Depew opens 30‑day public comment on districtwide safety plan after Erie 1 BOCES presentation

Depew Union Free School District trustees heard a presentation from Kevin Byrd of Erie 1 BOCES and opened a 30‑day public comment period on the districtwide safety plan, Byrd said at the board meeting.

The districtwide plan, Byrd said, is a public document that outlines how the district coordinates with law enforcement, notifies parents and conducts annual safety training; more detailed, building‑level emergency response plans remain confidential and are not subject to disclosure under Article 6 of the Public Officers Law.

"Because it's a public document, it's somewhat vanilla," Kevin Byrd, with Erie 1 BOCES, said, explaining that the districtwide plan must describe high‑level procedures but cannot include detailed response tactics. He added that building‑level plans include confidential material such as floor plans, utility shutoffs and contact information for emergency team members and school resource officers, and that those plans are submitted to the State Education Department via a secure portal.

Byrd reviewed changes and additions the district must reflect in the plan: legislation since Columbine that requires district and building emergency response plans and teams, coordination with local law enforcement, and annual violence‑prevention and mental health training for staff. He said districts were required in recent years to add public‑health continuity plans, emergency remote instruction plans and requirements to conduct drills in a trauma‑informed, developmentally appropriate manner. "Those plans are confidential, not subject to disclosure under article 6 of the public officers law," Byrd said.

Byrd described a standardized set of emergency response terms the New York State Education Department now provides. The districtwide plan will adopt updated terms such as "evacuate," "shelter," "hold" (to restrict movement within the building), "lockdown" and "secure lockout" (used when keeping people inside the building because of an off‑campus incident). He said the district plans to begin rolling out the new terminology over the summer and have it in place beginning Sept. 1.

Byrd noted procedural requirements for drills: districts may not use props or actors to simulate violent incidents, drills must be trauma informed and age appropriate, and districts must notify parents when drills occur so families can discuss them with students. He also said building‑level plans must include threat assessment team procedures and clarified that bus drivers and monitors should be referenced in the districtwide safety team.

The presenter said principals and building teams are already working on the confidential, building‑level plans and that the district will submit required materials to the New York State Education Department by the fall of 2025. The board did not take a formal vote during the presentation; Byrd stated that a 30‑day public comment period is opening on the posted districtwide safety plan and provided administrators’ timeline to implement the changes.

Information on how to review the districtwide safety plan and submit comments was provided by district administration during the meeting; parents and community members can view the public document on the district website and submit feedback during the 30‑day comment window.