Ulster County superintendents and legal counsels, the District Attorney, and law enforcement leaders collaborate to strengthen communication, clarity, and coordinated response protocols.

When concerns arise, schools are safest when the people responsible for protecting them are on the same page and working from the same playbook. That’s why a collaborative meeting at Ulster BOCES, which brought together Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji, the eight Ulster County public school superintendents, Ulster BOCES District Superintendent Jonah Schenker, Ed.D., and school attorneys, police chiefs, and other law enforcement leaders representing each district’s community, was so valuable. 

“Our time together served as an important opportunity for education, law enforcement, and prosecution leaders to strengthen relationships, improve communication, build clarity around responsibilities, and align expectations around roles,” said Schenker on behalf of the county’s school superintendents. “Our students are safest when the systems designed to protect them work together with clarity and shared purpose.”

By bringing key partners together in one room, the meeting created space for a deeper shared understanding of the steps that unfold when serious concerns emerge — and how timely coordination can happen without jumping to conclusions or bypassing due process.

“I believe I can speak for every police chief to say meetings such as the one we attended a couple weeks ago at Ulster BOCES with the Ulster County District Attorney and superintendents from school districts throughout Ulster County is truly beneficial in the ability to effectively communicate and further enhance our collaborative efforts in better safeguarding our children,” said Town of Ulster Police Chief Kyle Berardi, President of the Police Chief’s Association of Ulster County. “Ultimately everyone in attendance has the same goal in mind, that protecting the physical and emotional welfare of our children throughout Ulster County is our top priority.”

The discussion centered on four key anchors that guide coordinated safety responses: safety (keeping students, staff, and the community protected); speed (acting quickly and appropriately when risk is identified); legality (ensuring decisions follow required legal and procedural frameworks); and clarity (maintaining consistent communication, defined roles, and shared expectations across agencies).

Participants also explored expectations around communication and notification, as well as legal frameworks and reporting obligations that apply in different scenarios. The conversation deepened shared understanding of how investigations and escalation processes function in practice, supporting a more coordinated response when time-sensitive decisions must be made.

The meeting reaffirmed a strong commitment across all sectors to continue nurturing proactive, cross-agency collaboration, grounded in the shared understanding that student and community safety is best addressed when systems work together with clarity, trust, and shared purpose.

“Ulster BOCES and county partners remain committed to ongoing collaboration to support safe learning environments across all districts,” added Schenker. “As schools continue to prioritize student well-being, countywide alignment and shared protocols help ensure that when concerns arise, leaders can respond with confidence, consistency, and a unified focus on doing what is right for students and community safety.”

District Attorney Nneji said, “Our path forward involves all school districts in Ulster County and law enforcement embracing the same protocols and plan of action to protect children and staff of every school. Effective investigations of serious criminal offenses when and if they happen anywhere require timely notification to law enforcement and access to witnesses and collection of evidence; it is imperative to reassure reluctant victims and witnesses about any concerns for retaliation, answer their questions and preserve the viability of criminal prosecution where possible. Protecting students and staff requires strong, unified partnerships. I am encouraged by the shared commitment of Ulster County school districts and law enforcement to work together, align our approaches, and respond swiftly and responsibly when concerns arise. It is reassuring to see our systems standing together to ensure the safety and well-being of every school community.”