Project SAVE is a 2001 New York law requiring school districts to establish safety plans. It includes components like prevention strategies, improving communication, safety training, and security measures. The document discusses a school's peer mediation program, Olweus bullying prevention program, cultural awareness training, after school events, fire prevention week activities, safety drills, security guards, surveillance cameras, and ID badge requirements as parts of its SAVE plan.

1. Project SAVE & It’s Relation
to MH GEMS
By
Melissa Winfield

2. What is SAVE?
• SAVE stands for Safe
Schools against violence in
education.
• It is a law that was signed into
law in 2001 by Governor
George Pataki.
• This law requires all school
districts to have mandated
safety plans established.

3. Examples of the Components of
SAVE
• Prevention and Intervention
Strategies
• Improving Communication With
Students
• Annual Multi-Hazard Safety
Training
• Hall Monitors/Personnel Acting in a
School Security Capacity
• School Building Security

4. Prevention and Intervention
Strategies
Describe strategies and/or programs intended to create and/or maintain this safe
learning environment (e.g., mentoring programs, extended day and other safety
programs, community involvement in schools, etc.).
1. Peer Mediation: In my school, we have a peer
mediation program that is run by the school
counselor. Students can request to go to peer
mediation if they are having a problem with
another student. Teachers can also refer
students to go to peer mediation if they notice
that specific students are having problems with
each other on an ongoing basis.
2. OLWEUS: Our school is also in the initial stages
of implementing the Olweus bullying prevention
program. At the beginning of the year, the entire
school was given professional development
training on how to implement this program into
our classrooms and building as a whole.

5. Improving Communication With
Students
1. Cultural Awareness Training: Recently our district has been
working with NYU affiliates in regards to cultural sensitivity and
awareness training. Our district is comprised of mostly inner
city youth. In an effort to bridge the culture gap that exists
between students and staff, the district has sought out training
for its employees in this area.
2. Special After School Events: Our school building has hosted
a variety of different themed events such as Reading night
where parents and children came in and participated in reading
activities together with teachers, Culture Night where a potluck
was served and students put on presentations, Health Night
where local vendors (karate instructors, gymnastics instructors,
Zumba instructors, etc…) came in to teach kids about fitness
and health; fruit and vegetable dishes were also served to teach
kids about healthy eating habits.
What programs and activities has the district used to develop positive relationships and
improve community (e.g.-Non-violent conflict resolution training programs, peer mediation
programs, youth courts, bully-proofing, respect initiatives, etc.)?

6. Annual Multi-Hazard Safety
Training
Describe how you will provide training to students to increase awareness and preparedness
concerning response to hazardous situations (e.g., classroom activities, general assemblies,
early go-home drill, special programs – Fire Prevention Week, Weather Awareness Week,
etc., and curriculum packages – Masters of Disaster/Red Cross, Riskwatch/NFPA, etc.)
1. Fire Prevention Week- Our school has fire
prevention week each year for our k-2
students. On the last day of the week, the
fire department comes with the fire truck and
speaks with the students. Students also get
to get on the fire truck and try on the
equipment to get a real sense of what fire
fighters do.
2. Mandatory Drills- Our school also conducts
mandatory safety drills which include fire
drills, lockdown drills and bus drills.

7. Hall Monitors/Personnel Acting
in a School Security Capacity
List the types of school and/or community personnel considered by the school district to
play an important role in the implementation of the safety and security provisions of this
plan and include a description of the duties of such personnel (e.g. – school security
guards, school resource officers, entrance guards, hall monitors, etc.)
1. Security Guards- All of the schools in our district have
security guards. The security guards are stationed at the
front entrance and throughout the school building. The
guard at the main entrance has access to cameras that are
positioned throughout the building. Anyone that enters the
school must show I.D. in the main office and get a pass
before being buzzed into the building by security. All
entrances into the school are locked. You must be buzzed in
by security.
2. SAVE Room Teacher- The SAVE room is where students
that are sent out of classrooms for disruptive behaviors are
to report to. It also serves as in-school suspension.
3. DARE Officer- Our school also has a police officer assigned
to our school. In addition to being the DARE teacher for our
5th
grade students, the officer also is present in case there is
an emergency regarding one of the students or from an
outside agent.

8. School Building Security
Provide a description of the policies and procedures used to ensure
school building security including the use of personnel identified in the
previous section.
1. Mandatory ID Badges- All school employees are
required to wear their district issued ID badges while
they are in the building.
2. Surveillance Cameras- Our building is equip with
surveillance cameras both in and outside of the
building. School buses also have cameras on them.
3. Standard Rules and Procedures- Our school has a
specific set of rules and procedures that all are
required to follow. Such procedures include locker
times and lunch room rules.

9. Sources
• http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/ssae/schoolsafe
• http://nyscenterforschoolsafety.org/what.cfm?s

10. Sources
• http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/ssae/schoolsafe
• http://nyscenterforschoolsafety.org/what.cfm?s