Safety Plan

Safe Schools Against Violence in Education

2022-23 DISTRICT-WIDE

SAFETY PLAN

RHINEBECK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

RHINEBECK, NY 12572

Document Also Found HERE

Introduction

Emergencies and violent incidents in school districts are critical issues that must be addressed in an expeditious and effective manner. School districts are required to develop a district-wide school safety plan designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents and emergencies and to facilitate the coordination of the school district with local and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies. This district-wide plan has been developed to be responsive to the needs of all schools within the district and consistent with the more detailed emergency response plans required at the school building level.

School districts stand at risk from a wide variety of acts of violence, as well as natural and technological 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 risk reduction/ prevention, response, and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies in the school district and its schools.

The Rhinebeck Central School District supports the SAVE Legislation and has committed to full and active participation in the planning process. The Superintendent of Schools encourages and advocates on-going district-wide cooperation and support of Project SAVE.

Section I: General Considerations and Planning Guidelines

A. Purpose

The Rhinebeck Central School’s District-Wide Safety Plan was developed pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17. At the direction of the Rhinebeck Board of Education, the Superintendent, who serves as the Chief Emergency Officer, has appointed a District-Wide School Safety Committee and charged it with the development and maintenance of the District-Wide School Safety Plan. The Chief Emergency Officer is responsible for coordinating communication between staff and law enforcement and first responders, and for ensuring staff understanding of the District-Wide Safety Plan. The Chief Emergency Officer also is responsible for ensuring completion and yearly update of Building-Level Response Plans.

B. Identification of School Teams

The Rhinebeck Central School District has created a District-Wide School Safety Committee consisting of, but not limited to, teacher, administrator, parent, school safety personnel, and other school personnel representatives. The members of the team and their positions or affiliations are as follows:

Teachers: Michael Rocco; TBD; TBD

Pupil Personnel Staff: Nicholas Montany; Megan Rodier.
Administrators:Tom Burnell; Marc Burg; Sheldon Tieder; Brett King.
Other:Teresa Costakis (School Nurse); Beth Heady (Greeter). Ken Scattergood (School
Resource Officer – RPD).
- Board of Education – Diane Lyons

Superintendent/Chief Emergency Officer:Albert Cousins

C. Concept of Operations

The District-Wide Safety Plan is directly linked to the Building-Level Emergency Response Plans for each school building (Chancellor Livingston Elementary School and Bulkeley Middle School/

Rhinebeck High School). Protocols reflected in the District-Wide 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 school will be by the School Emergency Response Team.

Upon the activation of the School Emergency Response Team, the Superintendent or his/her designee will be notified and, where appropriate, local emergency officials will also be notified. Efforts may be supplemented by County and State resources if deemed necessary.

D. Plan Review and Public Comment

Pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17 (e)(3), this plan was made available for public comment on June 20, 2001, more than 30 days prior to its adoption. The School Board adopted the District-Wide and Building-Level plans after a public hearing on July 31, 2001 that provided for the participation of school personnel, parents, students and any other interested parties. The plan was formally adopted by the Board of Education on July 31, 2001 following the required public hearing held earlier that evening.

This plan is reviewed and maintained by the District School Safety Team. A review of the plan is completed annually on or before July 1 of each year and is approved by the Board of Education during July of each year, at least 30 days after the revised Plan is available. A copy of the approved Plan is available in the Superintendent’s office.

While linked to the District-Wide Safety Plan, the 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. Full copies of the District-Wide Safety Plan and any amendments will be submitted to the New York State Education Department within 30 days of adoption. Building-Level Emergency Response Plans will be supplied to both local and State Police within 30 days of adoption.

Section II: Risk Reduction/Prevention and Intervention

Risk Reduction/Prevention and Intervention is comprised of activities that are taken prior to an emergency or disaster to eliminate the possibility of the occurrence, or reduce the impact of such emergency should it occur.

A. Prevention/Intervention Strategies

q Program Initiatives
A school wide culture that supports positive learning opportunities for all children and youth is critical. This entails assessing special needs among students who behave inappropriately, referring them to appropriate services and interventions as needed, supporting the development of skills for future employment, and developing working relationships with parents, families and communities.

Young people have a variety of emotional needs that they bring to school. Some of these needs may be met in school through encounters with peers and school staff (teachers, psychologists, social workers, and counselors), while other needs require proper assessment and referral to community services. If these needs are handled effectively, students are less likely to engage in negative behavior.

Skills training will be offered to students and staff, as appropriate, in social interaction, problem solving, coping, communication, resisting peer influence, substance abuse prevention, understanding values, respect for individual differences, countering bias, anger management, conflict resolution, and peer mediation. Instruction and skills training can be effectively combined using interactive and engaging learning strategies. A grade-level training matrix for student training will be developed by the Building Principals and the Superintendent of Schools and will be reviewed annually. A schedule of training opportunities will be communicated through building-level publications such as newsletters, handbooks, and e-mails.
q Training, Drills, and Exercises

The Rhinebeck Central School District shall arrange to provide multi-hazard school training for the instructional and non-instructional staff of each school. Such training shall include a review of the Rhinebeck High School/Bulkeley Middle School and the Chancellor Livingston Elementary School’s Emergency Response Plan, the Building Crisis Packet (available in each room), and the Emergency Management Plan - Quick Reference Guide at the beginning of the school year and/or at the time of hire by all instructional and non-instructional staff, including substitute staff. In addition, violence prevention training and crisis intervention training will be provided to the instructional and non-instructional staff as part of the district’s professional development plan program. Additional training may be required via workshops that provide instruction in relevant disciplines, such as proper restraint techniques and the de-escalation of violent incidents.

