Shelter Island School safety plan updated: Extensive efforts and evaluations presented
According to Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., a strong relationship between Shelter Island School officials and the Shelter Island Police has resulted in fostering solid policies toward safety for students and staff.
A team is in place to work on safety issues, which includes Mr. Doelger, a teacher, a parent group representative, school safety personnel, community members, police, EMS personnel and a firefighter. Additional members can be added as needed.
The “Safe Schools Against Violence in Education” program put forth by the State Commissioner of Education has provided a road map for creating a district-wide school safety team charged with developing, implementing and maintaining the plan.
The draft was unveiled by the Board of Education at its Aug. 25 meeting and is on the school website, attached to the agenda. It is available for comments with scheduled adoption by Oct. 1.
The plan deals with more than just violence. It includes responses to communicable diseases. Implemented in 2021, the plan required school districts to adopt responses in the event a governor declared a health emergency. The response to the COVID pandemic in this area in March 2020 resulted in closing schools and holding virtual classes.
Shelter Island students were among the first in the state to return to in-person classes, but for a period of time, they received instruction and communications through computers.
Another part of the health-related requirements was to prepare for such emergencies as a cardiac arrest. The building and sports venues have been equipped with portable Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and staff members have been trained to use them.
The presence of a well-trained team of EMS volunteers on the Island has been another plus for the Island and the school.
The district has adopted a number of intervention programs including peer mentoring and a “positive behavior intervention” system. Students and staff will have a number of fire drills, lock-down drills and efforts at early detection of potential violent behaviors.
Toward the end of protecting students and staff, every room in the building has been equipped with a lock-down button that can immediately keep anyone from entering the building and individual rooms in the event of any kind of threat.
There will be evaluations of situations that occur and investigations of threatening situations that might arise.
The plan covers bomb threats, intrusions, kidnappings and just about anything that might disturb the normal educational opportunities in the building.
