In the South Orangetown Central School District, student and staff safety is our first priority. Our District is continually reviewing, assessing and strengthening its procedures to ensure a healthy and secure learning environment for all.

Anonymous Alerts

Any students who witnesses or is the victim of an act of harassment, bullying, or hazing should report it directly to an adult at school. If unable to reach an adult directly, you may use Anonymous Alerts, a web-based tool, to report an incident related to harassment, bullying, hazing, and discrimination. Students who report this type of incident have the right to be safe from any type of retaliation. The Anonymous Alerts system is monitored between the hours of 8:30AM to 3:30PM during regular school hours on days when students are in session, and an investigation, where actionable, will commence within 2 school days of receipt of the report. Do not use this system to report issues requiring immediate assistance; in the event of an emergency, call 911. Go to Anonymous Alerts.

Closings, Delays & Early Dismissals

Details are posted on the Closings, Delays & Early Dismissals webpage.

Emergency Preparedness & Response

When an emergency occurs, school officials evaluate the seriousness of the situation and determine the best plan of action to respond quickly, safely and appropriately. Families play an important role in prevention, preparedness and response. We need your support so that our school district can respond quickly, safely and appropriately in the event of an emergency. Visit our Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Response pages for resources and detailed information.

Environmental Health

SOCSD strives to provide safe, secure learning and work environments for our students and staff through comprehensive training, consistent facilities maintenance and enhancements, continuous monitoring and implementation of procedures aligned with industry best practices and Board policy. For information regarding the District’s Asbestos Management Plan, pesticide application, water testing and more, visit the Environmental Health page.

Offender Registry

The Orangetown Police Department notifies SOCSD whenever a Level 2 or Level 3 New York State registered sex offender relocates to our community. The District notifies staff and parents of current students via email on behalf of OPD with a link to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Sex Offender Registry.

School Security Staffing

Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, the Board of Education directed the District to present on its entire safety and security program and conduct research specifically pertaining to the potential enhancement of its security staffing.

On March 16, the Board of Education hosted a public feedback session and invited students, parents, staff and community members to share their thoughts about school security staffing. Community input will help to inform Board decision making on this important topic. Details are posted on the Security Staffing webpage.

Visiting SOCSD

SOCSD encourages strong family and community engagement in our schools. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, all visitors to our buildings are screened and monitored. For information about procedures for visitors and the District’s use of video surveillance on school grounds, go to the Visiting SOCSD page.