The District employs two part-time School Resource Officers (SROs) through a contract with the Rhinebeck Police Department. The School Resource Officers:

assist in bringing assembly programs and speakers to students;
serve as guest speakers in classes in social studies, health, college and careers on: careers in law enforcement, law, health and safety;
serve on the RHS/BMS, CLS Building Safety Teams and the District Safety Team;
participate in and consult on safety drills;
consult with building administrators regarding school and student safety, potential criminal violations and school responses, and motor vehicle and parking safety;
interact with students during unstructured time (lunch, corridors) in order to establish positive relationships;
assist in chaperoning the annual junior/senior prom.

In addition, teacher aides and monitors serve in various related capacities in the District, including supervising the greeter station in each building, providing identifying badges to visitors, directing visitors to their destinations, monitoring the student and visitor traffic in each building, and ensuring that visitors sign out and return their badges upon leaving the building.

Staff members who serve in this capacity receive training from the building principals as to their duties at the beginning of each school year. In the elementary school, middle school, and high school, they are equipped with radios and telephones with which to access the school office, building administrators, and other members of the building staff as needed. The hiring and screening process for these employees is the same as for any other staff member, including teacher aides who do not serve in this capacity. The hiring and screening process involves the mandatory fingerprint and criminal background check required of all employees.

Primary responsibility for student discipline is delegated to the school district’s building principals and other designated and certified school administrators. Other school employees, as well as School Resource Officers, collaborate with the school district’s building principals and other designated and certified school administrators in a support role as requested by those administrators.

Working relationships with local and state police regarding the implementation of school safety and security have been established and will continue to be developed and strengthened.

Each school facility shall hold:

at least eight (8) evacuation drills;

at least two (2) AED drills;

at least four (4) lockdown drills;

at least one (1) severe weather drill;

These drills will be held at regular as well as inopportune times, and will utilize a variety of blocked exits, as appropriate, to take care of almost any situation. At least one of the evacuation drills will occur between classes. Each member of the faculty shall take his/her attendance register or class record when a drill is conducted. Immediately upon arrival at a prescribed point, the faculty member shall check the students to see that all students are present. A report of absentees shall be made immediately to the building principal or his/her designee.

Evaluation of all drills will be conducted after each and every drill. Evaluation records will be kept for each drill, including the times for the evacuation of the facility, in order to ascertain whether or not the drill is running in a timely manner and according to plan. Administrative staff and other observers will be placed to evaluate the student and staff participation in order to make recommendations for the improvement of these drills.

Everyone in the facility, including other employees, instructors not in the regular classrooms, and visitors, must obey the instructions in the room or area they occupy when the alarm or notification is given.

q Implementation of School Security

All exterior doors will be secured to limit building access to the main entrance of each facility. A controlled building access system has been implemented at both of the District’s school buildings, for which all exterior doors are locked during school hours, and students, school staff, and visitors are admitted through a locked single point of entry at the main entrance of each school building after “buzzing in” by the building’s greeters. A two way audio/video system has been installed and is in operation for the use of the greeters, and the office staff as needed, for screening individuals requesting entry into the school building during school hours. Screening will involve requiring all individuals requesting entry into the building to provide to the greeters, or office staff as needed, with information as to the nature of the visitor’s business in the school building at that time, before unlocking the doors and providing access.

All visitors during the school day will be required to sign in at the greeter station at the main entrance of each school building immediately upon admittance to the school building. Anyone who is not a regular staff member or a student of the school will be considered a visitor. This includes parents/ relatives, contractors, vendors, delivery personnel, and other individuals.

Upon the visitor signing in, the greeter will provide the visitor with a badge identifying the individual as a visitor, to be worn conspicuously by the visitor throughout the course of the visit. The greeter will contact the visitors destination to confirm that the visitor is expected and to notify the office staff of the visitor’s imminent arrival. Upon leaving, the visitor will sign out at the greeter station and return the visitor’s badge to the greeter. The names of visitors who do not sign out and return the visitor’s badge provided to them at check-in will be reported to the building principal as soon as possible.

Visitors, even though they have signed in and are wearing a visitor’s badge, are not allowed to wander through the facilities. A staff member who observes a visitor who appears lost or who otherwise may appear to be walking through the building with no apparent purpose will address the visitor by asking, “May I help you?” The staff member will then provide assistance in the form of directions or direct the visitor to the main office. If a staff member observes suspicious, threatening and/or otherwise inappropriate behavior, such behavior should be reported immediately to the main office for a response from the building principal or his/her designee.

Student visitors from other schools, unless they have a specific reason and prior approval of the Building Administrator or his/her designee, are not permitted to enter school buildings. Anyone who violates any provisions of the Rhinebeck Central School Code of Conduct is subject to appropriate penalties, up to and including reprimand, ejection, arrest and/or criminal prosecution.

Locks on interior classroom doors will be kept in the locked position at all times, whether or not the door is open or shut, in order to provide for an immediate response to a shelter-in-place announcement.

