Click here to view the proposed 2024-2025 District-Wide Safety Plan.
Click here to view a PDF of the district-wide school safety plan.
Chief Emergency Officer: John Luthringer, Superintendent of Schools
Emergencies and violent incidents in school districts are critical issues that must be addressed in an expeditious and effective manner. Districts are required to develop a district-wide school safety plan designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents, declared state disaster emergencies involving a communicable disease or local public health emergencies, and other emergencies. This plan will be used to facilitate the coordination of the district with local, county, and state resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies. The District-Wide School Safety Plan is responsive to the needs of all schools within the district and is consistent with the more detailed emergency response plans required at the school building level. Districts stand at risk from a wide variety of acts of violence, natural, and manmade disasters. To address these threats, the State of New York has enacted the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) law. Project SAVE is a comprehensive planning effort that addresses prevention, response, and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies in each school district and its schools.
The Washington, Saratoga, Warren, Hamilton, and Essex BOCES, in coordination with the Lake George Central School District, supports the SAVE Legislation and intends to facilitate the planning process. The Superintendent of Schools encourages and advocates ongoing district-wide cooperation and support of Project SAVE.
Section I: General Considerations and Planning
Guidelines Purpose
The Lake George CSD District-wide School Safety Plan was developed pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17. At the direction of the Lake George Central School District Board of Education, the Superintendent of the Lake George Central School District appointed a District-Wide School Safety Team and charged it with the development and maintenance of the District-wide School Safety Plan.
Identification of Chief Emergency Officer
Lake George CSD designates the Superintendent as the Chief Emergency Officer whose duties shall include, but are not be limited to:
- Coordination of the communication between school staff, law enforcement and other first responders;
- Lead the efforts of the Health & Safety Committee in the completion and yearly update by September 1st, of the District-wide safety plan and coordination with the building-level emergency response plan;
- Ensure staff understanding of the District-wide school safety plan;
- Ensure the completion and yearly update by September 1st, of building-level emergency response plans for each school building;
- Assist in the selection of security-related technology and development of policies for the use of such technology;
- Coordinate appropriate safety, security, and emergency training for staff, including required training in the emergency response plan yearly by September 15th; and
- Ensure the conduct of required evacuation and lock-down drills in all District buildings as required by Education Law section 807.
Identification of School Teams
The District has created a Health & Safety Committee appointed by the board of education consisting of, but not limited to, representatives of the school board, teacher, administrator, and parent organizations, school safety personnel, bus driver/monitor, school student, and other school personnel. The members of the team by title are as follows:
- Chief Emergency Officer
- School Business Official
- Director of Facilities
- Junior-Senior High School Principal
- Elementary Principal
- Junior-Senior High School Dean of Students
- Food Service Director
- Needham Risk Management Resource Group
- Capital Region BOCES Communication Specialist
- Board of Education Member
- Director of Transportation
- High School Student (Primary/Alternate)
Concept of Operations
- The District-Wide School Safety Plan is directly linked to the individual building-level emergency response plans. Protocols guide the development and implementation of individual building-level emergency response plans.
- In the event of an emergency or violent incident, the initial response to all emergencies at an individual school is by the building-level emergency response team.
- Upon the activation of the building-level emergency response team, the Superintendent or their designee is notified and, where appropriate, local emergency officials are notified.
- Efforts may be supplemented by County and State resources through existing protocols.
Plan Review and Public Comment
- This plan shall be reviewed and maintained by the Health & Safety Committee and annually on or before September 1 of each year. A copy of the plan is on the Lake George Central School District website.
- Pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17 (e)(3), this plan will be made available for a 30-day public comment period prior to its re-adoption. The District-Wide School Safety Plan was adopted by the School Board after the required public hearing that provided for the participation of school personnel, parents, students and any other interested parties.
- While linked to the District-Wide School Safety Plan, the building-level emergency response plans shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under Article 6 of the Public Officers Law or any other provision of law, in accordance with Education Law Section 2801-a. The building-level emergency response plan shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed except to authorized department staff and law enforcement officers.
- Full copies of the District-Wide School Safety Plan and any amendments are submitted to the New York State Education Department within 30 days of adoption by posting this public plan on the Lake George CSD website. The building-level emergency response plan is supplied to the NYS State Police and local/county law enforcement within 30 days of adoption, but no later than October 1.
Section II: General Emergency Response Planning
The District-Wide School Safety Plan provides the framework for the building-level emergency response plan. The purpose of a uniform plan is to ensure organization-wide continuity for emergency responses. These general emergency responses are used to assist school employees, students, parents, and emergency responders learn one system that can be used at Lake George Central School District.
Identification of Sites of Potential Emergency, Including
- The Lake George CSD Health & Safety Committee in conjunction with local officials, has identified areas outside of school property that may impact a facility during an emergency. Factors that were considered included population, presence of hazardous materials, and potential for emergency based on national trends and proximity to district property.
- A list of areas has been identified as having the potential to impact the District. This list has been created for reference and awareness. The list is not all-inclusive for every emergency. However, these areas have been identified as having the most probable impact on District facilities or boundaries should they have or create an emergency. A list of potential community-based hazards or emergency situations has been noted in the building-level emergency response plans.
- The Lake George Health & Safety Committee has recognized that there are many factors that could cause an emergency within our school building. There are also factors that need to be considered when responding to an emergency. A list of potential internal and external hazards or emergency situations has been noted in the building-level emergency response plans.
Lake George has developed multi-hazard response guides. These guidelines are located in the building-level emergency response plans and are in Incident Command System (ICS) format. Plans for taking the following actions in response to an emergency where appropriate are, including but not limited to:
- Initial Actions
- Command Post Location (primary and secondary)
- Shelter in Place: Used to shelter students/staff inside the school
- Severe Weather
- Bomb Threat
- Haz-Mat Incident
- Hold-In Place: Limits student/staff movement while dealing with short term emergencies
- Evacuation: Used to evacuate students/staff from the school/office
- Before, during and after school hours, including security during evacuation and evacuation routes
- Evacuation/Relocation Sites (internal and external)
- Lock-out: Used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an imminent concern outside of the school
- Lock-down: Used to secure school buildings and grounds during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence in or around the school.
- School Cancellation
- Early Dismissal
Lake George CSD has identified various resources that may be available for use during an emergency, including the identification of personnel, equipment, and shelters.
Using the Incident Command System(ICS), Lake George has identified the officials authorized to make decisions during an emergency. Through ICS, the procedures to coordinate the use of Lake George CSD’s resources during emergencies are clearly defined. ICS also identifies the staff members and their backups assigned to provide assistance during emergencies.
Training and Drills
Lake George CSD has policies and procedures for annual multi-hazard school safety training for staff and students, including the strategies for implementing training related to multi-hazards. At the start of each school year, all staff undergo annual training by September 15 and each subsequent September 15 thereafter on the building-level emergency response plan which includes components on violence prevention and mental health. New employees hired after the start of the school year receive this training within 30 days of hire or as part of the existing new hire training program, whichever is sooner. Lake George CSD certifies that this training is completed during the October NYSED BEDS data collection.
