Training Module:
Initial Annual Safety Plan Training: required by Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act
August 17, 2022
In July 2000, the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (Project SAVE) was signed into law to promote a safer and more effective learning environment within New York State schools. SAVE legislation has multiple requirements, including a requirement that all school staff receive annual school safety training that includes components on violence prevention and mental health and the emergency response plan. The Superintendent must submit annual certification to the Commissioner that all staff have received this annual training by September 15.
The NYSED Office of Student Support Services and New York State Center for School Safety have developed the following resources to supplement your existing school violence prevention training program. These materials can help guide your efforts to provide the required annual training on your Building-Level Emergency Response Plan which must include components on violence prevention and mental health (CR 155.17(c)(1)(xiii)).
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Initial Annual Safety Plan Training
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Student Mental Health and Violence Prevention Resource List
This Initial Annual Safety Plan Training is a recorded slide presentation designed to provide an overview of student mental health, violence prevention, and includes prompts to guide your school or district through an overview of your District-Wide School Safety Plan and Building-Level Emergency Response Plan.
PLEASE NOTE: Included in this session are opportunities to lead participants through discussions and to review school and district protocols and safety plans. As you move through the slides, it is essential for your school to provide building-specific information. Please identify a member of your Student Support Services team to lead the discussions on mental health and violence prevention, and members of your safety team to review the content related to your District-Wide School Safety Plan and Building-Level Emergency Response Plan.
To use this recorded slide deck as intended:
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The training is designed as a group training session.
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Please plan for approximately 2 hours to complete the session. You may choose to do this in one session or multiple sessions.
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Assign a Facilitator who will start and stop the video for discussion among participants.
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The training materials include an external video created by the CDC on Youth Violence Prevention. The CDC video should be played for your staff (at slide 24) and is approximately 2 minutes in length. Please assign this task to your Facilitator.
Video: “What is Youth Violence?” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/
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Assign a member of your Student Support Services team to lead the discussions on mental health and violence prevention. This person must review the recording in advance and must prepare the relevant information that will be presented to your staff.
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Assign a member of your safety team to review the content related to your Building-Level Emergency Response Plan. This person must be familiar with your Plan, must review the recording in advance, and must prepare the relevant information that will be presented to your staff.
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Please prepare any additional materials, including the Student Mental Health and Violence Prevention Resource List and Emergency Response Reference Card.
For detailed information on the requirements of Project SAVE, please visit the Office of Student Support Services SAVE webpage.
Student Support Services: Contact Us
(518) 486-6090
Note: this slide deck was developed in August 2022. Please check the NYS Education Department website for any updates that may have occurred after August 2022 and include those updates in your training program.