Procedures for maintaining the security of the facility, as well as procedures for radio use, will be regularly tested by the building principal or his/her designee.

qVital Educational Agency Information

Each of the three schools within the Rhinebeck Central School District collects and maintains vital educational information, such as student enrollment and the number of staff and teaching stations. The only non-public schools within the boundaries of the Rhinebeck Central School District is the Primrose Hill School on Route 9 North. Transportation needs are assessed by the school business official in conjunction with the building principals. The Business Office maintains and updates listings of home and work telephone numbers for key personnel throughout the agency. Data on student populations, number of staff, transportation needs and the business and home telephone numbers of key district officials is included in Appendix A and will be updated at least annually and more frequently as needed.

B. Early Detection of Potentially Violent Behaviors

The early detection of potentially violent students shall be facilitated through professional development offerings provided for the Rhinebeck Central School District staff.

All teachers and non-instructional staff members are provided with training each year regarding their building’s Emergency Response Plan, also including School Violence Prevention training, prior to September 15 of each school year. Updated training in this area will be provided annually. In addition, staff members who supervise students in non-academic areas, such as on playgrounds and in cafeterias are provided with conflict intervention training through the Dutchess County BOCES. Conflict intervention training for teacher aides will be provided and updated annually.

In addition, a series of workshops have been held as part of an ongoing initiative to provide interested parents and community members with information to assist in the improvement of student social skills, with a focus on listening, communicating, and bullying.

Before the end of the first week of each academic year, teachers will familiarize themselves with all available information and records about the regular education and/or special education program placement of every student in their class. Instructional and non-instructional staff who are concerned about the behavior of a student will communicate with their building principal if the situation so warrants. The building principal will then communicate appropriate information to other staff members on a need-to-know basis. The staff member will proceed to work with that student on the basis of these consultations and information.

C. Hazard Identification

Both of the Rhinebeck Central School District’s buildings (Chancellor Livingston Elementary School and Bulkeley Middle School/Rhinebeck High School) have been evaluated for the location of potential hazards, both on and off school grounds. This hazard identification shall be updated at least once a year.

A listing of Sites of Potential Emergency for the Areas surrounding the Rhinebeck Central School District facilities is included in the Emergency Preparedness Plan, located in the District Office. There is a listing of the hazardous roadways in proximity to the school buildings as well as the hazardous intersections.

The District has fuel oil tanks that are located on the elementary school campus (1 above-ground tank with a capacity of 4,000 gallons of #2 fuel oil) and on the middle school/high school campus (1 below-ground tank with a capacity of 12,000 gallons of #2 fuel oil). Propane tanks are located adjacent to the middle school and the Physics classroom. The middle school/high school has classrooms that include a variety of chemicals and solvents that are used for instruction. Safety Data Sheets are located in each building. In the Chancellor Livingston Elementary School building, they are located in the main office. In the Bulkeley Middle School/Rhinebeck High School building, they are located in the office of the Director of Facilities.

There are no storage facilities for hazardous chemicals adjacent to other District facilities that have been identified by either the County Emergency Preparedness Office or the New York State

Department of Environmental Conservation.

Section III: Response

Every emergency requires an appropriate response by school officials. Protocols can be found in the Building Level Emergency Response Plan (located in the main office of each school building), the Emergency Preparedness Plan (located in the district office), and the District Quick Reference Plan (provided to each employee at the beginning of the school year and posted in each classroom). The Communications outline will include the notification of the building administrator, the Superintendent, local fire, police and emergency services, as appropriate.

In the event of an emergency situation, the District will work with local government officials for obtaining advice and assistance. In an emergency, the Superintendent of Schools, as the Chief Emergency Officer, or his/her designee, will contact the highest ranking local government official, as appropriate to the situation, i.e. the County executive, the Mayor of Rhinebeck and/or the Town Supervisor of the town in which the emergency situation has occurred. In addition, the District will contact the appropriate agencies (i.e. police departments, fire departments, the Red Cross, mental health providers, religious organizations, etc.) to obtain advice and assistance in the event of an emergency.

A. Notification and Activation (Internal and External Communications)

In the event of an emergency, such as a fire, choking, a heart attack, a display of weapons, a shooting or stabbing, or a traffic accident, anyone with access to an outside telephone line first will contact emergency services by dialing 911 and then will notify the Building Principal. In the event of a pending emergency, the Building Principal will be notified first. The Building Principal or his/her designee then will contact emergency services, if appropriate, by dialing 911. He or she then will notify the Superintendent of Schools and other local law enforcement officials as the situation warrants. Local law enforcement agencies include the New York State Police (876-4033 – Rhinebeck barracks; 677-7300 – Millbrook barracks), the Dutchess County Sheriffs (486-3800) and the Rhinebeck Police Department (876-8181).

The Emergency Response Team also will be notified at the beginning of the incident. The Building Principal can refer to the Emergency Response Plan and/or the District Quick Reference Plan for the proper sequence for notification. After the initial response to the emergency, the sequence for official notification for the majority of incidents will be as follows:
- Building Principal
- Superintendent
- School Business Official
- Director of Facilities
- Appropriate Emergency Services
Each Building Principal, before leaving the building for any reason, will designate an individual administrator or other staff member to act in his/her place should an emergency occur. Building office staff will be informed of the name of the principal’s designee before the principal leaves the building. The Superintendent of Schools will do likewise. It will be the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee to ensure that each of the District’s three building principals or their designees is informed, through the use of telephone, fax, and or radio, of a disaster or other emergency identified in the Plan.

