Facilities & Operations
Facilities & Operations
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As we continue to serve our community, it’s important to recognize the vital role our buildings play in the daily lives of our students. Our school facilities are more than just brick and mortar; they are the foundation of meaningful experiences and lifelong memories. Behind the scenes, our dedicated facilities and custodial teams work diligently to ensure that every space remains safe, functional, and welcoming for all who enter.
To support this ongoing effort, maintaining a comprehensive maintenance program is essential. It allows us to:
Prioritize Safety
Routine maintenance helps ensure that our buildings remain secure for everyone—students, staff, and visitors alike. From structural soundness to fire safety systems, proactive upkeep helps prevent accidents and protects our school community.
Preserve Property Value
Well-maintained buildings not only create a positive environment but also help retain or even boost property values. By investing in regular maintenance today, we are protecting the long-term value of our community’s shared assets.
Enhance Aesthetics
Clean, attractive facilities foster a sense of pride and belonging. A visually appealing environment welcomes guests, inspires students and staff, and reflects the care we put into our schools.
Capital Projects
Our Capital Projects are thoughtfully planned, multi-year initiatives designed to enhance the learning environment across the District. Projects such as district-wide air conditioning upgrades are completed in phases due to funding cycles, supply chain limitations, and the narrow summer construction window. While we aim to make significant progress each year, many projects require careful coordination and voter-approved funding. This page provides updates, timelines, and answers to common questions about the status and planning of current and future facilities improvements.
Use of Facilities
In accordance with Policy #1500 Public Use of School Facilities, the Board of Education recognizes that the buildings and grounds are a valuable community resource and believes that this resource should be available to the community for specific uses that will not interfere with educational activities. Request may be made for the use of school facilities under appropriate circumstances. Applications and Permits for use of buildings should be made directly to the Facilities Office.
Policy #1500 Public Use of School Facilities Policy #1500-R Public Use of School Facilities Regulation
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Health & Safety
Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and secure environment for all students, staff, and visitors. In alignment with state and federal regulations, the following statements and notices outline our efforts to ensure workplace safety, environmental health, and proactive risk management across all district facilities.
Emergency Planning Guide 2023-2024 District-Wide School Safety Plan 2023-2024 Reopening Plan
Effective January 17, 2017
NOTICE
CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT REPORTING
Toll-Free Hotline Telephone Number & Website
Please note that the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) operates
a toll-free hotline telephone number to receive reports of child abuse and neglect at
1-800-342-3720
The hotline receives calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information
on child abuse or neglect reporting is available on the OCFS website below.
Bed bugs are a nuisance, but their bites are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs are usually active at night and feed on human blood. The bite does not hurt at first, but it may become swollen and itch, much like a mosquito bite. Watch for clusters of bites, usually in a line, on exposed areas of the body. Typically a school district does not provide the environment necessary for bed bugs to spread.
If you have concerns for your child, please read the fact sheets below and/or consult with your physician.
Bed Bug Fact Sheet (English) Bed Bug Fact Sheet (Spanish) Bed Bug Fact Sheet (Urdu)
Source: Schools NYC.gov
We will keep you regularly informed regarding the H1N1 influenza through our building and District newsletters. All information will also be posted on our website, which will be updated frequently. The basic guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the State and County Health Departments regarding how to lessen the spread of this flu remain the same. Students and staff should frequently wash hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer. When coughing or sneezing, mouth and nose should be covered and, if a tissue is not available, children and adults should cough or sneeze into their sleeves/elbows.
In addition, our building staff is continuing with a rigorous cleaning process and also frequently wiping commonly used surfaces such as walls, bathrooms and doorknobs during the school day. In addition, communally-touched items, such as computer keyboards in the lab, are wiped down in between each student use and hand sanitizer is also available.
It is very important that you do not send your child to school if they are sick. Guidelines for when students can return to school after the first symptoms have changed. Where last year Health Department guidelines had students staying home for seven days after a fever subsided before they could return to school, this year the guidelines have been changed. Students can now return to school 24 hours after the fever has subsided with no fever-reducing medication or Tamiflu taken. These changes in guidelines should overall help with attendance. Last year, many students were well but still needed to stay home the full seven days as per the Centers for Disease Control guidance at that time.
Though we understand that it may be a hardship for working parents to have a child at home, not sending children to school when they are sick and can potentially spread the flu virus is crucial to minimizing the spread of the disease and, ultimately, minimizing the interruption to learning of all Valley Stream 30 students. Since the time children now have to remain home is shortened, the hardship should be less, and I urge each and every family in our Valley Stream 30 community to err on the side of caution and not send a child to school with any symptom of the flu. In any event, the nurse will have to send sick children home, immediately, anyway, and by then the child with symptoms may already have further spread the infection to others, which will, ultimately, only prolong the time that the entire school program is impacted.
