Wednesday, September 09, 2009

VADIR Bits and Pieces

Hello out there in VADIR land! Happy "back to school."

Question and Answers: Thanks to all of you who came out to the ten regional sessions. We have collected all of the questions that were asked at each session and have submitted them to NYSED. The team up there is reviewing them so that they can be used to inform the Question and Answer Document to provide you with extra guidance. The Q&A Document is available here.
VADIR Due Date: September 30 is the deadline for submitting VADIR data.

Persistently Dangerous Schools List: Congratulations to those schools who worked hard last school year to be removed from the list. If you are looking for information about this year's list of schools, go here.

Looking Ahead to Next Year: NYSED is asking for feedback from you regarding the possibility of adding "Suicide" to the VADIR system. They want to know if you think it should be a category, and if so, whether it should be weighted. Post your comments on here on the VADIR Blog - that's what it's here for!

We're on Facebook! Check us out and become a fan. Here we are - come and be social with us!

Have a good (and safe) 2009-10 school year.

Stay safe,
VR

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

The Road Show

Just wanted to be sure that you all don't have to hunt for the schedule of VADIR trainings across the State. Check below for other interesting and valuable VADIR info, but every few posts your trusty VR will repost the schedule so it's the first thing you come to.

2009 Violent and Distruptive Incident Reporting Training Sessions

August 11, 2009
Albany - Capital Region
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Erin Brewer or Pat Gogol, Capital Region Student Support Services Center
(518) 464-3941

August 11, 2009
Buffalo - Western Region
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Jane Ogilvie, Western Region Student Support Services Center
(716) 821-7550

August 12, 2009
Mid-State Region:
9:00 - 12:00

Syracuse City School District Session
1:00 - 3:00

Contact Lee Beals, Mid-State Regional Student Support Services Center
(315) 431-8556

August 13, 2009
Rochester - Mid-West Region
9 - 12:00
Contact Joan Vitkus, Mid-West Regional Student Support Services Center
(585) 344-7571

August 17
Long Island

AM Session: Western Suffolk BOCES
Contact Susan Kessler, Long Island Regional Student Suport Services Center
(631) 595-6814

PM Session: Nassau BOCES
Contact Peter LaDuca
516-396-2388

August 18, 2009
Yonkers
10:30 - 12:30
Contact Tammy Rhein, Hudson Valley Student Support Services Center
845-255-4874

August 20, 2009
Charter Schools - New York City a.m. Session
Contact Greg Bayduss, NYSED
518-486-7327

August 25, 2009
Hudson Valley Region
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Tammy Rhein, Hudson Valley Student Support Services Center
845-255-4874

Thursday, June 25, 2009

New VADIR Website

Hi folks,



A very observant reader VADIR surfer noticed that the old website listed here for the VADIR Q&A Document is no longer active. Absolutely right, and thanks for keeping me on my toes. Just testing to see if you're out there!!!



Recently, NYSED has made some changes, and consequently that is reflected in its websites too. School Safety has changed areas from "Student Support Services" to "Safe Schools and Alternative Education."



Along with that move has come a new web address for all those handy references you'll need when pulling together your VADIR documentation. You can link directly from the title of this post or click here:



http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ssae/schoolsafety/vadir/



Thanks for noticing, and stay safe!



VR

Monday, June 22, 2009

Let's Be "Friends"

Hi Folks!

"Friend Us!" That's right - you can now find the New York State Center for School Safety on Facebook.

Just type us in at the top right in the "search" box.

Then click on "Become a Fan." (Ok - "Fan Us" just didn't have the same cachet!)

We'll be sending out periodic updates to let you know what we're doing - we do oh, so much more than VADIR.

http://www.facebook.com/

If you don't already have an account, you will have to establish one. But hey, in addition to becoming a fan of the NYSCSS, you'll have a blast finding all those long lost folks you have been wanting to get back in touch with. You can also make "friends" with someone who is sitting right next to you, but I'll let you discover all the fun on your own.

See you in another part of the web!

Stay safe,
VR

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

The Road Show Is Back!!!

Hi folks,

You may have thought you said it to yourself, but your trusty VADIR Raider has heard you wondering "hmmmm, when will VADIR training be held in my region this year???"

You only have to think it, and here you are:


2009 Violent and Distruptive Incident Reporting Training Sessions

August 11, 2009
Albany
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Erin Brewer or Pat Gogol, Capital Region Student Support Services Center,
(518) 464-3941


August 11, 2009
Buffalo
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Jane Ogilvie, Western Region Student Support Services Center, (716) 821-7550

August 12, 2009
Mid-State Region:
9:00 - 12:00

Syracuse City School District Session
1:00 - 3:00

Contact Lee Beals, Mid-State Regional Student Support Services Center, (315) 431-8556

August 13, 2009
Rochester
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Joan Vitkus, Mid-West Regional Student Support Services Center, (585) 344-7571

August 17
Long Island

AM Session: Western Suffolk BOCES
Contact Susan Kessler, Long Island Regional Student Suport Services Center, (631) 595-6814

PM Session: Nassau BOCES
Contact Peter LaDuca, 516-396-2388

August 18, 2009
Yonkers
10:00 - Noon
Contact Tammy Rhein, Hudson Valley Student Support Services Center, 845-255-4874

August 20, 2009
Charter Schools - NYC
AM Session
Contact Greg Bayduss, NYSED, 518-486-7327

August 25, 2009
Hudson Valley
9:00 - 12:00
Contact Tammy Rhein, Hudson Valley Student Support Services Center, 845-255-4874

See you at one of the sessions!!!

Stay safe,
VR

Monday, March 09, 2009

Almost Spring Fever

Hello everyone out there in VADIR land,

VADIR happenings have been a bit few and far between, but now it's time to gear up for another spring and summer of VADIR DATA!!!!

Thanks to "anonymous" for checking in to see if anything is new.

The new Q&A document (updated October 2008) does have a new section on Records Retention. Take a look at it because it is very different from the previous requirement of six years. For the document, go here:

http://http//www.emsc.nysed.gov/sss/documents/VADIRQA1008final.doc

The particular item is Question 3:

>>>>>>>3. How long must a school retain VADIR related documents including, but not limited to Individual Incident Reports and Summary Reports?

After further review of the Records Retention and Disposition Schedule ED-1, SED has modified its previous guidance that VADIR records should be retained for 6 years. Records Retention and Disposition Schedule ED-1 states that violent and disruptive incident reports and summary records, including copies of summary information submitted to SED must be maintained until the youngest person involved in the incident(s) is 27 years old.

It further states that summary records may need to be retained longer, even permanently, if they document school violence, or if a school has been designated a persistently dangerous school. It recommends that the school district contact the State Archives for additional advice.

Additionally, violent and disruptive incident data received back from SED only needs to be retained until after the data is verified and any necessary corrections completed.

In addition, persistently dangerous school designation records, including SED citation, plan for corrective action (i.e., IRP), results of audits and monitoring, student transfer protocol and lists of transferring students, and documentation of removal of designation must be retained permanently.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

So please review this and consider how best to maintain all that VADIR data - maintain it, use it, analyze it and plan with it!

Stay safe,
VR