The Building Level Emergency Response Plans have been prepared in cooperation with the local authorities, local police agencies, and/or the New York State Police.

Information of severe weather such as, but not limited to, tornadoes, storms, and blizzards, as well as national emergencies and other emergencies which can be foretold, will be received in the superintendent’s office. The use of a NOAA Weather Radio will be used. At the building level, a radio with battery backup will also be tuned to the Emergency Broadcast System.

It will be the duty of the Building Principal or his/her designee to notify faculty, students, staff and others when it is necessary to respond to either internal or external situations. Hand held radios, telephones and/or the intercom system can be used to notify staff of any procedures to be followed. Notification of incidents can be made to the Superintendent’s office via telephone, fax or e-mail messages. Parents will be notified by the Building Principal or his/her designee after an incident is stable and under control. For small group notification, a telephone may be used.

Regardless of the nature of the incident, all inquiries from the media should be referred to the

Superintendent’s office. Staff training in the District Safety Plan will emphasize this aspect of the

communications protocol. Such inquiries will be addressed by the Superintendent of Schools, in the

capacity of the Chief Emergency Officer, or, in his/her absence, the Assistant Superintendent for

Support Services, the Director of Facilities, or one of the District’s available Building Principals,

starting first with the High School Principal, then the Middle School Principal, and then the

Elementary Principal.

In the event of a critical incident, the Superintendent of Schools, as the Chief Emergency Officer, or his/her designee, will complete an incident report form in anticipation of contact by members of the media. The incident report will outline the date, time, location, and type of incident, and what agencies have been contacted. As time permits, a press release based upon the information contained within the incident report form will be developed and disseminated via fax, telephone, e-mail or in person to members of the media. A list of area media contacts will be developed by the Superintendent for this purpose.

Depending upon the nature of the critical incident, the school district’s attorneys will be contacted for on-site consultation, as appropriate. As already outlined in this plan, emergency service providers and local officials will already have been contacted as required.

When representatives of the media arrive at the site of the critical incident, the Superintendent or his/her designee will designate a location and format for meeting with them to provide an incident report and answer appropriate questions. The location will be determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee and will be dictated by the nature and location of the critical incident. Depending upon the nature of the incident, the media briefing area could be in the Superintendent’s office, in one of the two school buildings, outside one of the District’s two school buildings, at a designated off-site command post, or adjacent to the off-campus incident site.



If it becomes necessary to close school before the regular closing time, such information will be announced. The primary notification will come as an email and text alert through SchoolMessenger. It will also be shared on the District’s Twitter feed, the District Facebook page, and the District website (www.rhinebeckcsd.org). Parents may then expect their children to be transported home according to the announced schedule.

In grades K-5, parents, guardians and persons in parental relation complete emergency early dismissal cards at the beginning of each year. These students are dismissed in accordance with the directions provided by each individual parent, guardian or person in parental relation. This could include telephoning a parent or other emergency contact and/or riding a bus to a different-than-normal destination. Management of the emergency early dismissal process is the responsibility of each of the Building Principals and/or his/her designee. If schools are closed during the school day, after-school and evening activities are canceled unless otherwise announced.



B. Situational Responses

The appropriate responses for this section could include the use of the sheltering, lock down,

evacuation or go home procedures, as outlined in the Building Emergency Response Plans and/or the

District Quick Reference Plan. A log of all medical treatment provided to students or staff will

be kept by the school nurse in each building. An incident report will be filed by the Building

Principal with the Superintendent immediately after each emergency incident so that response

protocols can be reviewed, assessed and modified as needed.
q Multi-Hazard Response

The guiding principles for emergency planning are: a holding action designed to contain the situation, keeping children and staff isolated from the situation, communication with the proper authorities; and finally, restoring normal activities.

Emergency Plans are broken down into five separate categories: Civil Disturbances,

Environmental Problems, Fire and Explosion, Systems Failures and Medical Emergencies.

qCivil Disturbances

An emergency caused by an action, which requires an appropriate response by school officials. The following are covered in this section:

Bomb Threat
Hostage
Intruder
Kidnapped Person

The guiding principles for emergency planning are: holding action to contain the situation; keeping children away from the situation; communicating with the proper authorities; and finally, restoring normal activities. If it becomes necessary to respond to civil disturbances, the school administrators may rely on one of the following responses: shelter, lockdown, lock out, evacuation, go home.

qEnvironmental Problems

An emergency caused by a naturally occurring or man-made environmental problem requires an appropriate response by school officials. The following occurrences are addressed in this section:

Air Pollution

Drought
Earthquake
Flood
Oil/Gasoline Spill
Radiological Incident
Storm – Snow / Ice / Wind /Hurricane
Thunderstorm / Lightning Storm
Tornado
Toxic Material Spill
Water Contamination

The guiding principles for response are protection of life first, then the preservation of property,

including restoration to normal activities. The fire department, local police, State Emergency

Management Office, Federal Emergency Management Office and/or environmental specialists will communicate, evaluate, and make the necessary arrangements with the Superintendent, or his/her designee, and the Director of Facilities for control, clean up, remediation, and disposal of any materials, if needed.