Lake George CSD conducts drills and other training exercises to test components of the emergency response plan, including the use of tabletop exercises, in coordination with local, county, and state emergency responders and preparedness officials. A debriefing concludes each test to determine if changes to the plan are necessary.
The district-wide school safety team, in conjunction with the Board of Education, shall continually consider and monitor the installation and inclusion of security devices, including, but not limited to, “Panic Alarm Systems”, during the annual review of the district-wide safety plan.
Education Law §§ 807(1-a), 807 (b): Fire and Emergency Drills
The July 2016 amendments expanded fire drill requirements to also include emergency drills to prepare students to be able to respond appropriately in the event of a sudden emergency. The statute now requires twelve drills to be conducted each school year, four of which must be lock-down drills, and the remaining eight are required to be evacuation drills. There is still a requirement that eight of the required twelve drills must be completed in the first half of the school year. However, the date of completion has been changed from December 1 to December 31 of each school year. During Emergency Drills, manual “lockdown” devices may be tested.
The statute now explicitly requires schools to conduct lock-down drills, which are essential, because they prepare students and staff to respond to the highest level of threat with the most urgent action and the least margin for error. The goal is to have schools conduct drills where they immediately clear hallways, lock doors and take positions out of sight to practice their ability to put the building into a protective posture as quickly as possible. These emergency measures allow time for responding law enforcement to arrive on the scene and neutralize the threat. If possible, law enforcement should be involved in the drills to help prepare students and staff for their interactions and release from lockdown by uniformed officers. However, law enforcement involvement is not required by the new legislative mandate. Other protective actions such as lock-out or shelter-in-place are emergency actions that are usually preceded by some degree of warning time and do not require the immediate response necessary for a lock-down. While the school should be well-versed in its lock-out and shelter-in-place protocols, lock-down is the only type of protective action that is specifically required by the statute.
At least once every school year, and where possible in cooperation with local county emergency preparedness plan officials, Lake George CSD conducts one test of its emergency response procedures under its building-level emergency response plan, including sheltering, lock-down, or early dismissal, at a time not to occur more than 15 minutes earlier than the normal dismissal time.
Threat Assessment
When a student or staff member becomes aware of implied or direct threats of violence by other students, they must report the threat immediately to the principal or other designated administrator. The appropriate administrator shall determine if it is necessary to convene the threat assessment team in order to make further inquiries about the threat. The threat assessment team process allows the school to systematically investigate student-made threats to determine the apparent risk level of the student of concern. Threat assessment inquiries are non-bias and conducted using standardized questionnaires. The purpose of the threat assessment process is to determine if a student poses a real danger to the school community or themselves after gathering information from multiple sources.
The school’s designated administrator (Threat Assessment Team Leader) will manage the threat assessment program. They are responsible for ensuring new members of the threat assessment team receive training in a timely manner. If the school threat assessment team is activated and performs a threat assessment, the Team Leader (or designee) shall notify the Principal or other administration to determine the appropriate management of the student of concern. Disciplinary action, if any, will be in accordance with Lake George CSD policy. Reports of potentially violent incidents shall be given to the Principal or Superintendent as soon as practicable.
Section III: Responding to Threats and Acts of Violence
The Lake George CSD Building-level Emergency Response plans contain procedures for responding to implied or direct threats of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school, including threats by students against themselves, which includes suicide. The following types of procedures are addressed in the plan:
- The use of staff trained in de-escalation or other strategies to diffuse the situation.
- Informing the Superintendent or their designee of implied or direct threats.
- Determining the level of threat with the Superintendent and building-level emergency response team members.
- Contacting the appropriate law enforcement agency, if necessary.
- Monitoring the situation, adjusting the Lake George CSD responses as appropriate to include possible implementation of the building-level emergency response team.
- Communication with parents and guardians. When a student implies or specifically threatens self-inflicted violence, including suicide, the school’s social worker directly contacts the student’s parents/guardians.
- The incident response team will meet with the post-incident response team to discuss the incident and recommend any changes to the response plan.
The Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Guides in the building-level emergency response plan provide guidance on the Lake George CSD procedures for responding to direct acts of violence (i.e., Crimes Against Persons, Hostage Taking, Intruder and Kidnapping) by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school, including consideration of zero-tolerance policies for school violence. The following types of procedures are addressed in the plan:
- Inform the Superintendent/designee.
- Determine the level of threat with the Superintendent/designee and the building-level emergency response team.
- If the situation warrants, isolate the immediate area.
- Monitor the situation and adjust the level of response as appropriate. If necessary, initiate lock-down, evacuation, sheltering and/or early dismissal procedures as needed.
- Contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
NOTE: The Lake George “Code of Conduct” describes policies and procedures for responding to acts of violence by students, teachers, other school personnel and visitors to the school.
Response protocols are identified in the Building-level Emergency Response Plan in the ICS format along with definitions of ICS roles and responsibilities. The Multi-Hazard Emergency Response Guides address specific procedures for responding to a bomb threat, intruder, hostage taking and kidnapping.
The following protocols for appropriate responses to emergencies are provided as examples of responses to bomb threats, hostage takings, intrusions and kidnappings:
- Identification of decision-makers.
- Plans to safeguard students and staff.
- Procedures to provide transportation, if necessary.
- Procedures to notify parents/guardians. Procedures to notify the media.
- Debriefing procedures.
Lake George CSD has established policies and procedures to contact parents, guardians or persons in parental relation to students in the event of a violent incident or an early dismissal. At Lake George CSD, the following communication methods are taken:
- Building level administrators will communicate with home school personnel, parents/guardians or others in parental relation to students. Determination on timing, method and scope of contact will be the responsibility of building administration.
Section IV: Communication
The Lake George CSD District-wide Safety Plan provides the framework for the Building-level Emergency Response Plan.
Community based emergency response services (police, fire and rescue squad) participate in the development and review of the building plan and the district plan. Copies of each written plan are made available to emergency service agencies and New York State Police. If there were to be an emergency within our facility, that facility would call 911 for emergency assistance. If involvement is needed from other local government agencies, the Superintendent or designee would act as that contact person.
Additional procedures for communications can be found in the Building-level Emergency Response Plan including local emergency contacts and phone numbers. These contacts provide guidance for obtaining assistance during emergencies from emergency services organizations and local government.
Procedures for obtaining advice and assistance from local government officials including the county or city officials responsible for implementation of Article 2-B of the Executive Law. The following local government officials may be consulted when emergency conditions call for their advice and assistance:
- Village Mayor
- Town Supervisor
- Emergency Squad
- Sheriff
- Lake George Fire Chief
Arrangements for obtaining advice and assistance from local government officials including the county or city officials responsible for implementation of Article 2-B of the Executive Law is carried out through the protocols established in the NYS/BOCES Communication Flow Chart. The following are examples of the types of arrangements that could be used by the district during county-wide emergencies:
- Deputy Superintendent (IC or backup IC) in an emergency, contacts the Warren County Emergency Management Coordinator and/or the highest-ranking local government official for obtaining advice and assistance.
