Press release
BATAVIA, NY—The Batavia City School District is proud to announce it is one of at least 165 school districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in New York State to receive the Utica National Insurance Group’s “School Safety Excellence Award” for 2023 at the Titanium with Honors level.
The honor is presented annually and recognizes school districts’ safety efforts as they work to help keep students, staff, and visitors safe. Batavia City School District officials received a certificate to commemorate the district’s safety efforts and a $500 award for use in furthering those efforts from Utica National representatives.
Utica National’s School Safety Excellence Award Program has three levels—titanium, platinum, and gold—in which schools can earn a meritorious distinction by meeting specific criteria to enhance overall safety. Through the program, schools with their own transportation, schools with contract transportation, and BOCES are evaluated. Categories covered include bullying prevention programs, playground safety, and other areas, and are measured using specific, quantifiable surveys.
“We’re proud and encouraged to receive this award from Utica National,” said Batavia City School District Superintendent Jason Smith. “The health, safety, and security of our students, faculty, staff, and community is our top priority. We’re consistently evaluating our programs, and this award will certainly go towards our continued efforts.”
“Safety and health concerns continue to be a priority in our school districts,” explained Brian Saville, Senior Vice President of Utica National’s Educational Institutions Unit. “Districts that go ‘above and beyond’ to provide a safe, healthy, and focused culture for learning are to be applauded, and we’re pleased to count Batavia City School District among them.”
For more than 45 years, Utica National Insurance Group has kept kids and school staff safe and currently insures more than 300 school districts in upstate New York alone.