The appropriate responses for this section could include the use of sheltering, lock down,

Evacuation, or go-home protocols.

qFire and Explosion

A fire or explosion in a building, or even a false alarm, will interrupt and disrupt school building activities. The effects may be minor, as in the case of a false alarm, but could be significant, as in the case of a fire or explosion. Emergency guidelines, ranging from minor to major occurrences, are included in this section:

False Fire Alarm
Fire
Explosion

In each case, the guiding principles for emergency planning are protection of life first, then preservation of property, including restoration of normal activities.

qSystems Failure

The failure of a building’s structural or mechanical system will interrupt and disrupt normal building activities. A failure or malfunction may be minor, temporary in nature, and readily or easily corrected, or may be major, create emergency conditions, and involve extensive or extended corrective work. Emergency guidelines, ranging from minor to major occurrences, are included in this section for the following facility failures:

Electrical Failure
Energy Loss or Governmentally Imposed Fuel Shortage
Heating System Failure (Loss of Heat)
Roofing System Failure (Leak)
Sewage System Failure
Water System Failure
Gas Leak
Structural Failure

The guiding principles for emergency planning are the protection of life first, then the preservation of property, including restoration to normal activities.

qMedical Emergency

A medical emergency is the result of a minor or major illness or injury to an individual(s) and can be of such severity as to be life threatening or merely cause the victim discomfort or pain. Emergency guidelines are included in this section for the following:

Allergic Reaction
Animal Bite
Bleeding
Blow to the Head
Broken Bones
Burns
Choking
Diabetic Shock
Drowning
Electric Shock
Epidemic
Epileptic Convulsions
Food Poisoning
Head Lice
Heart Attack
Respiratory Arrest
School Bus Accident and/or Fire
Shock
Chemical/Toxic Exposure

The guiding principles are to provide appropriate emergency care until competent medical or parental care is secured. Emergency care is not authorized beyond proper first aid. First Aid is the treatment that will protect the life and comfort of the victim until authorized medical treatment is available or, in the case of a student, until the child is placed under the care of a parent or legal guardian. An effective medical emergency program should be based on medically and educationally sound procedures. Some of the components of such a program are:

• Signed instructions for emergencies from parents, and/or legal guardians will be made available, including name and date of birth of the child; name, address and telephone number where one or both parents may be reached at home and at work; name, address, and telephone number of another person who has agreed to care for the child if the parent or guardian cannot be reached; name, address, and telephone number of the family physician (or Christian Science Practitioner), a list of medical problems, allergies, and daily medication needs, and any special condition which should require special handling. Parents are requested to verify and/or update this information at the beginning of each school year through a mailing to the home of each district student.

• A list will be maintained by the school nurse of all students and staff having special medical problems such as hypersensitivity to allergens, diabetes, epilepsy, allergy to bee stings, etc.

• The Building Principal will ensure that all school personnel and students are informed of the location of the school nurse. In the event of a health emergency requiring immediate assistance, staff members should call 5911 from the telephone in any school district room to mobilize the Emergency Response Team in that school. Individuals have the capability of dialing 911 directly from any telephone within the school district, should the need arise.

• Written instructions in first aid procedures for choking or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will be made available to all school personnel. Each teacher will have a copy in his or her room for reference. Copies will be posted in the health office and food services areas, maintenance department and administrative office.

• “Bleeding Apply Pressure” kits have been assembled and have been located in all AED/CPR stations in each school building across the school district, as well as in the nurses’ offices for use by the school nurse and first responders in the event of an emergency situation requiring such first aid.

qResponses to Implied or Direct Threats of Violence

The Rhinebeck Central School District expects a high standard of behavior from its students, faculty, and staff, as well as visitors to the school facility and grounds. The school district will enforce the District Code of Conduct, which governs the behavior of all persons, whether or not their presence is authorized, upon any premises or property under the control of the district and used in its teaching, administration, and cultural, recreational, athletic and/or other programs and activities. A copy of the Code of Conduct is available in the main office of each school building as well as in the district office.

In the event of an implied or direct threat of violence, the following protocol will be implemented:

•          The threat will be reported to the Building Principal or his/her designee, either directly or through a member of the school staff.

•          The Building Principal or his/her designee will immediately investigate the report of an implied or direct threat. Such investigation will involve interviewing witnesses to the threat, including students and/or staff, as appropriate to the nature of the threat.

•           The Building Principal will use the information collected during the initial investigation to make a determination as to the threat’s degree of severity. Input from school-based mental health professionals, as well as the prior behavior of the individual implying or issuing the threat, will be considered in making this determination.

•           If the threat’s degree of severity is determined to be minor, the individual implying or issuing the threat will be provided with a warning. If the individual is a student, his/her parent or guardian will be contacted by the Building Principal or his/her designee and will document the incident in a letter to the parent or guardian.

•           If the threat’s degree of severity is determined to be major, the local law enforcement agency will be notified and asked for their assistance in completing the investigation and addressing the implied or direct threat. The student will be suspended from school for a period of time consistent with the District’s Code of Conduct. Parent contact and written documentation will be implemented as for a minor threat.

Any emergency caused by an action of an individual or individuals requires an appropriate response by school officials. Protocols can be found in the Building Level Emergency Response Plan and the District Quick Reference Plan. The Communications outline will also include the notification of the Building Principal (or his/her designee), the Superintendent of Schools (or his/her designee), and local fire, police and emergency services, as appropriate.
qResponses to Acts of Violence

In the event of an act of violence, the following protocol will be implemented:

• The act of violence will be reported immediately to the Building Principal or his/her designee.