- The Lake George Central School District is fortunate to have substantial ties to the Town of Lake George. If there were an emergency within our facilities, we would call 911 for emergency assistance. If involvement is needed from other local government agencies, the Superintendent or designee would act as the contact person. Additional procedures for communications can be found in the Building-level Emergency Response Plan including local emergency contacts and phone numbers, and the NYS/BOCES Communication Flow Chart. These contacts provide guidance for obtaining assistance during emergencies from emergency services organizations and local government.
Lake George CSD has a system for informing all educational agencies within a school district of a disaster.
- If the disaster occurs at the Junior/Senior High School a secretary/receptionist from the Main Office of the Junior/Senior High School will call the Elementary School Main Office and report the disaster.
- If the disaster occurs at the Elementary School a secretary/receptionist from the Main Office of the Elementary School will call the Junior/Senior High School Main Office and report the disaster.
- The office receiving the message of the disaster will call the bus garage to report it.
- The Caldwell Nursery School will be notified if determined necessary by the Superintendent or their designee.
Lake George CSD also maintains the following information about each educational agency located in the confidential, Building-level Emergency Response Plan:
- School population
- Number of staff
- Transportation needs
- Business and home telephone numbers of key officials of each such educational agency
Section V: Prevention and Intervention Strategies
Lake George CSD has developed policies and procedures related to school building security, including, where appropriate: visitor sign-in and badge procedures, employee badges and security procedures.
Lake George CSD has implemented procedures for the dissemination of informative materials regarding the early detection of potentially violent behaviors, including, but not limited to: the identification of family, community and environmental factors to teachers, administrators, parents and other persons in parental relation to students of the school district or board, students and other persons deemed appropriate to receive such information. Lake George CSD participates in programs such as: child abuse and prevention workshops, programs to train staff on how to identify potentially violent behaviors and other risk factors. Lake George CSD also employs school psychologists, social workers, special education staff and school nurses who help identify early warning signs in students, early intervention/prevention strategies and the development of violence prevention instruction for staff.
Appropriate prevention and intervention strategies include:
- Collaborative agreements with state and local law enforcement officials designed to ensure that school safety officers and other security personnel are adequately trained including training on how to de-escalate potentially violent situations;
- Non-violent conflict resolution training programs;
- Peer mediation programs and youth courts; and
- Extended day and other school safety programs (Guide Room Advisory).
- Spectrum Club
- Anti-Bullying Committee
- Behavioral Health Services North
Lake George CSD has created and supports strategies for improving communication among students and between students and staff and reporting of potentially violent incidents, such as the establishment of:
- Peer Counseling;
- Warren County Youth Court;
- Conflict resolution training;
- Natural Helpers;
- School Anti-Bullying Program with Warren County Officer;
- Youth run programs such as Student Council, Effective Schools “Character Ed” monthly themes;
- Creating a forum or designating a mentor for students concerned with bullying or violence;
- Establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms for school violence;
- Others based on district need.
The school district employs two full-time School Resource Officers, both are retired police officers, who are located in both school buildings every day that students are in school and for some large evening events. The SROs serve as educators in areas of online safety, bullying prevention, legal areas, and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
The district has the Code of Conduct and many Board of Education (BOE) policies that support school safety, including but not limited to:
- 3410 Code of Conduct
- 3411 Prohibition of Weapons on School Grounds
- 3412 Threats of Violence in School
- 3420 Non Discrimination and Anti-Harassment in the District
- 3510 Emergency School Closings
- 5680 Safety and Security
- 5681 School Safety Plans
- 5683 Fire Drills, Bomb Threats and Bus Emergency Drills
- 5730 School Bus Safety Program
- 6121 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
- 7551 Sexual Harassment of Students
Section VI: Declared State of Emergency Involving a Communicable Disease
On September 7, 2020, Governor Cuomo signed into law Chapter 168 of the Laws of 2020 that requires public employers, including public school districts, to adopt a continuation of operations plan in the event that the Governor declares a state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease. The legislation (S.8617-B / A.10832) amended subdivision 2 of section 2801-a of New York Education Law to require that District Safety Plans include protocols for responding to a declared state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease that are “substantially consistent” with the provisions of section 27-c of the Labor Law. A technical chapter amendment (S.01295 / A.009980) to the legislation became effective February 16, 2021 (Chapter 30 of the Laws of 2021).
As per section 27-c of the Labor Law, the operations plan must include, but is not limited to:
- A list and description of the types of positions considered essential in the event of a State-ordered reduction of in-person workforce. For this purpose, essential is defined as required to be physically present at a work site to perform his or her job. Such designation may be changed at any time at the sole discretion of the employer.
- A description of protocols the employer will follow in order for nonessential employees to telecommute including, but not limited to, facilitating, or requesting the procurement, distribution, downloading, and installation of any needed technology, including software, data, and the transferring of office phone lines to work or personal cell phones as practicable or applicable to the workplace, and may include devices.
- A description of how the employer will, to the extent possible, stagger work shifts of essential employees to reduce overcrowding on public transportation and at worksites.
- Protocols the employer will implement to procure personal protective equipment (PPE), defined as equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards, including gloves, masks, face shields, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices, respirators, hard hats, and disposable gowns and aprons and, for essential employees, a quantity sufficient to provide PPE to each essential employee to meet his or her tasks and needs during any given work shift. A plan for storage of equipment and access to equipment must be included.
- Protocols in the event an employee is exposed to a known case of the disease, exhibits symptoms of the disease, or tests positive for the disease to prevent the spread or contraction in the workplace. The protocols shall not violate any existing federal, state, or local law regarding sick leave or health information privacy and must include detailed actions to immediately and thoroughly disinfect the work area, common area surface and shared equipment. The protocols must also 3 describe the employer policy on available leave in the event of the need of an employee to receive testing, treatment, isolation, or quarantine.
- Protocols for documenting hours and work locations, including off-site visits, for essential employees. The protocol shall be designed only to aid in tracking of the disease and to identify exposed employees and contractors to facilitate the provision of any benefits which may be available.
- Protocols for working with the employer’s locality to identify sites for emergency housing for essential employees to further contain the spread of the communicable disease to the extent applicable to the needs of the workplace.
- Protocols for implementing any other requirements determined by the Department of Health such as contact tracing or testing, social distancing, hand hygiene and disinfectant, or mask wearing.
The employer must consider and respond to recommendations received from the recognized or certified representatives of the employer’s employees in writing, within a reasonable timeframe. A copy of the final version of the plan shall be published in a clear and conspicuous location, and in the employee handbook, and in a location accessible on either the employer’s website or on the internet accessible by employees. No employer shall take retaliatory action or otherwise discriminate against any employee for making suggestions or recommendations regarding the content of the plan. “Retaliatory action” is defined as the discharge, suspension, demotion, or discrimination against any employee, or other adverse employment action taken against an employee in the terms and conditions of employment.
See Appendix C for the full plan.
