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Williamsville Opens 30‑Day Comment Period on Updated Districtwide Safety Plan; 'Secure Lockout' Term Added
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Scannuzzo reviewed updates to the districtwide safety plan, including terminology changes and confidentiality requirements under Education Law. A 30-day public comment period opens after the meeting and closes July 31; building-level plans remain confidential per Ed Law §2801‑a.
Assistant Superintendent Scannuzzo briefed the Williamsville Central School District Board of Education on mandatory updates to the districtwide safety plan at the July 1 meeting, including new terminology and the process for the public comment period.
Scannuzzo explained that the state required clearer terminology to differentiate response types. The district will use “evacuate/evacuation,” “shelter/shelter in place,” “lockdown,” “hold/hold in place,” and replace “lockout” with “secure lockout” for incidents outside the building. He said the change was made because “the lockdown and lockout seemed so similar, both starting with l,” and the updated language aims to make response actions distinct.
Under recently revised regulations and Education Law §2801‑a, building-specific emergency response plans must be kept confidential and are not subject to Freedom of Information Law disclosure. Scannuzzo said building principals will update their individual plans to match district terminology; those plans will be certified and submitted through the superintendent on Oct. 1 to the State Education Department.
After the board meeting the district will open a 30‑day public comment period on the districtwide safety plan; the meeting packet indicated that period will close on Wednesday, July 31. The committee will review comments and determine whether any plan language needs revision before final adoption.
Scannuzzo and the superintendent said the district had previously instituted districtwide communications about drills to prompt family conversations about emergency procedures and said updated terminology will be incorporated into staff development and building training.
