Safety Efforts Earn Marcellus Central School District Safety Excellence Award

Marcellus Central School District is one of 112 school districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services in New York State to receive the “2011 School Safety Excellence Award” from the Utica National Insurance Group.

Utica National officials presented the award at its 31st annual school safety seminar held on April 5, 2011 at the Doubletree Inn. Utica 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.

Marcellus Central School District received a certificate from the insurance company to commemorate the district’s efforts and a $500 award for use in furthering their safety efforts:

“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,” program initiator and Director of Risk Management Technical and Field Services, James Kristoff said. “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 of 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,” Kristoff said.

The award program has three levels (titanium, platinum, and gold) in which schools can earn a meritorious distinction meeting specific criteria. Marcellus was honored at the highest titanium level for the second consecutive year. On hand to receive the honored recognition at the annual safety seminar were Dr. Craig Tice/Superintendent of Schools, Deb Eichholtz/School Business Administrator, Keith Watkins/Assistant Superintendent for Buildings and Grounds, John Durkee/SHS Principal, Michael Dardaris/DMS Principal, John Scanlon/School Resource Officer, Earl Smith/School Resource Officer, Gary Bissaillon/KCH Principal, Mike Reagan/Reagan Insurance Group, and Patricia Grogan/Food Service Director.