• The Building Principal or his/her designee will respond immediately to the act of violence, depending upon the nature of the violent act, in a manner that attempts to ensure the safety of all students and adults in the building. Based upon the available information, this may include reporting to the location of the violent act and addressing the violent act, implementing efforts to isolate the individual if possible, as appropriate. It may also involve initiating the procedures for a building lockdown or “shelter in place” procedure and contacting area police agencies to request their assistance.

• Once the area has been secured, either by school or police personnel, depending upon the violent incident, the police personnel and/or the building principal or his/her designee will immediately investigate the act of violence. For the Building Principal or his/her designee, such investigation will involve interviewing witnesses to the act of violence, including students and/or staff, as appropriate to the nature of the violent incident.

• If the individual(s) involved are students, their parents or guardians will be contacted by the Building Principal or his/her designee and will document the incident in a letter to the parent or guardian. The student(s) will be suspended from school for a period of time consistent with the District’s Code of Conduct. In consultation with area police agencies, legal action against the individuals committing the act of violence may be pursued, depending upon the nature of the incident.

qResponse Protocols

In the event of an emergency telephone call such as:

Bomb Threat

Fire emergency
Hostage Situation
Intruder

or other emergency received in any Rhinebeck Central School District facility, the individual providing the coverage at the desk or receiving the telephone call is to immediately contact the administrator in charge. Calls to the remainder of the chain of command should then commence:

Superintendent of Schools
School Business Official
Director of Facilities

qEmergency Agencies & Services Available in Dutchess County

For ALL EMERGENCIES in Dutchess County, dial 911. This includes police, fire and ambulance. 911 can be accessed from all telephones in the school district.

Other Emergency Numbers

Chemtrec 800 424-9300

National Response Center –Oil & Toxic Chemical Spill 800 424-8802

Pesticide Service Center 800 858-7378

Federal Bureau of Investigation 845 565-0015

American Red Cross 471-0200 or 800 564-0277

Poison Control Center 353-1000 or 800 336-6997

Domestic Violence / Child Abuse Hotline 800 942-6906

Suicide Hotline (adolescent) 800 621-4000

Teen Hotline / Help Line 800 767-6336

Department of Environmental Conservation 800 457-7362

Central Hudson 800 527-2714

Gas Odors 800 942-8274

qProcedures to Coordinate the Use of School District Resources and Manpower during Emergencies

A listing of all resources by building is located in the District-Wide Safety Plan Plan. This includes

The emergency equipment available such as batteries, food supplies, water, fire extinguishers, etc. A

listing is also available of the Total Transportation Services school bus fleet and District vehicles for

evacuation purposes.

In the event of an emergency, phone numbers are listed for the Director of Facilities. In addition,

in the event of an emergency, the Superintendent of Schools has been authorized to afford maximum protection that is reasonably attainable for all students, staff, and facilities. This includes the development and implementation of an emergency plan for the protection of all students, faculty and all buildings and grounds and the physical assets of the District.

The Total Transportation school bus fleet consists of 12 buses assigned to home-to-school runs (11 large, 1 small) with an adult seating capacity of 812 (66 per large bus, 20 per small bus).

District vehicles include 3 (three) pick-up trucks and 1 (one), each with a capacity of 3 (three) passengers per vehicle including the driver.

Each school has a gymnasium that could be used for sheltering purposes. In addition, the

gymnasiums in the middle school and the high school are equipped with locker rooms. A kitchen and

a cafeteria are located at the elementary school. The middle school/high school building has two

cafeterias, each with a kitchen. All district kitchens are equipped for food storage, meal preparation,

and meal service. Food would have to be brought in from other sources for a prolonged period of

time.

There is telephone communication between all offices and classrooms in both buildings. There is

also intercom communication in both buildings. The main offices in each school have hand-held

radio communication with one another, with the District Office, and with Buildings and Grounds

personnel. The District Office has direct radio communication with Total Transportation Services

There are no generators located at the CLS campus. Therefore, electricity would be needed to run all CLS building systems except for water, as this is supplied by the Village/Town of Rhinebeck municipal water system. A generator has been installed at BMS/RHS, allowing the entire BMS/RHS building will be able to be operated by generator power in an emergency situation.

Notification to the Director of Facilities will allow all resources, facilities and vehicles to be

allocated and used in the event of an emergency.

q Protective Action Options

During certain conditions, the nature of the emergency may demand that classes be dismissed or

cancelled. The nature of some events may include that students and staff be evacuated from the

building. They will walk or be transported to, and housed temporarily in, another District building.

Should all District buildings need to be evacuated, students and staff will walk or be transported to, and housed temporarily in, in another alternate location, such as the Village Hall (high school), the Town Hall (middle school), and the Dutchess County Fairgrounds (elementary school).

The following is the procedure to be implemented:

• The Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee, in consultation with the Building Principal or

his/her designee, will make the decision to evacuate.

• The Building Principal/designee will notify the local police and fire departments, if and

as appropriate.

• The Superintendent will notify the Building Administrator at the alternative school district

site or the appropriate official(s) at the off-campus alternative site(s).

• Teachers will assemble students at the designated assembly site outside the evacuated school

building.

• Teachers/staff will be dispatched to the alternative site(s) to prepare receiving areas.