Fortunately, H1N1 virus remains, presently, primarily a mild illness. The health departments caution that certain individuals, however, with certain underlying health conditions, may be at serious risk of complications with H1N1. People with such health conditions, which include those listed below, should contact their health care provider for general recommendations and specific actions.
- Children less than five years old and, most particularly, those under two
- Adults over 65 years of age
- Chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- Immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV
- Pregnant women
- Persons younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities
Frequently updated information on H1N1 can be found at the Flu website.
We have had one case of head lice reported in our district within the last month. If you find head lice, don’t worry or be embarrassed. Head lice are a normal part of childhood – head lice infestations number somewhere between 12 and 25 million each year and target primarily younger children, under age 12.
If you're a parent you probably know what a hassle it is to treat head lice and just how frustrating it can be when your child comes home scratching their head yet again. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center wants to remind everyone that the “yuck” factor notwithstanding, head lice are a nuisance, not a health threat. The fall and winter seasons are when the most cases of head lice are reported.
But parents can fight the spread of head lice by working together:
- Check your family's hair for lice regularly - once a week is ideal!
- Visit your local pharmacist for guidance on the various treatments available.
- Get treatment for you or your family as soon as you find live lice.
- Let your friends and family know as soon as you’ve found live lice.
Itching Many children infested with head lice have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, itching of the head is the most common.
Sores in the head caused by scratching At times, tiny red areas on the scalp may be seen due to the bites of the louse. Sores in the head may also develop from continued itching and scratching.
Tickling feeling or something moving in the hair Another symptom reported by some people is a tickling or crawling feeling in the hair.
Sleeplessness Sleeplessness is also a common sign of lice infestation since lice like the dark and are more active at night.
The most obvious sign that someone is infested is the presence of lice themselves.
Head lice can infest all people, regardless of age, race, social-economic status or hygiene practices.
- Careful inspection of the hair and scalp to identify lice.
- Use of pediculicidal (head lice) product or an alternative therapy.
- The manual removal of nits (eggs)
- The cleaning of personal items and the environment.
- Daily checks of the hair and scalp.
-
Effective January 17, 2017
NOTICE
CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT REPORTING
Toll-Free Hotline Telephone Number & WebsitePlease note that the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) operates
a toll-free hotline telephone number to receive reports of child abuse and neglect at1-800-342-3720
The hotline receives calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information
on child abuse or neglect reporting is available on the OCFS website below. -
Bed bugs are a nuisance, but their bites are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs are usually active at night and feed on human blood. The bite does not hurt at first, but it may become swollen and itch, much like a mosquito bite. Watch for clusters of bites, usually in a line, on exposed areas of the body. Typically a school district does not provide the environment necessary for bed bugs to spread.
If you have concerns for your child, please read the fact sheets below and/or consult with your physician.
Bed Bug Fact Sheet (English) Bed Bug Fact Sheet (Spanish) Bed Bug Fact Sheet (Urdu)
Source: Schools NYC.gov
-
We will keep you regularly informed regarding the H1N1 influenza through our building and District newsletters. All information will also be posted on our website, which will be updated frequently. The basic guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the State and County Health Departments regarding how to lessen the spread of this flu remain the same. Students and staff should frequently wash hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer. When coughing or sneezing, mouth and nose should be covered and, if a tissue is not available, children and adults should cough or sneeze into their sleeves/elbows.
In addition, our building staff is continuing with a rigorous cleaning process and also frequently wiping commonly used surfaces such as walls, bathrooms and doorknobs during the school day. In addition, communally-touched items, such as computer keyboards in the lab, are wiped down in between each student use and hand sanitizer is also available.
It is very important that you do not send your child to school if they are sick. Guidelines for when students can return to school after the first symptoms have changed. Where last year Health Department guidelines had students staying home for seven days after a fever subsided before they could return to school, this year the guidelines have been changed. Students can now return to school 24 hours after the fever has subsided with no fever-reducing medication or Tamiflu taken. These changes in guidelines should overall help with attendance. Last year, many students were well but still needed to stay home the full seven days as per the Centers for Disease Control guidance at that time.
Though we understand that it may be a hardship for working parents to have a child at home, not sending children to school when they are sick and can potentially spread the flu virus is crucial to minimizing the spread of the disease and, ultimately, minimizing the interruption to learning of all Valley Stream 30 students. Since the time children now have to remain home is shortened, the hardship should be less, and I urge each and every family in our Valley Stream 30 community to err on the side of caution and not send a child to school with any symptom of the flu. In any event, the nurse will have to send sick children home, immediately, anyway, and by then the child with symptoms may already have further spread the infection to others, which will, ultimately, only prolong the time that the entire school program is impacted.
