Methecillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
MRSA-Important information and documentation Read More
Hurricane Learning Package for Students
Hurricane Strike!, a multimedia learning package for middle-school students, is now available on the web: Read More
VADIR Data Collection Deadline: Jan. 26, 2007
The collection of violent and disruptive incident (VADIR) data for incidents occurring during the 2005-06 school year will run from December 1, 2006 through January 26, 2007. All public schools, including charter schools and BOCES, must complete the online VADIR Summary Form for 2005-06.
For more information, go to the NY State Ed web site
US Dept of Ed offers crisis prevention resources
Margaret Spellings, secretary of the US Department of Education, has compiled a listing of resources that can help schools prevent and respond to a variety of crisis situations.
View Spellings letter (PDF)
Mills Addresses Emergency Shelters in Schools
New York State Commissioner of Education Richard P. Mills asks all schools to review their agreements with local agencies regarding the use of school facilities and vehicles during an emergency.
View Mills letter
Schools Encouraged to Prepare for Pandemic
The NY State Education Department encourages schools to prepare for the possibility of a pandemic, such as avian flu.
View NYSED letter
View information packet (PDF)
Handwashing Campaign Helps Schools Stay Healthy
The School Network for Absentee Prevention (SNAP) is an initiative that is designed to help keep middle-school students in school by improving overall health through promoting clean hands. Schools can use the SNAP program to increase student and staff hand cleaning and help them stay healthy.
Visit the It's a Snap web site
Food Allergy Guidelines for Schools
A training module is available to help schools better understand food allergies and prepare for the possibility of an anaphylactic reaction in a student.
Get the training module
DHS Launches Ready Kids
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Advertising Council recently launched Ready Kids, a family-friendly tool to help parents and teachers educate children ages 8-12 about emergencies and how they can help their families better prepare. The Ready Kids program launched at Andrew Jackson Language Academy in Chicago with a roundtable discussion led by DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and an interactive presentation for families by local first responders. Ready Kids is the newest addition to the successful Ready campaign, a national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.
Secretary Chertoff said, “We hope the Ready Kids Website and in-school materials will help facilitate discussions about this important subject and encourage all families to get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan and be informed about the different emergencies that can happen.”
Visit the Ready Kids web site
School Bomb Threat Reporting Form
In 1999, the Office of Facilities Planning started collecting data on school bomb threats via a reporting form included in the February 1999 school bomb threat guidance document issued by the State Education Department and the State Police. This process predated the Uniform Violent Incident Reporting (UVIR) process mandated by Project SAVE, which also includes school bomb threat data.
Since the UVIR system is now operational, please note that we are no longer accepting the 1999 bomb threat reporting form. Please report all bomb threat data annually on the UVIR. This will eliminate duplicate work by both school and SED staff.
Get help with the UVIR
Concussion Tool Kit for Coaches
In an effort to reduce concussions among students, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed a tool kit for coaches with practical, easy-to-use information. Get the kit
School Shooting in Tennessee
Three school administrators were shot--one fatally--on Nov. 8 at a High School in Jacksboro, TN. A student is accused of the crime.
Full story and video clips
