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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via Zoom
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 (APPR) - MTSS/MTSS-I Framework
This professional learning experience focuses on integrating key educational standards and frameworks, including the 9 NYSED Required Elements of Evaluator Professional Learning Programs (APPR), PSEL standards, MPPR, and the Danielson Framework, within the context of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Participants will review the core components of MTSS, examine the NYSED MTSSi Pilot, and identify and organize existing academic and social-emotional learning (SEL) practices within the MTSS framework. Additionally, they will develop actionable steps to enhance MTSS/MTSSi practices from the perspectives of both School Leaders and District Leaders within their schools.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
MeetUp: SWBOCES Community Schools CoSer 563 Supporting the Whole Child - Building Healthy, Thriving Schools[
Join us for a virtual meet up, to learn about our brand new Community School Resources and Services CoSer 563.
School districts are facing an unprecedented student mental health crisis. SWBOCES Community School CoSer 563 is a whole-school approach designed to organize resources, remove barriers, and provide targeted support for mental health and wellness so that every student can succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
Through strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and institutions, participating districts will gain direct access to mental health professionals, culturally responsive interventions, and sustainable systems of care that meet the needs of students and families-both inside and outside the school building.
Let's explore together how CoSer 563 can strengthen your district's mental health and wellness supports.
Center 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
NYSED Lead Evaluator Training (APPR) - Science of Reading: Leading for Literacy
Supporting literacy across the curriculum is essential to building the skills students need for success. NYSED's Literacy Initiative, Literacy Briefs, and Advanced Literacy Briefs provide valuable anchors to inform instruction and instructional leadership. This module will support educational leaders in leveraging the Science of Reading and the needs of our linguistically diverse students to support instructional improvement and student achievement.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES Center for Career Services, 65 Grasslands Rd. Valhalla, NY
Regional Crisis Response Team (RCRT): Kickoff Meeting!
We're excited to kick off the 2025-2026 school year with our first Regional Crisis Response Team (RCRT) meeting!
Join us on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 8:00-10:00 AM for a morning of connection, collaboration, and inspiration. Enjoy breakfast with colleagues, take a campus tour to see students in action, and hear from team members who have recently deployed in the field. Together, we'll reflect on our experiences and begin planning for a strong year of crisis support across our districts.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
The Science of Reading Essentials: What every educator should know
This session introduces educators to the foundational principles of the Science of Reading (SoR). Participants will explore the core components, dispel common myths, and identify evidence-based instructional practices. Participants will have the opportunity to take a more focused look and deeper dive into the NYSED frameworks including the 7 Literacy briefs and the NYS best practices guide. Participants will engage in strengthening their core knowledge base, while creating a plan of action for their work towards the implementation of strategic literacy instruction.
We welcome teams of teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, reading specialists, department chairs, and all for whom literacy instruction is integral, to join us as leaders of literacy.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
The Leadership Studio: A Strategic & Proactive Professional Learning Experience for School Leaders
Effective school leadership requires more than managing day-to-day operations-it calls for vision, courage, and a proactive approach to navigating the evolving needs of students, staff, and communities. The Leadership Studio is a dynamic professional learning series designed to inspire, empower, and support principals and assistant principals in leading with purpose, clarity, and impact.
Grounded in research and real-world practice, this series blends structured learning with responsive coaching and peer collaboration. Participants will engage in a sequence of high-leverage sessions focused on the most pressing topics in education today: MTSS implementation, culturally responsive leadership, social-emotional learning, instructional excellence, discipline reform, and authentic community engagement.
Each session is designed to not only build knowledge but also strengthen capacity-equipping leaders with practical tools, strategic frameworks, and a supportive network to foster innovation, equity, and sustainable school improvement. Whether you're building foundational systems or driving next-level growth, The Leadership Studio offers a space to think boldly, lead collaboratively, and create meaningful, lasting change.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Initial Certification Training
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® provides your staff with the skills to safely recognize and respond to everyday crisis situations that may involve more challenging behaviors. NCI™ training is designed to help you achieve compliance with current legislative initiatives and best practices.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
2025-26 RECOVS MTSSI Lab: Understanding, Designing, and Implementing MTSS-I systems and structures
If you are not a member of the RECOVS Consortium, register here.
District MTSSi teams from SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium will meet to discuss and collaborate around grant implementation through the lens of MTSS. Together, we will collaboratively explore the components of MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports). Guided by the NYSED MTSS-I Pilot, we will investigate and design systems and structures. Our focus will be on exploring effective implementation strategies and utilizing data to enhance school and district practices. This group aims to share experiences, best practices, and develop tools to empower faculty and staff in meeting the unique needs of every student through the structures and guidelines provided by the RECOVS Mental Health Grant.
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