Section VII: Recovery
Recovery addresses the help needed for all involved to heal and to restore the school community to “normal” operations. The District supports the school buildings by deploying district resources that support the Emergency Response Teams and the Post-Incident Response Teams in the affected school(s).
Recovery plans include mental health/emotional recovery, academic, physical and business recovery, and can continue long after the actual emergency. The District has social worker and counselor resources and support systems. The District has the ability to coordinate with school, local, County and State disaster mental health services. The District’s role with mental health services includes looking at the school culture and climate, providing student access to services and following threat assessment procedures.
Support for Building-level Teams
The Building-level Emergency Response Plan provides resources for supporting the building-level emergency response team and post-incident response team. The Lake George CSD Incident Command System (ICS) identifies back-ups to relieve team members. This provides team members the opportunity to rotate personnel, to fill in if assigned personnel are unavailable and to debrief in a supportive environment.
Lake George CSD realizes that some emergencies may overwhelm an individual school’s ability to manage an extreme crisis. If/when the school is faced with an emergency such as threats of violence or actual violent incidents, the district-wide emergency response team assists as follows:
- Act as a sounding board regarding the implied or direct threats and/or violent acts.
- Assist in determining the level of threat and appropriate response.
- Monitor the situation and adjust the response as appropriate.
- Assist with parent/guardian, faculty/staff and media communication.
- Assist with coordinating building and grounds security in conjunction with local and State Police.
- Assist with offering a backup post-incident response team as needed.
- Offering debriefing sessions as needed working in conjunction with local, County and/or State emergency responders.
Disaster Mental Health Services
If/when a building-level emergency response team or post-incident response team is faced with an emergency that may overwhelm the school’s ability to manage an extreme crisis, the district-wide emergency response team assists as follows:
- If safe to do so, sending a district-wide emergency response team member to the affected school/building as a liaison between the school/building and District Office.
- Activate the district-wide post-incident response team. The district has school social workers, school psychologists and school nurses with local connections to:
- Neighboring component school districts
- Mental Health Community Services of Warren County
- Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren and Clinton Counties
- Offer district support and look for continued feedback from those directly impacted during the incident, with projected plans to assist, if needed, during heightened stressful times such as a re-occurrence of a similar event and anniversaries of the original event.
- Assist with parent/guardian, student, and faculty/staff debriefing and/or post-incident crisis intervention. The debriefing is also used in part to evaluate the district-wide safety plan for possible revisions. If needed, assist in contacting additional outside mental health resources such as the National Organization for Victim Assistance (1-800-try-nova; www.try-nova.org).
- Assist schools with written statements going out to faculty/staff, parents/guardians, press releases and media requests through the district’s Public Information Officer and Communications Office.
The district supports the recovery phase and reevaluates current multi-hazard and violence prevention practices and school safety activities.
APPENDIX A – District Buildings
The following is a listing of all school buildings covered by the Lake George District-Wide Safety Plan:
Elementary School
69 Sun Valley Drive
Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-5714
Principal: James Conway
Junior/Senior High School 381 Canada Street
Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-5452
Principal: Francis Cocozza
Transportation Building 3 Holly Drive
Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-2131
Supervisor: Andy Raymond
APPENDIX B – School District Resources and Population
Lake George Elementary School
69 Sun Valley Drive
Lake George, NY 12845
School Population: 422
Number of Staff: 92
Principal’s Phone Number: (518) 668-5714
Lake George Junior/Senior High School
381 Canada Street
Lake George, NY 12845
School Population: 368
Number of Staff: 68
Principal’s Phone Number: (518) 668-5452
Transportation Information
14 buses
2 handicapped accessible buses 8 vans
2 trucks
2 golf carts
1 car
Caldwell Presbyterian Nursery School
School Population 16 (ages 3 & 4)
Number of Staff Less than 5
Phone Number 668-2613
Hours of Operation: M-F 9:00AM -11:30 AM
Note: The Lake George CSD does not provide any transportation to Caldwell.
Appendix C Public Employer Health Emergency Plan for the Lake George Central School District
This plan has been developed in accordance with NYS legislation S8617B/A10832 Developed with support from Emergency Preparedness Solutions, LLC®
Promulgation
This plan has been developed in accordance with the amended New York State Labor Law section 27-c and New York State Education Law paragraphs k and l of subdivision 2 of section 2801-a (as amended by section 1 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2016), as applicable.
This plan has been developed with the input of the Lake George Education Association, Lake George Staff Association, Civil Service Employees Association, Inc. Local 1000, and the Lake George Administrators Association, as required by the amended New York State Labor Law.
No content of this plan is intended to impede, infringe, diminish, or impair the rights of us or our valued employees under any law, rule, regulation, or collectively negotiated agreement, or the rights and benefits which accrue to employees through collective bargaining agreements, or otherwise diminish the integrity of the existing collective bargaining relationship.
This plan has been approved in accordance with requirements applicable to the agency, jurisdiction, authority, or district, as represented by the signature of the authorized individual below.
—
As the authorized official of Lake George Central School District, I hereby attest that this plan has been developed, approved, and placed in full effect in accordance with S8617B/A10832 which amends New York State Labor Law section 27-c and New York State Education Law paragraphs k and l of subdivision 2 of section 2801-a (as amended by section 1 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2016), as applicable, to address public health emergency planning requirements.
Signed on this day:
By: John Luthringer Title: Superintendent
Signature: _______________________________
pg. 1
Record of Changes
| Date of Change | Description of Change | Implemented by |
| 6/29/22 | Initial plan development | |
| 07/01/22 | updated | |
Table of Contents
Promulgation 1
Record of Changes 2
Purpose, Scope, Situation Overview, and Assumptions 4
Purpose 4 Scope 4 Situation Overview 4 Planning Assumptions 4
Concept of Operations 5
Mission Essential Functions 6
Essential Positions 7
Reducing Risk Through Remote Work and Staggered Shifts 8
Remote Work Protocols 8
Staggered Shifts 9
Personal Protective Equipment 10
Staff Exposures, Cleaning, and Disinfection 11
Staff Exposures 11
Cleaning and Disinfecting 12
Documentation of Work Hours and Locations 13
Housing for Essential Employees 13
Purpose, Scope, Situation Overview, and Assumptions
Purpose
This plan has been developed in accordance with the amended New York State Labor Law section 27-c and New York State Education Law paragraphs k and l of subdivision 2 of section 2801-a (as amended by section 1 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2016), as applicable. These laws were amended by the passing of legislation S8617B/A10832 signed by the Governor of New York State on September 7, 2020, requiring public employers to adopt a plan for operations in the event of a declared public health emergency involving a communicable disease. The plan includes the identification of essential positions, facilitation of remote work for non-essential positions, provision of personal protective equipment, and protocols for supporting contact tracing.
Scope
This plan was developed exclusively for and is applicable to Lake George Central School District. This plan is pertinent to a declared public health emergency in the State of New York which may impact our operations; and it is in the interest of the safety of our employees and contractors, and the continuity of our operations that we have promulgated this plan.
