School Resource Officers (SROs)
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It is the Clarkstown Central School District’s belief that children are our community’s most valuable asset, and creating a safe environment for our students to learn and our staff to educate is our top priority.
School is an extension of the community we live in. School Resource Officers (SROs) are members of our school community who are active, fully-equipped, certified law enforcement officers from the Clarkstown Police Department. They work in partnership with school administrators and staff to assist with the development of procedures designed to provide a safe, positive and productive learning environment.
SROs receive specialized training specifically designed for law enforcement officers working in an educational environment and with school administrators. More information on the National Association of School Resource Officer Training (NASRO) can be viewed by clicking here.
It is the role of SROs to protect students and staff and contribute to the safety and security of the school environment. They are also in a unique position to provide guidance and serve as positive role models or someone to turn to in time of need while supporting the educational mission of the CCSD.
The 2022-23 agreement between the CCSD and The Clarkstown Police Department for the School Resource Officer Program can be found on BoardDocs or by clicking here.
Meet the CCSD School Resource Officers
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Officer Cunnane - FFMS
Officer Will Cunnane has been a police officer with the Clarkstown Police Department since 2013. The first seven years he served patrolling in the New City, Congers, Valley Cottage, and Central Nyack areas.
In March of 2019 he began substituting at the Felix Festa Middle School as one of the two SROs, eventually being selected to the full time SRO position in January 2021.
Email: wcunnane@ccsd.edu -
Officer Doyle - FFMS
Officer Corry Doyle has been with the Clarkstown Police Department since 2014 and spent the first several years of her career on patrol responding to various emergencies and calls for assistance. She is a graduate of Clarkstown Central School District and The College of Charleston. Since completing the School Resource Officer certification course in January of 2022, Officer Doyle has had the opportunity to work with the SRO team at Clarkstown High Schools North and South and Felix Festa Middle School. She was selected as the SRO for Felix Festa Middle School in June 2023.
Email: cdoyle@ccsd.edu
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Officer Vejnoska - North
Officer Jay Vejnoska has been a police officer since 1998, spending his first seven years in the NYPD and joining the Clarkstown Police Department in 2005.
Officer Vejnoska has been an SRO at Clarkstown North High School since 2018, obtaining his Advanced SRO Certificate in 2021. In addition to his work at CNHS, he is also a field training officer and a Youth Academy instructor.
Email: jvejnoska@ccsd.edu -
Officer Woulfe - North
Officer Christopher Woulfe is a United States Marine who actively served his country from 2002 to 2006. Officer Woulfe was a squad leader in an infantry platoon, with multiple deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, he joined the NYPD as a Patrolman in the 48 precinct in the Bronx. In 2014, Officer Woulfe was hired by the Clarkstown Police Department. In addition to being an SRO, Officer Woulfe is a member of the Clarkstown UAV Unit and is a field training officer. In 2022, he received his SRO and State Instructor certifications.
Email: cwoulfe@ccsd.edu -
Officer Caivano - South
Officer Joe Caivano has been a police officer since 1994 and has been an SRO at Clarkstown High School South since 2018, receiving his Advanced SRO Certificate in 2021.
In addition to being an SRO, Officer Caivano is an instructor with both the department's Youth Academy and their EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) Team. He is also member of the Clarkstown Police Department Bike Unit.
Email: jcaivano@ccsd.edu -
Officer Rolston - South
Prior to joining the Clarkstown Police Department in 2015, Officer Tom Rolston was employed as a teaching assistant and
later a teacher at Felix Festa Middle School and Clarkstown High School South, where he was South’s Girls Varsity Soccer coach from 2008-2015. He completed his SRO training in 2021, and will serve as the SRO at South High School for the 2022-2023 school year. Outside of law enforcement, Officer Rolston was also a coach with the Clarkstown Soccer Club Travel Program and is currently coaching in the Intramural Program.
He became a Field Training Officer in 2019, became Instructor Development Certified in 2020 and is a member of the Bike Patrol Unit. Officer Rolston is a graduate of Clarkstown High School South and Dominican College and has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Manhattanville College.
Email: trolston@ccsd.edu
Are SROs and D.A.R.E. Officers the same?
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No, they’re not. While School Resource Officers fill the invaluable role of protecting our schools, our Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officers educate our 5th grade students on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as bullying and other safety topics appropriate for elementary age students. Both are extremely important to our school community and the well being of our students, and both are Clarkstown Police Department Officers, but the two roles serve different purposes within our schools.
Our two D.A.R.E. Officers, Kathleen Gavin (right) and John Mullins (above) work with all nine of our elementary schools and the Birchwood School to provide top quality preventative education to our oldest elementary students as they move into their middle school years.
What are the duties of an SRO?
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Following is a list of some of the ways SROs help our school community:
- Immediate Emergency Response
- Physical Presence for Safety and Emergencies
- Assist Administrators with specific student issues as appropriate and within legal guidelines
- Presence in larger gatherings such as lunch and recess where they can also develop relationships with students
- Traffic Control AM/PM and Large Events
- Consult and participate in Safety Drills and Safety Audits
- Table Top Drills to Simulate Emergency and Response
- Dog sweeps of school buildings before breaks and Regents exams
- Parking Safety Courses
- Presentations in Partnership with Principals
- Guest Speaker on specific topics in relevant classes such as Participation In Government
- Promote community-based activities such as Youth Court, Youth Academy or the Explorer Program
- Intern opportunities for WISE students in 12th grade
Please click here for more details on the duties of SRO's.