School Safety and Facilities
Brandon A. Cruz, Supervisor
CoSer 644 provides training, consultation and technical assistance to create and maintain an educational environment that is a model for workplace safety and best practices. We work directly with districts to handle matters of compliance with regulatory requirements and SAVE legislation.
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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via Zoom
The Mandated DASA Certification Class (2 days)
The ability to provide a safe and supportive environment, free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and bullying, is a top priority for K-12 educators nationwide. Through this 6-hour training participants will unpack the social patterns of harassment and discrimination based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, and sex.
The training will address:
* The identification and mitigation of harassment
* Bullying and discrimination
* Strategies for effectively addressing problems of exclusion, bias, and aggression in educational settings
Successful completion of this course meets the NYS Mandate. Important: A TEACH account is required to verify attendance to NYSED. To create a TEACH account, please go to: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment/ Neglect Mandated Workshop
It has been signed into law amendments to Social Services Law § 413 requiring the addition of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma, Implicit Bias, and Identification of Child Abuse virtually within the New York State mandated Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect coursework. The law requires every person who has previously undergone this training to undergo the new updated training by April 1, 2025. Please note that the new curriculum requires a pre/posttest in order to receive e credit. Participants will receive a certificate of completion when all requirements have been met.
A TEACH account is required to verify attendance to NYSED. To create a TEACH account, please go to: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS: Media Literacy
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Digging Deeper into the NGLS Writing Standards for Informational Writing (Grades 3-5)
Register through My Learning Plan here.
Would you like to deepen writing instruction for your students, while ensuring you are crafting lessons aligned with the NGLS? Join Sarah Cordova, National Literacy Consultant, to explore the ins and outs of the Informational Writing Text Type NGLS writing standards, including:
- The difference between text types and genres
- How to vary the informational genres and strategies across grades
- The power and purpose of mentor textsDuring the session, you will have time to work with colleagues browsing new mentor texts, to develop specific mini lessons that can be incorporated into your writing instruction immediately.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Health Education Hot Topics PE/HE CONSORTIUM
Instructor: Mike Gulino
The priority to support physical and mental health of our students is at an all-time high. This full day workshop will explore emerging health education topics related to youth well-being, as well as corresponding teaching strategies for revising and updating health curriculum and instruction.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
The Science of Reading: Pedagogy into Practice Book Club
Instructor: Dr. Hope Weinberg
In an effort to school ourselves, we need to engage in deep learning about the body of research known as the Science of Reading. (The Reading League, 2022)
Together, let's explore how to make small changes that have a big impact on our students. In the book 7 Mighty Moves: Research-backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-3 Reading Success By: Lindsay Kemeny, we will explore seven ways K-3 teachers can modify what they are currently doing to transform their reading instruction with strategies connected to the Science of Reading.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS: Get the Scoop: Best new books, graphic novels and diverse reads! Elementary Focus
Talking about great books with friends and colleagues! Join us as we talk about some of our favorite titles published over the last year, books that represent the diverse needs of our learners, and graphic novels and manga to excite readers.
Alicia Abdul and Stacey Rattner will be joining us to present a professional learning session on new and must-have books. They will be sharing:
Diverse titles focused on student representation
New titles that are must-haves
Favorite books to share with students and facultyAlicia Abdul is a school librarian at Albany High School. She blogs, presents nationally, and volunteers for the American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association award and selection committees including: Great Graphic Novels for Teens, William C. Morris Award Committee, Best Fiction for Young Adults, chaired the 2022 Excellence in Nonfiction Award, and is a current member of the 2024 Alex Award Committee.
Stacey Rattner is a school librarian at Castleton Elementary School. She is the co-creator of Author Fan Face-Off with Steven Sheinkin. She is wildly creative and energetic and is often chosen as the librarian to host book birthday events to celebrate new titles being published. Stacey has developed long lasting relationships with award-winning authors and has the inside scoop on what's coming next.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS: Get the Scoop: Best new books, graphic novels and diverse reads! SECONDARY SCHOOL Focus
Talking about great books with friends and colleagues! Join us as we talk about some of our favorite titles published over the last year, books that represent the diverse needs of our learners, and graphic novels and manga to excite readers.
Alicia Abdul and Stacey Rattner will be joining us to present a professional learning session on new and must-have books. They will be sharing:
Graphic novels and manga that enhance your school library collection
Diverse titles focused on student representation
New titles that are must-haves
Favorite books to share with students and facultyAlicia Abdul is a school librarian at Albany High School. She blogs, presents nationally, and volunteers for the American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association award and selection committees including: Great Graphic Novels for Teens, William C. Morris Award Committee, Best Fiction for Young Adults, chaired the 2022 Excellence in Nonfiction Award, and is a current member of the 2024 Alex Award Committee.
Stacey Rattner is a school librarian at Castleton Elementary School. She is the co-creator of Author Fan Face-Off with Steven Sheinken. She is wildly creative and energetic and is often chosen as the librarian to host book birthday events to celebrate new titles being published. Stacey has developed long lasting relationships with award-winning authors and has the inside scoop on what's coming next.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
PE/HE CONSORTIUM - Empowering Young Women and Girls through Health Educations
Instructor: Jessica Rosa
Women's health is the catalyst to women empowerment. Women empowerment will elevate an individual's lifestyle, prevention, and safety. Topics focus on health promotion to educate, elevate and empower the journey of social, emotional, mental and physical well-being. Units and objectives are guided by National Health Education Standards.
Learning Objectives:
Educators will be able to enhance their knowledge and comprehension regarding women and health topics
Educators will be able to gain women's health resources and services that can be an aid for students, families, and classroom teaching
Educators will be able to transfer health skills based activities into their classroom for positive and meaningful engagementCenter for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
PD Short: Fostering Engagement & Independence with Making Thinking Visible (MTV)
Making Thinking Visible (MTV) catalyzes High Impact Practices recommended across content areas, per the NYS Literacy Briefs and Advanced Literacy instruction. Visible thinking routines can support engagement and learning, helping illuminate the content and process of thinking, while supporting entry points for all students. Come learn about the why, what, and how of MTV to determine what you can bring back to your school tomorrow - and beyond.
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.
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