Situation Overview
On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared a pandemic for the novel coronavirus which causes the COVID-19 severe acute respiratory syndrome. This plan has been developed in accordance with amended laws to support continued resilience for a continuation of the spread of this disease or for other infectious diseases which may emerge and cause a declaration of a public health emergency.
The health and safety of our employees and contractors is crucial to maintaining our mission essential operations. We encourage all employees and contractors to use CDC Guidance for Keeping Workplaces, Schools, Homes, and Commercial Establishments Safe. The fundamentals of reducing the spread of infection include:
- Using hand sanitizer and washing hands with soap and water frequently, including: o After using the restroom
- After returning from a public outing
- After touching/disposing of garbage
- After using public computers, tables, countertops, doorknobs, etc.
- Wear a mask when required
- Practice social distancing when possible
- If you are feeling ill or have a fever, notify your supervisor immediately and go home
- If you start to experience coughing or sneezing, step away from people and food, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm or a tissue, the latter of which should be disposed of immediately
- Clean and disinfect workstations at the beginning, middle, and end of each shift
- Other guidance which may be published by the CDC, the State Department of Health, or County health officials.
Planning Assumptions
This plan was developed based on information, best practices, and guidance available as of the date of publication. The plan was developed to largely reflect the circumstances of the current Coronavirus pandemic but may also be applicable to other infectious disease outbreaks.
The following assumptions have been made in the development of this plan:
● The health and safety of our employees and contractors, and their families, is of utmost importance ● The circumstances of a public health emergency may directly impact our own operations. ● Impacts of a public health emergency will take time for us to respond to, with appropriate safety measures put into place and adjustments made to operations to maximize safety
● The public and our constituency expects us to maintain a level of mission essential operations ● Resource support from other jurisdictions may be limited based upon the level of impact the public health emergency has upon them
● Supply chains, particularly those for personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, may be heavily impacted, resulting in considerable delays in procurement
● The operations of other entities, including the private sector (vendors, contractors, etc.), non-profit organizations, and other governmental agencies and services may also be impacted due to the public health emergency, causing delays or other disruptions in their services
● Emergency measures and operational changes may need to be adjusted based upon the specific circumstances and impacts of the public health emergency, as well as guidance and direction from public health officials and the governor
● Per S8617B/A10832, ‘essential employee’ is defined as a public employee or contractor that is required to be physically present at a work site to perform their job
● Per S8617B/A10832, ‘non-essential employee’ is defined as a public employee or contractor that is not required to be physically present at a work site to perform their job
Concept of Operations
The Superintendent of Lake George Central School District, their designee, or their successor holds the authority to execute and direct the implementation of this plan. Implementation, monitoring of operations, and adjustments to plan implementation may be supported by additional personnel, at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools.
Upon the determination of implementing this plan, all employees and contractors of the Lake George Central School District may be notified by phone, email, or any other means determined to be necessary, with details provided as possible and necessary, with additional information and updates provided on a regular basis. Parents, students, and other community members will be notified of pertinent operational changes by way of email notifications, social media messaging, and local news outlets, amongst others. Other interested parties, such as vendors, will be notified by phone and/or email as necessary. The Superintendent will maintain communications with the public and constituents as needed throughout the implementation of this plan.
The Superintendent of Lake George Central School District, their designee, or their successor will maintain awareness of information, direction, and guidance from public health officials and the Governor’s office, directing the implementation of changes as necessary. Upon resolution of the public health emergency, the Superintendent of Lake George Central School District, their designee, or their successor will direct the resumption of normal operations or operations with modifications as necessary.
Mission Essential Functions
When confronting events that disrupt normal operations, Lake George Central School District is committed to ensuring that essential functions will be continued even under the most challenging circumstances. Essential functions are those functions that enable an organization to:
- 1. Maintain the safety of employees, contractors, and our constituency
- 2. Provide vital services
- 3. Provide services required by law
- 4. Sustain quality operations
- 5. Uphold the core values of Lake George Central School District
The Lake George Central School District has identified as critical only those priority functions that are required or are necessary to provide vital services. During activation of this plan, all other activities may be suspended to enable the organization to concentrate on providing the critical functions and building the internal capabilities necessary to increase and eventually restore operations. Appropriate communications with employees, contractors, our constituents, and other stakeholders will be an ongoing priority.
Essential functions are prioritized according to:
● The time criticality of each essential function
● Interdependency of a one function to others
● The recovery sequence of essential functions and their vital processes
Priority 1 identifies the most essential of functions, with priority 4 identifying functions that are essential, but least among them.
The mission essential functions for Lake George Central School District have been identified as:
| Essential Function | Description |
| District Offices | Oversight and management of all district functions to ensure that regular business operations and services continue as necessary and/or mandated. |
| Building Main and Guidance Offices | Oversight of staff and student support services, as well as mail, phones, sign-in procedures, and building utilization and operations. |
| Information Technology/Continuity of Operations and Instruction | Provides hardware and software for staff and students to facilitate continued education in remote learning environments necessary for continuity of instruction and education. Also responsible for troubleshooting technical issues that may arise during the distance learning process, the offering of best practices in communication to ensure that students are able to access curricular materials, and for helping staff members disseminate information related to both academic and social-emotional education. |
| Buildings and Grounds | Continues to upkeep the campus during remote work and learning and ensures that all buildings and grounds are properly maintained, regularly cleaned, and disinfected as necessary to ensure the safety of school community members. |
| Health Services | Upon consultation with the district physician and the County Department of Health, school nurses may be responsible for assessing ill staff and students, providing consultation to the district office, following up with healthcare providers, and providing assistance with contact tracing efforts as necessary. |
pg. 6
| Mental Health Services | Coordination of student support services including the delivery of services and supplies to students at home. |
| Food Service | Ensure that food can be provided to students |
| Transportation | To ensure that meals may be delivered to students |
Essential Positions
Each essential function identified above requires certain positions on-site to effectively operate. The table below identifies the positions or titles that are essential to be staffed on-site, as needed, for the continued operation of each essential function. Note that while some functions and associated personnel may be essential, some of these can be conducted remotely and do not need to be identified in this section.
