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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SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Growing Student Learning & Literacy in Secondary Classrooms Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum
Participants can register for one or both sessions of this two-day series focused on attending to key elements of instruction (Day 1) and curriculum (Day 2) to support students' learning and improve their literacy skills in secondary classrooms. Educators are encouraged to attend in teams to plan collaboratively for launching 2025-26 with the greatest impact and will receive a 10% credit for attending with at least two other district colleagues.
Day 2: Engaging & Responsive Curriculum: How can we adjust our curriculum to embody the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading to support students' success? How can our lessons, units, and materials support students' engagement and literacy skill development across content areas in secondary classrooms? This session will share frameworks for curriculum development to help students improve their skills as learners, thinkers, readers, and communicators. Participants will apply key concepts and use the curriculum frameworks to write or revise existing units for the upcoming school year.
The full day session/s will be followed by optional Zoom sessions in the following months focused on classroom application.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher Recertification
The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Key Points Refresher is designed to help improve your understanding of key program concepts, enhance your skills and provide strategies to apply the information to workplace realities. Only participants who have completed the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training in the last 12-18 months are eligible to participate in the Refresher Training. In addition, we are asking that individuals attend in pairs or trios so that they can perform the physical interventions with a partner. All participants must complete the physical interventions in order to receive certification.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
2025-26 DEI Leaders' Action Network: Advancing Equity Through the NYSED Portrait of a Graduate
Join a powerful network of school district teams committed to advancing equity, and access in ways that transform classrooms and communities. This year, we will ground our work in Liz Kleinrock's Start Here, Start Now and connect its practical strategies directly to the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
Over five full-day sessions, district teams will:
1.Engage in deep professional learning on equity-centered leadership and culturally responsive-sustaining practices.
2. Participate in guided book study discussions and collaborative activities that link Start Here, Start Now to Portrait of a Graduate attributes.
3. Design and refine a district-specific DEI initiative anchored to one of the six Portrait attributes.
4. Receive targeted support and coaching to move from concept to actionable implementation.
5. Showcase their work and leave with a clear action plan for 2026-2027.
By the end of the year, each team will have:
-Selected a Portrait of a Graduate attribute to anchor their DEI work.
-Designed and tested a district-specific initiative that advances equity and belonging in their school community.
-Developed stakeholder engagement and sustainability strategies to ensure lasting impact.
-Built strong cross-district connections to share resources, successes, and lessons learned.Each participating district is strongly encouraged to register as a team of at least two members and up to 5.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Integrating Social-Emotional Learning to Improve Student Achievement
Even when educators believe in the value of social-emotional learning (SEL), SEL can feel like something "extra.” This session will ground educators in how SEL is integral to academic achievement (and success in the world at large). Then, we will explore strategies for embedding attention to social-emotional learning in academic instruction, and participants will apply their learning to plan for the 2025-26 school year.
Participants will be able to:
• Understand and articulate how social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential-not additional-to academic success and lifelong achievement, drawing connections to the New York State SEL Benchmarks, CASEL Core Competencies, and the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
• Identify and analyze how the integration of SEL within academic instruction supports student engagement, motivation, and achievement across content areas.
• Explore and apply evidence-based strategies to embed SEL into instructional practices using tools such as the CASEL 3 Signature Practices and the CASEL Frame Coach Reflect framework.
• Design actionable plans to integrate SEL intentionally into classroom instruction and school-wide practices for the 2025-26 school year, with a focus on sustainable impact and alignment with district and state priorities.
• Reflect on current practices and identify opportunities to strengthen SEL integration at the classroom, school, and systems levels.Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Launching the Seal of Civic Readiness
New York State's Civic Readiness Initiative embodies what we value most about our students' learning and development - that they're prepared with the skills, knowledge, mindsets, and experiences to participate meaningfully in the communities they're a part of in their lives. Further, the Seal of Civic Readiness is both a graduation pathway and a reflection of attributes of the Portrait of a Graduate that aims to define our priorities for when our students complete high school.
In this session, come learn about the components of the Civic Readiness Initiative and the Seal of Civic Readiness. Then, consider what's needed to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness in your high school. Participants will then be guided to apply these ideas to their own context and come away with clear next steps for launching the Seal of Civic Readiness.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS Council Meeting
The School Library Council is responsible for developing and approving the Plan of Service; is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Plan of Service; recommends for approval the annual budget prior to submission to the District Superintendent for his signature; and supports the activities of the School Library System, through service on a committee.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SLS Communication Coordinators Meeting
Quarterly meetings for SLS Communication Coordinators as mandated in NY State Education Law 90.18. Communication Coordinators are informed on topics such as New York State Education Department updates, technology, and Information Fluency Skills. Professional development is provided on current issues with the expectation that it is shared with other school librarians in district.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Science Investigation (Biology). Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: For the Birds -Designing Solutions
This one-day session focuses on Science Investigation (Biology). Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: For the Birds -Designing Solutions. This Investigation is a hands-on laboratory experience that prepares teachers to ready students for the new Biology Regents Examination. (This is 3 of 3 Science Investigations: Biology).
Participants in this one-day session will:
- experience this Investigation both as a teacher and student.
- simulate the collision between a bird in flight with a glass window.
- collaborate to design, evaluate, and refine a window screen that could be used to reduce the force of this impact and bird mortality.
- construct a data table(s) that will be used to organize the data collected.
- evaluate the results of this simulation and determine the effectiveness of the solution.
- refine the solution to further optimize its effectiveness.
- deepen their understanding of NYSED's expectations for the new Regents' exam in Life Science: Biology.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
2nd Annual Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice
Our 2nd Annual Literacy Symposium: Research in Practice is designed for educators, instructional leaders, and literacy advocates committed to equity and excellence in literacy instruction. This year's symposium brings together nationally recognized literacy experts and passionate educators like you to explore research-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Together, we'll deepen our understanding of literacy instruction-and how to apply it across the curriculum in systematic and explicit ways that meet the needs of all learners. Through engaging learning sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative planning time, you'll leave with actionable tools and strategies to drive real change in your classroom or school.
Sessions led by literacy experts from:
- LEXIA
- The Writing Revolution
- PAF
- Generation Ready
- iReady Curriculum AssociatesLUNCH will be provided and all attendees will be entered into a raffle for a seat in our 25-26 Science of Reading study group
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Restorative Practices Educator Training for RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium
Please note that this training is limited to personnel from districts who are part of SWBOCES's RECOVS Mental Health Grant Consortium.
Lori DeCarlo of Restorative Edge Consulting will lead this interactive series to provide training to educators in the use of restorative practices designed to support social-emotional learning and mental health.
The training will focus on restorative practices as a trauma-informed approach for creating a culture of belonging, safety, and inclusion• Responsive restorative practices, including Affective Communication/Non-Violent Communication, Tier 2 Whole Group Responsive Circles, and Tier 2 Restorative Circles to respond to specific incidents of harm.
Restorative Discipline: how to embed restorative practices into discipline, including:
---Creating a restorative classroom as an alternative to out of school suspension,
---Exploring how to use a restorative intervention known as the 5 Step Plan,
---Learning how to facilitate a Tier 3 Restorative Conferences for serious disciplinary incidents,
---Learning how to facilitate a Welcome Back & Re-Entry Circle for students returning from an out of school suspension.A highly engaging Restorative Pedagogy will be utilized for the delivery of in-person instruction.
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
