Safety efforts earn Schoharie Central School District a Titanium-Level Safety Excellence Award

Schoharie Central School District is one of 112 school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in the state to receive the “2011 School Safety Excellence Award” from the Utica National Insurance Group.

The District received a certificate from the insurance company to commemorate the its safety efforts and a $500 award to use in furthering them.

"Safety has always been a priority for us," said Schoharie Superintendent of Schools Brian Sherman. "We have been able to improve our standing since the original award to the District, and for the past two years, we have attained the highest level awarded, titanium.

"That speaks well of safety monitoring by all our staff," he added. "It also reiterates that our children come first when it comes to safety."

Utica National officials presented the award at their 31st annual school safety seminar, one of seven held in New York State this spring. Utica National insures more than 300 school districts in upstate New York for property and liability insurance and is one of the leading companies in the field.

“Safety and health concerns are a priority in our school districts. Whether we are parents seeing our child off on the school bus, teachers charged with the responsibility of educating, or staff who maintain the facility, there is a common thread of attention to safety issues,” said James Kristoff, initiator of the School Safety Excellence Award Program and Utica National's director of risk management, technical and field services.

“It is with great pleasure that we recognize those schools that not only take safety to heart, but go above and beyond to provide a safe, healthy, and focused culture for learning.”

Utica National’s School Safety Excellence Award Program helps participating schools enhance overall safety through measurable assessment. The program evaluates schools with their own transportation on 17 categories, schools with contract transportation on 16 categories, and BOCES on 11 categories, from school playground safety to indoor air quality, with specific, quantifiable data-gathering surveys.

“The payoff goes beyond recognition — if our program is followed properly, it should enable schools to pinpoint specific threats to safety,” Mr. Kristoff said.
The award program has three levels (titanium, platinum, and gold) in which schools can earn a meritorious distinction by meeting specific criteria.

[7/2011]