| Essential Function | Essential Positions/Titles | Justification for Each |
| Central Administration | Superintendent | Responsible for ensuring continuity of the response efforts including making day-to-day decisions about educational programs, budget/spending, staff, and facilities. |
| Dir. of Technology | Responsible for overseeing the district technology infrastructure to ensure continuity of instruction and supporting teachers with remote instruction needs. | |
| Business Administrator | Responsible for assisting the Superintendent in the administration of business affairs in such a way to provide the best services with the financial resources available | |
| Building Administration | Jr./Sr. High Principal | Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the high school community, supporting the well-being and academic success of students, promoting a positive school climate, supervising and assisting educators. |
| Elementary Principal | Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the elementary school community, supporting the well-being and academic success of students, promoting a positive school climate, supervising and assisting educators. | |
| Information Technology Services | ITS Coordinator | Responsible for overseeing the local area network and the subsequent ongoing maintenance of this network for the district. Oversees the district’s internet access and phone systems. |
| ITS Support Technicians | Responsible for providing support to teachers and students in regards to computer hardware and software. Will respond to “help desk” and troubleshooting concerns. | |
| Buildings and Grounds | Director of Facilities | Responsible for overseeing and providing direction to the B&G department and employees to ensure a safe working environment. |
pg. 7
| Maintenance/Groundskeepers | Responsible for performing a wide variety of tasks related to the maintenance and upkeep of campus grounds, parking lots, and fields. | |
| Custodians/Cleaners | Responsible for routine cleaning, disinfecting, and maintenance tasks. | |
| Food Service | Food Service Manager | Responsible for overseeing the preparation of meals and coordinating with the Transportation Director to ensure that meals are disseminated. |
| Food Service Helpers | Responsible for the preparation of and making of meals for students. | |
| Transportation | Transportation Supervisor | Responsible for the safety and efficient operation and maintenance of the transportation department. Coordinates with the Food Service Manager on meal deliveries. |
| Mechanic/Mechanic Helper | Responsible for the safety and efficient operation and maintenance of the transportation equipment and assisting with meal, supply, or homework deliveries. | |
| Bus Drivers | As needed to assist with meal, supply, or homework deliveries | |
| Health Services | Nurse/COVID Liaison | Assists building and district administrators by communicating with the local health department for guidance, may act as the liaison to the school physician, and is responsible for assessing ill students and staff and assisting in contact tracing efforts |
| Mental Health Services | Director of Student Support Services, Guidance and Social Work Staff | Coordination of student support services including the delivery of services and supplies to students at home |
| Office Staff | Admin Assistants | Responsible for answering phones, providing support to building administrators, responding to emails, greeting visitors, assisting in building sign-in procedures, accepting deliveries, and helping disseminate mail. |
| Security | School Resource Officers | Responsible for, greeting visitors, assisting in building sign-in procedures, helping control of building foot traffic, accepting deliveries, and assisting with deliveries if needed. |
Reducing Risk Through Remote Work and Staggered Shifts
Through assigning certain staff to work remotely and by staggering work shifts, we can decrease crowding and density at work sites and on public transportation
Remote Work Protocols
Employees and contractors able to accomplish their functions remotely will be enabled to do so at the greatest extent possible. Working remotely requires:
1. Identification of staff who will work remotely
2. Approval and assignment of remote work
3. Equipping staff for remote work, which may include:
a. Internet capable laptop
b. Necessary peripherals
c. Access to VPN and/or secure network drives
d. Access to software and databases necessary to perform their duties
e. A solution for telephone communications
i. Note that phone lines may need to be forwarded to off-site staff
Approval and Assignment of Remote Work
Remote work arrangements may be assigned in accordance with board policy 6580. The Superintendent, in consultation with the Business Administrator and the employee’s direct supervisors, will review requests for remote work assignments. Final decisions will be communicated to the Business Administrator and the employee’s direct supervisor for dissemination to the respective staff member. The Business Administrator will notify payroll of such decisions to ensure employee time and attendance is tracked accurately.
Equipping Staff and Students for Remote Learning
The school district shall work with their IT Manager to support non-essential employees and students during an extended school closure. In order to support this, students K-12 and instructional faculty and staff shall be provided with laptops as possible to ease the transition to remote learning/working. Non-instructional staff who work remotely will have access to laptops based on their individual needs for them to effectively perform their job duties remotely. In addition, the IT Department has established protocols for the repair of laptops, as well as protocols for assisting in the procurement of internet access at an individual’s home, if they do not have internet. The IT Department will also be responsible for assisting individuals in the procurement of VPN or other secure network drives as is deemed necessary and for providing access to software and databases that are deemed necessary for somebody to perform their duty.
Staggered Shifts
Implementing staggered shifts may be possible for personnel performing duties which are necessary to be performed on-site but perhaps less sensitive to being accomplished only within core business hours. As needed, management will identify opportunities for staff to work outside core business hours as a strategy of limiting exposure. Staggering shifts requires:
1. Identification of positions for which work hours will be staggered
2. Approval and assignment of changed work hours
Depending on the exact nature of the communicable disease and its impact, the district is prepared to use the strategies below to stagger staff to reduce traffic congestion and maintain social distancing:
● Cleaners – XX cleaners per day, rotating
● Food Service Workers – elementary staff work one week, secondary staff work next week ● Clerical – XX day per week
● Business Office staff – each employee works XX day per week
● Bus Drivers – two (2) drivers work on days of delivery
Personal Protective Equipment
The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the spread of infectious disease is important to supporting the health and safety of our employees and contractors. PPE which may be needed can include:
● Masks
● Face shields
● Gloves
● Disposable gowns and aprons
Note that while cleaning supplies are not PPE, there is a related need for cleaning supplies used to sanitize surfaces, as well as hand soap and hand sanitizer. The Coronavirus pandemic demonstrated that supply chains were not able to keep up with increased demand for these products early in the pandemic. As such, we are including these supplies in this section as they are pertinent to protecting the health and safety of our employees and contractors.
Protocols for providing PPE include the following:
1. Identification of need for PPE based upon job duties and work location
2. Procurement of PPE
a. As specified in the amended law, public employers must be able to provide at least two pieces of each required type of PPE to each essential employee and contractor during any given work shift for at least six months
b. Public employers must be able to mitigate supply chain disruptions to meet this requirement 3. Storage of, access to, and monitoring of PPE stock
a. PPE must be stored in a manner which will prevent degradation
b. Employees and contractors must have immediate access to PPE in the event of an emergency c. The supply of PPE must be monitored to ensure integrity and to track usage rates
The district will strive to maintain a 6 month supply of PPE on hand at all times. Short term PPE supplies will be stored in the Nurse’s office with the remaining supplies in the basement of each building. The Nurses will monitor and maintain the stock of PPE.
Identification of Personal Protective Equipment Based on Job Duties
Each building shall be provided with a supply of disposable masks and hand sanitizer for use by students, employees, contractors, and/or visitors, as necessary. Nurses shall be responsible for monitoring and replenishing the supply of masks as necessary. The Director of Facilities shall be responsible for monitoring and replenishing the supply of hand sanitizer as necessary. Individuals with a medical necessity and an approved reasonable accommodation will be provided N-95 respirators as necessary.
Given the nature of their work, buildings and grounds staff and health office staff will be supplied daily access to disposable masks, disposable gloves, face shields, and gowns as necessary. Individuals who have a job position that requires the wearing of an N-95 respirator shall be entered into a respiratory protection program, fit tested, medically cleared, and provided N-95 respirators as required.
Procurement of Personal Protective Equipment
Nurses will assess the inventory levels of PPE in their buildings and supply a supply requisition to the Business Office as needed for additional PPE. The district maintains a supplier list with backup suppliers listed in an effort to mitigate any supply chain disruption. For unforeseen disruptions or shortages, the district shall work with WSWHE BOCES the Warren County Department of Health for assistance. Personal protective equipment shall be stored within the buildings where they can be tracked and accessed in the event of an emergency, and maintained in a way that prevents degradation.
