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 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
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 -
via Zoom
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
Embedding New York State's Portrait of Graduate in ELA & Social Studies
What does it mean to prepare students not only for academic success, but for life as thoughtful, engaged, and future-ready citizens? This session supports secondary ELA and Social Studies educators in designing instruction aligned to New York State's Portrait of a Graduate, with a focus on authentic literacy, Project-Based Learning (PBL), and civic readiness.
Participants will explore how ELA and Social Studies instruction can cultivate key attributes of the Portrait of a Graduate, including for students to be: Academically Prepared through engagement with NYS Learning Standards; Critical Thinkers who analyze and evaluate sources to make evidence-based arguments; Effective Communicators who express their ideas compellingly while listening actively and considering diverse perspectives; Global Citizens who apply civic knowledge and ethical reasoning to real-world issues; and Reflective and Future-Focused Learners who set goals, engage in self-reflection, and make decisions that support their success.
Through collaborative planning, discussion, and models of PBL and civic learning, educators will develop strategies to integrate these competencies into unit and lesson design-positioning students as readers, writers, thinkers, and citizens who are motivated and prepared to thrive in college, career, and civic life.
The full day session 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
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
PK-12 Literacy Study Group:Bridging the Science of Reading into Practice
In response to NYSED'S Literacy Initiative, the Science of Reading and meeting students' academic needs, this study group will provide a recurring opportunity to convene with colleagues to collaborate around leading for literacy and the systemic and classroom-based practices that will support all students' literacy development.
As schools and districts pursue similar aims and navigate similar obstacles, space for reflecting on and sharing practices and navigating challenges can serve as a forum for mutual support. During the sessions, time for grade level focus work groups (Elementary and Secondary) will be built in.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
SWBOCES - 450 Mamaroneck Avenue, 3rd floor, Harrison, NY
SLS- Navigating the Future: AI's Role in School Libraries
Looking to find out more about how AI will impact libraries? This course will equip school librarians with essential knowledge and practical skills for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their library systems. Participants will explore the role of AI in enhancing research, information literacy, and library management while addressing ethical considerations and challenges. Through hands-on activities, attendees will gain experience with various AI tools and develop an action plan to implement AI responsibly in their libraries. This course aims to foster collaboration among educators and promote critical thinking about AI's impact on education, preparing librarians to navigate the evolving landscape of technology in support of student success. Join us in transforming school libraries into innovative learning environments!
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
SLS- Quick and Easy Hooks from TeachingBooks (Secondary) ONLINE VIA ZOOM
Enrich your learning space with quick and easy Book Hooks from TeachingBooks. Using QR Code shelf talkers, you can engage readers with author interviews, video book trailers, audio excerpts, and book-related games that bring books to life. Each activity covered in this session will be demonstrated in multiple ways, so that you are ready to implement them in your classrooms and libraries.
Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support -
via Zoom
SLS- Quick and Easy Hooks from TeachingBooks (Elementary) ONLINE VIA ZOOM
Enrich your learning space with quick and easy Book Hooks from TeachingBooks. Using QR Code shelf talkers, you can engage readers with author interviews, video book trailers, audio excerpts, and book-related games that bring books to life. Each activity covered in this session will be demonstrated in multiple ways, so that you are ready to implement them in your classrooms and libraries.
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
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
