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Ravena‑Coeymans‑Selkirk district reviews response after Peter B. bathroom fire, vows communications and safety fixes
Summary
Board and staff described a small bathroom fire at Peter B., praised staff evacuations but acknowledged gaps in communications, incident command and family notifications; district said it will file a code-of-conduct action for the student it believes caused the fire and will extend the school year one day for affected students.
A small fire in a bathroom stall at Peter B. Middle School last week prompted an evacuation and a review of emergency communications and procedures at the RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education meeting on May 21.
District staff said students and staff evacuated promptly and were reunited with families, but officials and board members identified multiple communication and operational shortcomings that they say they will address before fall.
The fire was contained to a single bathroom stall, district staff said; remediation and a crisis response team (CRT) assessment followed. “They evacuated as we would with any fire alarm and they did so promptly,” Bill, district staff, told the board. The district said it is filing a code-of-conduct action for the student it believes caused the incident and that the Albany County Sheriff’s Office helped with the investigation and initial response.
Board members and speakers said the immediate on-site response by teachers and SROs was strong but criticized district-level communications to families. “From my perspective as both a board member and as a parent, our communication was unacceptably low,” Board member Jackie said, adding that the district never sent a clear message that the building was safe for students to return. Several parents and staff told the board they expected an explicit confirmation — not merely an absence of a cancellation notice — before sending children back into the building.
The board and staff listed specific operational gaps identified during the CRT debrief: there was no single-button phone-forwarding process during the evacuation, classroom teachers reported not receiving clear guidance before reentry, bus assignments outside were hard to coordinate, some school buildings have poor cellular coverage, and staff lacked tools such as a bullhorn to direct large groups outdoors. Staff said they will implement a phone-forwarding plan, ensure available radios and alternative channels are used, and add a designated communications lead separate from the incident commander during future incidents.
Board members also raised questions about why a designated safe-haven location across the street (Saint Patrick’s) was not used for students during the evacuation; district staff said the team decided that remaining at the exterior reconvening point was a better alternative for reunification logistics in that instance. Several board members asked that the district develop clearer parameters for when to relocate students off site for weather, safety or logistics reasons.
School leaders said CRT tabletop exercises will be scheduled for the fall and that Needham Risk Management will participate in planning and reviews. The district also plans to bring lessons learned to the district Health and Safety Committee and to invite parent participants to debriefs. Board members asked for specific short-term supports: counselors and well‑being checks for students and staff in classrooms most affected by the incident, and a reintegration plan for the student involved that balances safety and inclusion.
Several speakers expressed concern about public handling of student privacy and student searches. Board member Jackie said she had reports that students were patted down by police in view of others; a district representative said SROs do not place hands on students as practice and that any physical searches would have been conducted by police who were on scene.
On scheduling, the district said Peter B. will add one instructional day to its calendar to make up the missed day; the district office said the last day for affected students will be June 26. The board also asked that the district provide a timeline for implementing the communications and equipment changes discussed at the meeting.
The board scheduled further review at the district Health and Safety Committee and the code-of-conduct review committee to address discipline, warning signs and long‑term prevention strategies.
Ending: The board said it will return to the item at future meetings and will provide parents a summary of the operational changes and supports the district plans to put in place before the next school year.