• Teachers will walk students to the designated alternative site, take attendance, and report

attendance to the Building Principal and his/her designee.

• The Superintendent will notify the media and post the information on the internet to inform

the parents of the evacuation and the site location for student pick –up.

qSchool Cancellation/Early Dismissal Plan

• Cancellation of Classes/Notification of “No School”

If severe blizzard, heavy snow storm, ice conditions or flooding occur during the night or threaten to occur during the early morning hours, which have made or would make driving hazardous, and such conditions are known by 6 AM, a “School Delay” or “No School” announcement will be made over the area radio and television stations, and via the internet on the school district website (www.rhinebeckcsd.org), on the District Twitter feed and Facebook page, and on the Cancellations.com website (www.cancellations.com), as well as made available on the school district’s telephone system’s auto-attendant for each building. Responsibility for this decision and notification shall be the Superintendent of Schools and/or his designee. The Assistant Superintendent for Support Services will also notify Total Transportation Services of this decision as early as possible.

• Dismissal During the School Day

If, during the school day, a weather or other situation threatens and/or develops that would jeopardize the health and safety of the school children, schools may be closed earlier than the usual dismissal time. In that event, an “Early Dismissal” announcement will be made over the area radio and television stations, and via the internet on the school district website (www.rhinebeckcsd.org), on the District Twitter feed and Facebook page, and on the Cancellations.com website (www.cancellations.com). School buses will transport the children to their after-school destinations in the usual afternoon dismissal order. Parents would then expect their children to arrive home before the regular arrival time.

qEvacuation Procedures/Sheltering Sites (internal and external)

In the case of tornado or national emergency, or other type of emergency requiring persons to

stay in the building, the Building Principal shall initiate the necessary actions upon notification

that his school is threatened. Students, faculty, and other employees at the school will go

immediately to their designated stations previously assigned.

During certain conditions, the nature of the emergency may demand that students and staff be

evacuated from the facility. They will then be moved to and housed in another district

building or in another alternate location, such as the Village Hall, the Town Hall, and the fairgrounds.

In certain circumstances, evacuation may mean only going outside, away from the building

and waiting for danger to pass. The following is the procedure that will be followed:

• The Superintendent or his/her designee, in consultation with the Building Principal,

will make the decision to “Evacuate”.

• The Building Principal/designee will notify the local police and fire departments and

the Emergency Response Team, if and as appropriate.

• If students are to be transported beyond walking distance, the Superintendent or his/her

designee will notify Total Transportation for buses to transport children to the new

destination.

• The Superintendent or his/her designee of the evacuating facility will notify the Building

Principal at the alternate site or the official at the off-campus alternate site(s).

• The Building Principal will then evacuate the building.

• Teachers will walk all students to the assembly area (ball field or playground away from

the building).

• Each member of the faculty shall take his/her attendance register.

• Students will line up in an orderly fashion and attendance will be taken.

• School personnel will be dispatched to the alternate site to prepare receiving areas.

EVACUATION SITES SHELTERING (PRIMARY/ALTERNATE)

Elementary School Middle School/Rhinebeck High School (primary, if available),

Fairgrounds (alternate, if BMS/RHS unavailable)

Middle School/High School Elementary School (primary, if available), Village Hall (alternate for high school, if CLS unavailable), Town Hall (alternate for middle school, if CLS unavailable)

In the event of an evacuation, the Superintendent or his designee will notify the area media to inform the parents of the evacuation, of the site location for student transportation or pick up, and of the timetable for dismissal. Upon arrival at the alternate site, students will be directed to a specific location. Each teacher will take attendance and forward the record to the Building Principal or his/her designee. If conditions permit, the children will be returned to the school for a normal dismissal.

• Dismissal from the Alternate Site

If parents arrive to pick up their children, they will give the name and grade of their child to the staff member assigned to monitor the entrance of the alternate site location and then be directed to the correct area for pick up. Buses will arrive at the alternate site location to transport children to their after-school destinations on a schedule to be determined by the situation requiring the evacuation. If the crisis persists past 2:00 pm, children will have to wait for the normal dismissal schedule in order to be transported from the alternate site location.

The alternate site location will be inspected by the Building Principal and his/her designee and staff to ensure that all children have been evacuated. Upon final building inspection, the school personnel will be released by the Building Principal or his/her designee on a need basis. The Building Principal or his/her designee will provide a status report to the Superintendent or his/her designee upon departure of the last school personnel from the alternate site location.

Protocols for a Public Health Emergency

In September 2020, Governor Cuomo signed legislation requiring all public employers to create plans to adequately protect workers in the event of another state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease. The new legislation will constitute New York State Labor Law Section 27-c, and served as a response to the effects of the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020. In addition to 27-C, the following section was added to 2801-a of the Education Law that required additions to the District Plan.

As per Legislative language, operation plans must include the following elements:

List and description of positions considered essential
Descriptions of protocols to follow to enable all non-essential employees to work remotely
Description of how employers would stagger work shifts to reduce overcrowding
Protocols for PPE
Protocol for when an employee is exposed to disease
Protocol for documenting hours and work locations for essential workers
Any other requirement determined by the New York State Department of Health, such as testing and contact tracing

Operational Elements

Positions Considered Essential (According to Section 27-c; "Essential" shall refer to a designation made that a public employee or contractor is required to be physically present at a work site to perform his or her job.)The District maintains that while the following staff members are considered essential, it is dependent on the emergency, the needs of the District, and the particular duties required that they be physically present at work each business day during the emergency period.While the staff members are essential, this does not mean that all such employees will be required to report to work on campus at all times.It will be up to the individual’s immediate supervisor to determine necessary staffing levels, and if an essential employee is to physically report to work on a given day (during the emergency period).In the event of a state-ordered reduction of the District’s in-person workforce, the following is a list of essential employees.

School Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent for Support Services

Director of Technology

Operations and Maintenance Staff

Building Administrators

Food Service Workers

School Nurses, to assist with contact tracing, reporting

Payroll

Remote Capacity for Positions considered non-essential ("Non-essential" shall refer to a designation made that a public employee or contractor is not required to be physically present at a work site to perform his or her job.).

In the event of a state ordered reduction of the District’s in-person workforce the District may provide, to the extent possible, the opportunity for non-essential employees and contractors the capability to telecommute (including, but not limited to, facilitating or requesting the procurement, distribution, downloading and installation of any needed devices or technology, including software, data, office laptops or phones), as determined by the employee’s supervisor. This may include, but is not limited to employees who provide direct instruction to students, provide student support services, facilitate procurement processes for the District, facilitate payroll processes for the District, and facilitate administrative and office related tasks for the District. There may be some staff who will not be able to telecommute nor will they be needed to work on campus. The need for these staff will be determined on a case-by-case basis and by job title.

Density Reduction

To the extent possible, and consistent with collective bargaining agreement restrictions, the District may stagger work shifts of essential employees and contractors in order to reduce overcrowding in confined or shared spaces and at worksites. If schools are open, we will encourage parents to drive students via personal vehicle to campus to reduce the number of individuals riding on the same bus. To reduce overcrowding in classrooms and on buses the following concepts may be applied:

Student Rosters, if scheduled classes are to be on site, will be split into student cohort groups to minimize the number of students in a classroom at the same time.
If no students are in school, staff may continue to have their work shift or assigned days of work staggered as necessary.
Employees may be permitted to work remotely as necessary.
Visitors will not be permitted on campus.

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be procured and stored:

Operations and maintenance will procure & maintain sufficient inventory of PPE as recommended by NYS Department of Health and NYS Education Department guidelines. PPE includes masks, shields, gowns, and others as directed by the NYS Department of Health.
The equipment will be stored and readily available to any employee or student in need of it.

Exposure to Disease

In the event an employee or contractor is exposed to a known case of a communicable disease that is the subject of a public health emergency, exhibits symptoms of such disease, or tests positive for such disease, and in order to prevent the spread or contraction of such disease in the workplace the District has a set protocol to be followed for the exposure as well as the disinfecting of the affected work area(s):

If an employee or contractor begins to experience symptoms related to the communicable disease after arriving at work, he/she shall be required to isolate, and contact their supervisor for further instructions. Employees who are able will be sent home, emergency medical support may be called to assist.
The disinfecting of any area known or suspected to be infected with the communicable disease as well as any common area such employee or contractor may have utilized.
Available leave options, for the affected employee(s), in the event of an employee’s need to receive testing, treatment, isolation, or quarantine will be aligned with current Depart of Labor standards and regulations.

Note: Such protocol does not involve any action that would violate any existing federal, state, or local law, including sick leave or health information privacy.

Records of Attendance for Essential Employees

The District shall maintain documentation outlining when all essential employees and contractors physically report to work. This may include, but not be limited to, use of the daily health screening tool, or having employees sign in and/or out, consistent with any collective bargaining agreements. This documentation will assist in contract tracing efforts should the need arise.

Section IV: Recovery

Responses for different types of crises should be planned in advance and reviewed, updated, and practiced periodically. The chaos and panic created by certain situations cannot be effectively handled without a pre-established specific plan of action.

The extent of, and need for, disaster or emergency recovery depends in large part upon the nature of the incident. The Rhinebeck Central School District Administration will provide the necessary resources to ensure as smooth a transition back to normal operations as possible following an emergency or violent incident.

A. District Support for Buildings

The Rhinebeck Central School District will support the Emergency Response Teams and the Post-Incident Response Teams in school buildings affected by emergencies or disasters by providing financial and logistical assistance. The District will also aid these teams by interfacing with relevant regulatory agencies and the media.

B. Disaster Mental Health Services

Following a serious act of violence or other disaster in the schools, employees, counselors, students, police and other emergency respondents, witnesses, and the family of these individuals often suffer from stress-related ailments such as insomnia, depression, anger, headaches and ulcers. These conditions translate into higher rates of absenteeism and turnover, as well as reduced school and job performance. Much of this suffering and loss can be reduced if the affected individuals receive debriefings from experienced counselors 24 to 72 hours after the traumatic incident.

The Rhinebeck Central School District Office, under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools in his/her capacity of Chief Emergency Officer, shall facilitate the coordination of disaster mental health resources by interfacing with the State Emergency Management Office, the NYS Office of Mental Health, the American Red Cross, and school districts in Dutchess County who have trained staff, including pupil personnel services staff and others, whom they have made available to assist in event of a crisis for which the provision of such services to Rhinebeck Central School District students and staff would be appropriate and necessary.

At all times, the District will maintain close cooperation with investigating authorities to facilitate completing investigations and minimizing complications.