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Safety Information

At Garrison Union Free School, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community are our highest priorities. In accordance with the New York State Education Department's Commissioner’s Regulations, we maintain comprehensive District-wide and school-based safety plans designed to ensure a swift and coordinated response to emergencies. These plans are developed collaboratively by our District-Wide Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams, and are reviewed and updated annually. They address a wide range of potential threats—from natural disasters to public health emergencies—and include protocols for crisis intervention, communication, and remote instruction during school closures. By proactively planning and practicing emergency procedures, we create a secure learning environment that fosters student success and well-being.

  • The Garrison UFSD District-Wide School Safety Plan was developed pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17 by a team appointed by the Board for this purpose. 

    Garrison District-Wide Safety Plan

  • The Garrison Union Free School District is posting a draft of the 2026-2027 District-Wide Safety Plan (linked below) for a 30-day public comment period, beginning July 10, 2026.

    The proposed plan is also available on our District website under Safety Information: https://www.gufs.org/44310_2

    We welcome your feedback. Comments may be submitted via email to our District Clerk, Dusti Callo, at dcallo@gufs.org.

    A public hearing on the revised plan will be held during the Board of Education Meeting on August 19, 2026.

     

    Proposed 2026-2027 District-Wide Safety Plan

  • A Special Patrol Officer (SPO) is a trained, retired law enforcement professional assigned through the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office to support school safety and emergency readiness.

    Core Responsibilities Visible Safety Presence Greets students and families during arrival and dismissal Monitors hallways, common areas, and the building perimeter Supports a calm, orderly environment throughout the day Emergency Response Acts as an on‑site first responder for medical emergencies Coordinates with the Sheriff’s Office & law enforcement during crises Assists in responses to fire, natural disasters, and threats of violence Supports safety drills and preparedness planning Prevention & Awareness Identifies potential safety concerns and communicates with administration Helps maintain secure entry procedures Enhances overall situational awareness in the building Positive Relationship‑Building Builds friendly, trusting connections with students and staff Serves as an approachable adult students can go to with safety concerns Helps foster a welcoming, safe school climate

     

  • Garrison Union Free School District is committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and trusting learning environment for all students, staff, and families. This year, as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen school safety, we partnered with Hanover Research to conduct a comprehensive School Safety and Security Survey. The survey was designed in response to feedback from our community and focuses on understanding perceptions of safety, school climate, and the impact of introducing a Special Patrol Officer (SPO) to our campus. We are pleased to share Hanover’s full report below, which summarizes the perspectives of students (grades 5 and above), parents, and staff, and provides valuable insights that will guide our continued work to support the well‑being of our school community.

    2025 Garrison UFSD Safety & Security Survey

  • A new law, Education Law section 926 becomes effective July 1, 2026, and requires school
    districts to provide water safety information to parents/guardians.


    Specifically, the law requires school districts to provide information at the beginning of the
    2026-2027 school year to parents/guardians, either electronically or via written materials,
    regarding the following:

    • drowning prevention,
    • water safety, and
    • safe and healthy swimming.

     

    The NYS Department of Health has created a tip card for this purpose: Safe Swimming Tips for Everyone.

  • The purpose of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program is to provide information to managers, supervisors, employees, and authorized employee representatives about preventing and responding to incidents of workplace violence or threats of violence in accordance with the Workplace Violence Prevention Law and Regulation.


    The goal of this program is to reduce the risk of workplace violence to employees and to ensure that any incident, complaint, or report of violence is taken seriously and dealt with appropriately and as expeditiously as possible. This program outlines the major components of our effort to meet these goals. At the core of this Workplace Violence Prevention Program is the Garrison Union Free School District’s commitment to work with its employees to maintain a work environment free from violence and other threatening behavior to the greatest degree possible

     

    Garrison Union Free School District Workplace Violence Prevention Program

Putnam County Threat Assessment Management Information

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  • The Garrison Union Free School District has developed the following Emergency Remote Instruction Plan to address the instruction of students if extraordinary circumstances prevent them and their staff from physically attending school. Additionally, the plan adheres to the guidance set forth in the following Board of Education policies: Staff Use of District Technology, Student Use of District Technology, and Code of Conduct.  

    GUFS Emergency Remote Instruction Plan