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
2025-26 RECOVS MTSSI Lab: Understanding, Designing, and Implementing MTSS-I systems and structures
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 -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Orton Gillingham Educator Course- FALL Cohort
Laurie Cousseau, from Green River Literacy will provide training for teachers utilizing the Orton Gillingham methodology. This course meets the requirements for the OG Classroom Educator designation with the OGA (Orton-Gillingham Academy) Teachers will be provided with an overview of dyslexia and students with reading disabilities, the neurological brain base of reading, explicit multi-sensory based diagnostic and prescriptive teaching, the nuts and bolts of phonics and the linguistic structure of the English language, phonological awareness, syllable structure, spelling generalizations, oral reading fluency, using informal progress monitoring and benchmark data to inform instruction, multi-sensory strategies, and how to identify/support struggling readers and extend existing Tier 1 and Tier 2 programming.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
Orton Gillingham Educator Course- FALL Cohort
Laurie Cousseau, from Green River Literacy will provide training for teachers utilizing the Orton Gillingham methodology. This course meets the requirements for the OG Classroom Educator designation with the OGA (Orton-Gillingham Academy) Teachers will be provided with an overview of dyslexia and students with reading disabilities, the neurological brain base of reading, explicit multi-sensory based diagnostic and prescriptive teaching, the nuts and bolts of phonics and the linguistic structure of the English language, phonological awareness, syllable structure, spelling generalizations, oral reading fluency, using informal progress monitoring and benchmark data to inform instruction, multi-sensory strategies, and how to identify/support struggling readers and extend existing Tier 1 and Tier 2 programming.
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
LEXIA: LETRS for Early Childhood Educators
LETRS for Early Childhood Educators professional learning provides deep knowledge of literacy instruction for the youngest learners. The more children know about language and literacy before they begin kindergarten and first grade, the better equipped they are to succeed in literacy learning and beyond.
This course will:
-Define early literacy and language, the processes involved, and the developmental sequences by which these skills develop
-Describe strategies and learning activities that are engaging, effective, and developmentally appropriate
-Discuss how assessment procedures and data can be used to plan and implement instruction for the youngest learners
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS- OPALS User Group
Join fellow librarians for an engaging OPALS User Group session designed to foster collaboration, share best practices, and explore new features and updates in the OPALS library automation system. Whether you're a seasoned OPALS user or getting started, this session offers a space to connect with peers, troubleshoot challenges, and maximize the impact of your library program. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, showcase creative uses of OPALS in their schools, and contribute to a growing community of support and innovatio
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
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
Science Investigations (Physics). Forces and Interactions: Induction Junction - What is your Function?
This one-day session focuses on Science Investigations (Physics). Forces and Interactions: Induction Junction - What is your Function? This Investigation is a hands-on lab experience that prepares teachers to ready students for the new Physics Regents Examination. (This is 2 of 3 Science Investigations: Physics). Participants in this one-day session will:
-experience this Investigation both as a teacher and student.
-plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field.
-develop a model of their experimental setup and describe how the model provides the supporting evidence.
-modify their setup and explain how this modification affects the strength of the magnetic field produced.
-plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
-discuss how modifications affect the induced potential difference that produces the electric current. deepen their understanding of NYSED's expectations for the new Regents' exam in Physics.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
Orton Gillingham Educator Course- FALL Cohort
Laurie Cousseau, from Green River Literacy will provide training for teachers utilizing the Orton Gillingham methodology. This course meets the requirements for the OG Classroom Educator designation with the OGA (Orton-Gillingham Academy) Teachers will be provided with an overview of dyslexia and students with reading disabilities, the neurological brain base of reading, explicit multi-sensory based diagnostic and prescriptive teaching, the nuts and bolts of phonics and the linguistic structure of the English language, phonological awareness, syllable structure, spelling generalizations, oral reading fluency, using informal progress monitoring and benchmark data to inform instruction, multi-sensory strategies, and how to identify/support struggling readers and extend existing Tier 1 and Tier 2 programming.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
PE/HE Consortium: Trauma-Informed Health Education Practices
Trauma-Informed Health Education Practices" This workshop is designed to provide health educators and administrators with an understanding of childhood trauma and the ways in which it impacts student growth, development, learning, memory, behavior, impulse control, interpersonal relationships, and school attendance. Participants will learn to apply a trauma-informed lens-a universal precautions approach-to their teaching practices, policies, and interactions(whether they have been impacted by trauma or not). This data-driven method helps hold students accountable while providing the flexibility and respect needed to create supportive environment for all grade levels and all students. This workshop is designed to be interactive, reflective and applicable across all grade levels.
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
