the safety and welfare of its students, staff, and guests. When any visitor, including parent(s) and volunteers, wishes to enter any school building during school hours, he or she must present a valid state or government issued photo ID, such as a valid driver's license, or some other acceptable form of proof of identity. Prior to entry being permitted, the EVMS will check visitors against known sexual offender databases. Once the visitor's ID is scanned, the EVMS will print a visitor's badge which must be worn throughout the duration of the visit.  Visitors should return this badge at the end of their visit so that they may be checked out of the building in a timely fashion.  Visitors who refuse to produce IDs or fail the check of sexual offender databases, may be asked to either wait in the school building lobby or to leave school premises.
   
   Visitors to the schools of the District shall be governed by the following rules:
   1. Each Building Principal shall establish and maintain a safety plan outlining the process for registration and authorization for visits to his/her school.  Such plans shall be submitted to the Superintendent of Schools for approval, and thereafter be made available in the Principal's office to anyone interested in visiting the school.
   2. The Principal of the school must be contacted by the person or group wishing to visit, and prior approval must be obtained for the visit.
   3. Parents / persons of parental relations wishing to speak with a specific teacher concerning the progress of a child must make an appointment with the teacher.  The teacher will notify the Main Office and the Building Principal (or his/her designee).
   4. All visitors must report to the main office, sign in, and be issued a visitor's permit, which must be displayed at all times. The permit must be returned to the main office and the visitor must sign out at the conclusion of the visit.
   5. Registration shall not be required for school functions open to the public, whether or not school-related.
   6. Parents / persons of parental relations are encouraged to visit guidance counselors, school nurses, school psychologists and other support personnel, by appointment, in order to discuss any problems or concerns the parent / person of parental relations may have regarding the student, whether or not school-related.
   7. Any visitor wishing to inspect school records or interview students on school premises must comply with all applicable Board policies and administrative regulations.  The request shall only be granted in accordance with applicable law, regulation and policy. In questionable cases, the visitor shall be directed to the Superintendent's office to obtain written permission for such a visit.
   8. The Principal is authorized to take any action necessary to secure the safety of students and school personnel. Unauthorized visitors shall be requested to leave school premises immediately, and will be subject to arrest and prosecution for trespassing, pursuant to the New York State Penal Law, if they refuse.
      
      
9. Reporting Harassment, Discrimination and/or Bullying
   
   The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and productive learning environment within its schools. The Board recognizes that discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying, are detrimental to student learning and achievement. These behaviors interfere with the mission of the District to educate its students and disrupt the operation of the schools. Such behavior affects not only the students who are its targets but also those individuals who participate and witness such acts.
   
   To this end, the Board condemns and strictly prohibits all forms of discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying on school grounds, school buses and at all school sponsored activities, programs and events. Discrimination, harassment, hazing or bullying that takes place at locations outside of school grounds, such as cyberbullying, which creates or can be reasonably expected to create a material and substantial interference with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school or impinge on the rights of other students are prohibited, and may be subject to disciplinary consequences.
   
   The Title IX Coordinators are:

Dr. Michelle Gosh, Deputy Superintendent, (845) 279-8000 x6119
Dr. Brent Harrington, Director of Human Resources,(845) 279-8000 x6125

The Title VI Coordinator is:

Dr. Michelle Gosh, Deputy Superintendent,          
(845) 279-8000 x6119