Staff Exposures, Cleaning, and Disinfection
Staff Exposures
Staff exposures are organized under several categories based upon the type of exposure and presence of symptoms. When/If a staff member is exposed, we will follow applicable Warren County Department of Health, New York State Department of Health, and CDC guidelines as is required and best practices.
A. If employees or contractors are exposed to a known case of communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency (defined as a ‘close contact’ with someone who is confirmed infected, which is a prolonged presence within six feet with that person):
1. Potentially exposed employees or contractors who do not have symptoms should remain at home or in a comparable setting and practice social distancing for the lesser of 10 days or other current NYS Department of Health guidance for the communicable disease in question.
a. As possible, these employees will be permitted to work remotely during this period of time if they are not ill.
b. The Superintendent must be informed in these circumstances and is responsible for ensuring these protocols are followed
c. See the section titled Documentation of Work Hours and Locations for additional
information on contact tracing
B. If an employee or contractor exhibits symptoms of the communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency:
1. Employees and contractors who exhibit symptoms in the workplace should be immediately separated from other employees, customers, and visitors. They should immediately be sent home with a recommendation to contact their physician.
2. Employees and contractors who exhibit symptoms outside of work should notify their supervisor and stay home, with a recommendation to contact their physician.
3. Employees should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation per CDC/public health guidance and have consulted with a healthcare provider.
4. Lake George Central School District requires sick employees to provide a negative test result for the disease in question or healthcare provider’s note to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or return to work; unless there is a recommendation from the CDC/public health officials to do so.
5. CDC criteria for COVID-19 provides that persons exhibiting symptoms may return to work if at least 24 hours have passed since the last instance of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
pg. 11
If the disease in question is other than COVID-19, CDC and other public guidance shall be referenced.
6. The Superintendent and employee’s direct supervisor must be informed in these circumstances and is responsible for ensuring these protocols are followed
C. If an employee or contractor has tested positive for the communicable disease that is the subject of the public health emergency:
1. Apply the steps identified in item B, above, as applicable.
2. Areas occupied for prolonged periods of time by the subject employee or contractor will be closed off.
a. CDC guidance for COVID-19 indicates that a period of 24 hours is ideally given before cleaning, disinfecting, and reoccupation of those spaces will take place. If this time period is not possible, a period of as long as possible will be given. CDC/public health guidance for the disease in question will be followed.
b. Any common areas entered, surfaces touched, or equipment used shall be cleaned and disinfected immediately.
c. See the section on Cleaning and Disinfection for additional information on that subject. 3. Identification of potential employee and contractor exposures will be conducted
a. If an employee or contractor is confirmed to have the disease in question, the
Superintendent or their designee should inform all contacts of their possible exposure. Confidentiality shall be maintained as required by law.
b. Apply the steps identified in item A, above, as applicable, for all potentially exposed personnel.
4. The Superintendent must be notified in these circumstances and ensure these protocols are followed
We recognize there may be nuances or complexities associated with potential exposures, close contacts, symptomatic persons, and those testing positive. We will follow CDC/public health recommendations and requirements and coordinate with our local public health office for additional guidance and support as needed.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
CDC/public health guidelines will be followed for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces/areas. Present guidance for routine cleaning during a public health emergency includes:
1. As possible, employees and contractors will clean their own workspaces in the beginning, middle, and end of their shifts, at a minimum.
a. High traffic/high touch areas and areas which are accessible to the public/constituents will be disinfected at least hourly.
b. Cleaners/custodians are responsible for cleaning common areas, and the frequency of such is determined by the Facilities Director.
2. Staff tasked with cleaning and disinfecting areas will be issued and required to wear PPE appropriate to the task.
3. Soiled surfaces will be cleaned with soap and water before being disinfected.
4. Surfaces will be disinfected with products that meet EPA criteria for use against the virus in question and which are appropriate for that surface.
5. Staff will follow instructions of cleaning products to ensure safe and effective use of the products.
Cleaning Protocols
All staff must adhere to hygiene and cleaning/disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and DOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19,” and the “STOP THE SPREAD” poster, as applicable.
● Building supervisors, custodians, and cleaners must maintain logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection. Template of cleaning log.
● Cleaning and disinfection frequency for each facility type will be clearly stated and included in the logs. ● Regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms will be done throughout each day.
● Cleaning and disinfection of exposed areas in the event an individual is confirmed to have COVID-19 are outlined in the containment plan.
● Regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities will occur, including more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk and frequently touched surfaces. This will include desks and cafeteria tables, which should be cleaned and disinfected between each use. Cleaning and disinfection will be rigorous and ongoing and will occur at least daily, or more frequently as needed.
● Cleaning and disinfection are the primary responsibility of the custodial staff, but additional cleaning and disinfection supplies will be provided to faculty and staff.
● Cleaning supplies will be available so that commonly used surfaces (e.g. keyboards, desks, remote controls) can be wiped down before/after use.
● Hand sanitizer will be available near high-touch surfaces.
● Water drinking fountains (unless configured as bottle refilling stations) will be temporarily closed. All staff and students are encouraged to bring personal water bottles or use disposable cups.
Documentation of Work Hours and Locations
In a public health emergency, it may be necessary to document work hours and locations of each employee and contractor to support contact tracing efforts. Identification of locations shall include on-site work, off-site visits. This information may be used by the Lake George Central School District to support contact tracing within the organization and may be shared with local public health officials.
Housing for Essential Employees
There are circumstances within a public health emergency when it may be prudent to have essential employees lodged in such a manner which will help prevent the spread of the subject communicable disease to protect these employees from potential exposures, thus helping to ensure their health and safety and the continuity of Lake George Central School District essential operations.
If such a need arises, hotel rooms are expected to be the most viable option. If hotel rooms are for some reason deemed not practical or ideal, or if there are no hotel rooms available, Lake George Central School District will coordinate with the Warren County Office of Emergency Services to help identify and arrange for these housing needs. The Superintendent will coordinate this process.
Appendix D – SRO MOU
Appendix E – Emergency Remote Instruction Plan
In accordance with New York State Education Commissioner’s Regulations, the Lake George Central School district has developed the following Emergency Remote Instruction Plan as part of the District Wide School Safety Plan. This plan addresses the instruction of students in extraordinary circumstances that prevent students and staff from physically attending school.
As defined by the commissioner’s regulations, “remote instruction means instruction provided by an appropriately certified teacher, or in the case of a charter school an otherwise qualified teacher pursuant to Education Law § 2854(3)(a-1)(link is external), who is not in the same in-person physical location as the student(s) receiving the instruction, where there is regular and substantive daily interaction between the student and teacher.”
For the purpose of this plan, remote instruction means the instruction occurring when the student and the instructor are in different locations due to the closure of one or both district schools due to a declared emergency.
Emergency conditions include but are not limited to, extraordinary adverse weather conditions, impairment of heating facilities, insufficient water supply, prolonged disruption of electrical power, shortage of fuel, destruction of a school building, shortage of transportation vehicles, or a communicable disease outbreak.
ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY
The Lake George Central School District has a full K-12 1-to-1 device program. All students and staff in the district have access to their district-issued devices, within the first week of school. These devices can be utilized at home to ensure that all students and staff have access to a device. Additionally, the district annually conducts the New York State Education Department Digital Equity Survey to identify families who do not have internet access or devices. The chart below provides the district’s survey results as of June 30th.
| Building | Enrollment | Missing Data | Provided Tech | Sufficient | Internet Access | Sufficient |
| Out of District | 10 | 4 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 6/6 surveyed | 5/6 surveyed |
| Elementary School | 308 | 91 | 308/308 | 190/217 surveyed | 215/217 surveyed | 208/217 surveyed |
| Jr/Sr High School | 323 | 32 | 323/323 | 277/291 surveyed | 287/291 surveyed | 270/291 surveyed |
Students and staff who do not have home access to reliable high-speed internet may use a district-provided hotspot, upon request, and local community Wi-Fi connections. The district provides all students and staff with a device for remote learning due to closure. Lastly, the district will provide the necessary non-digital resources and materials (books, art supplies, instruments, etc) needed by students to participate in learning and demonstrate mastery of Learning Standards in a variety of ways. Information and Instructional Technology support is available to all students, staff, and families through the district’s Help Desk system and Information Technology Team. This includes but is not limited to:
- Email support
- Phone support
- Videoconferencing support and training
- In-person support, repair, training
- Training videos and resources
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Emergency Remote Instruction will include a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction, with the expectation that asynchronous instruction is supplementary to synchronous instruction. Synchronous instruction takes place in real-time, which students and teachers attend together from different locations. Asynchronous instruction is self-directed learning without the direct presence of a teacher. Students may access class materials during different hours and from different locations.
Teachers will utilize Google Classroom, Google Meet, phone conferences, ParentSquare posts and messages, emails, and other methods to provide instruction, hold live classes and office hours, and post learning materials for students, as well as other online resources.
Students will interact with staff to receive academic and other support designed to meet the needs of students. Teachers will provide prioritized standards-based instruction and support with academic expectations consistent with in-person instruction, engage students daily, check for evidence of learning, and include ongoing meaningful feedback on student learning. Additionally, teletherapy will be provided to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Should emergency conditions require schools to close at any point in the school year, the district will utilize remote instruction for all students to provide instructional continuity. The following charts approximate the amount of time students will spend in remote instruction:
Lake George Elementary School
| Subjects | Approx. Synchronous | Approx. Asynchronous |
| ELA | 60 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Phonics/Word Study | 30 minutes | |
| Math | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Science/Social Studies | 20 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Special Areas | 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Total Daily | 155 minutes | 95 minutes |
Lake George Jr./Sr. High School
| Subjects | Approx. Synchronous | Approx. Asynchronous |
| All courses included in individual student schedules. Schedules include 10, 40-minute periods. | 30 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Total Daily | # of courses x 30 minutes 165 – 225 minutes | # of courses x 10 minutes 55 – 75 minutes |
Student schedules will be used to ensure daily student attendance and engagement and to prevent conflicts wherein synchronous lessons for different subjects are offered simultaneously. They will outline attendance requirements and times for instructional engagement with all content areas, as well as resource and support services. These schedules will be shared with families upon notification of an Emergency Remote Instruction Day(s).
Students without internet access will be provided with paper-based, parallel activities and assignments to allow them to fully engage in the learning process. Teachers will regularly contact students and parents via telephone or text to ensure attendance and engagement.
SPECIAL EDUCATION & RELATED SERVICES
In addition to the above guidelines, students with disabilities will have the following guidelines as well:
- Students will work with their grade-level CSE case manager as the point of contact and service provider.
- Students with disabilities will be provided access to their services, accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) listed on the student’s individualized education program to the best extent possible.
- Programs and services, such as special classes, resource room, and consultant teaching, will be provided through synchronous and asynchronous instruction.
- Teletherapy will be provided for all related services. A schedule will be provided to ensure compliance and consistency.
- Our district may not be able to provide all services in the same manner in a remote situation that they are typically provided in person (in terms of group vs. individual sessions; specific group size; frequency, duration, location, special class size ratio…) but will prioritize to “match” as closely as possible with collaboration with parents. If providers or teachers cannot deliver the full session or have other issues impacting the delivery or effectiveness of the service, the district will document what was provided, and what was not (and why) so that when school resumes in person, the CSE can review and determine whether, and to what extent, compensatory services may be needed.
Requests for Committee on Special Education review meetings will continue to be accepted and scheduled accordingly. Virtual participation will be encouraged.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Staff will report to work during contractual hours to provide instruction and attend to other professional responsibilities. The work location (home or school) will be dependent on the specific “emergency” situation and will be communicated upon notification of an Emergency Remote Instruction Day(s).
Student attendance and participation, as outlined by the schedule, is mandatory.
Administrators, teachers, and service providers will continue to communicate with parents via ParentSquare, phone calls, emails, and other communication applications.
Related service providers, teachers of students with special needs, and teachers of English language learners will track instruction, parent and student contact, and student progress daily.
BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVAL
The Lake George Central School District Board of Education shall make The Remote Emergency Instruction Plan available for public comment for no less than thirty days (30) prior to adoption. The plan must be adopted as part of the District Wide School Safety Plan annually prior to September 1st and posted on the district website in a conspicuous location.
INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS FOR STATE AID AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Under the provisions of New York State Education Law and the District Emergency Remote Instruction Plan, any instruction sessions provided during the closure of the school facility are counted towards the annual hour requirement. The estimated number of instructional hours the school district intends to claim for State aid purposes will be 4.15 hours for Lake George Elementary School and 5 hours for Lake George Jr/Sr High School for each day spent in remote instruction due to emergency conditions pursuant to section 175.5 of this Chapter.
EMERGENCY REMOTE INSTRUCTION ACTION PLAN
Should emergency conditions require schools to close at any point in the school year, the district will initiate the Emergency Remote Instruction Action Plan:
- Initiation of Emergency Remote Instruction Action Plan by the Superintendent
- District communication via ParentSquare
- To Staff – Notification of Emergency Remote Instruction and “report to work” instructions
- To Elementary Parents – Notification of Emergency Remote Instruction, an explanation that teachers will send their child’s schedule via ParentSquare, and IT Help Desk Contact information
- To Jr/Sr High Parents – Notification of Emergency Remote Instruction, student schedule, the requirement for students to check their Google Classroom, and IT Help Desk Contact information
- Staff Actions
- “Report to work” as outlined in the notification
- K-6 teachers initiate contact with parents via ParentSquare – send schedule and Google Classroom Code
- 7-12 teachers initiate contact with students via Google Classroom and take attendance
- Service Providers initiate contact with families to arrange for services to begin on Day 1
- Initiate Distribution Plan
The district will schedule pick-up times for parents and students and delivery will be arranged, as needed for:
- K-4 ipads
- HotSpots as needed
- Additional supplies and materials