This message was emailed to families this morning, Thursday, December 9, 2021:
Thursday, December 9, 2021
Good Morning Wayland-Cohocton Families:
I wanted to bring the community up-to-date on some safety measures being implemented in the district and what the community can expect to see over the next few months. As most have certainly seen in the media, we are living in difficult times with increasing reports of threats and acts of violence in schools. We are continuing to evaluate our standard practices of building security including locked doors and visitor screenings during operational hours.
In addition, we are working with the New York State Troopers, Steuben County Sheriff’s Department and our local police departments to provide a safe environment for learning on our campuses. This morning and at other times, safety officials will be on our campus and in our buildings. We have had regular walk-throughs for the last few years and we will continue to utilize this presence so that our students and staff feel protected and confident about being in school. I believe that this increased presence is beneficial and I will continue to use it proactively to try and avoid the incidents we are seeing in the news. We want our students to understand that we take their safety seriously and that issues will be addressed when they occur.
This morning, a number of families saw a presence on the Wayland campus and assumed it was due to an active incident happening today. We do not have an active threat on the Wayland campus today. I want to reassure you that when it is appropriate or necessary we will alert families. We will continue to have visits by law enforcement to our campuses and we will continue with safety procedures. Additionally, we conduct lock-down drills and other necessary and required practices on a routine basis.
I believe the best practice is to be proactive to work toward helping our students feel safe and respected so that they can focus on learning. I encourage families and the community to reach out to the district if you have concerns or questions about things you see or hear. If you have concerns about threats or safety issues, please remember that at the top of our webpage (www.wccsk12.org) is the Safe Schools Helpline which allows you the ability to report issues after hours or anonymously if you choose. It's never bad to pick up the phone and make a call to have your questions answered.
We will continue to update families on significant issues as we move forward. These are difficult times we are navigating and I believe the key to success is through an open conversation about our schools.
Sincerely,
Eileen Feinman
Superintendent of Schools