Fortunately, H1N1 virus remains, presently, primarily a mild illness. The health departments caution that certain individuals, however, with certain underlying health conditions, may be at serious risk of complications with H1N1. People with such health conditions, which include those listed below, should contact their health care provider for general recommendations and specific actions.
- Children less than five years old and, most particularly, those under two
- Adults over 65 years of age
- Chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- Immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV
- Pregnant women
- Persons younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities
Frequently updated information on H1N1 can be found at the Flu website. -
We have had one case of head lice reported in our district within the last month. If you find head lice, don’t worry or be embarrassed. Head lice are a normal part of childhood – head lice infestations number somewhere between 12 and 25 million each year and target primarily younger children, under age 12.
If you're a parent you probably know what a hassle it is to treat head lice and just how frustrating it can be when your child comes home scratching their head yet again. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center wants to remind everyone that the “yuck” factor notwithstanding, head lice are a nuisance, not a health threat. The fall and winter seasons are when the most cases of head lice are reported.
But parents can fight the spread of head lice by working together:
- Check your family's hair for lice regularly - once a week is ideal!
- Visit your local pharmacist for guidance on the various treatments available.
- Get treatment for you or your family as soon as you find live lice.
- Let your friends and family know as soon as you’ve found live lice.
-
Itching Many children infested with head lice have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, itching of the head is the most common.
Sores in the head caused by scratching At times, tiny red areas on the scalp may be seen due to the bites of the louse. Sores in the head may also develop from continued itching and scratching.
Tickling feeling or something moving in the hair Another symptom reported by some people is a tickling or crawling feeling in the hair.
Sleeplessness Sleeplessness is also a common sign of lice infestation since lice like the dark and are more active at night.
The most obvious sign that someone is infested is the presence of lice themselves.
Head lice can infest all people, regardless of age, race, social-economic status or hygiene practices.
-
- Careful inspection of the hair and scalp to identify lice.
- Use of pediculicidal (head lice) product or an alternative therapy.
- The manual removal of nits (eggs)
- The cleaning of personal items and the environment.
- Daily checks of the hair and scalp.
Asbestos Management
In accordance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), Valley Stream District 30 conducts annual inspections to identify asbestos-containing materials in all buildings. The most recent Asbestos Management Report confirms that all facilities are safe and contain no friable (loose) asbestos. Reports are available for review at the District Office and in each school building. For questions, please contact the Director of Facilities and Operations at +1 (516) 434-3620.
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires school districts to annually inspect and identify asbestos-containing building materials, and to notify those who have access to the buildings of the condition of the asbestos. The latest Asbestos Management Report indicates that all of the buildings are safe and do not contain any friable (loose) asbestos. A copy of this report is on file at the District Central Office as well as in each building for inspection. Please contact the Director of Facilities and Operations with any questions at 516-434-3620.
Pursuant to the NYS Education Commissioner’s Regulations, the Valley Stream District 30 School Safety Team has completed its annual review of the District-wide School Safety Plan. A copy of the updated plan is available in the main office of each school, as well as in the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business
-
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires school districts to annually inspect and identify asbestos-containing building materials, and to notify those who have access to the buildings of the condition of the asbestos. The latest Asbestos Management Report indicates that all of the buildings are safe and do not contain any friable (loose) asbestos. A copy of this report is on file at the District Central Office as well as in each building for inspection. Please contact the Director of Facilities and Operations with any questions at 516-434-3620.
-
Pursuant to the NYS Education Commissioner’s Regulations, the Valley Stream District 30 School Safety Team has completed its annual review of the District-wide School Safety Plan. A copy of the updated plan is available in the main office of each school, as well as in the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business
Integrated Pest Management
Educational Law requires that all schools establish a pesticide notification procedure. Part of that procedure includes establishing a registry of names and addresses of people who wish to be notified prior to any application. Although the School District does not regularly use pesticides, there may be an occasion where we have to. If you wish to be placed on the notification registry, please contact the Facilities Office (516-434-3620). For additional information, please contact the New York State Department of Education website.
In compliance with New York State pesticide notification regulations, Valley Stream District 30 provides advance notice to parents, staff, and community members when pesticides or herbicides are scheduled for indoor or outdoor use on school property. Notifications include the type of product being applied, the approximate application date, and contact information for further questions.
For more information, contact +1 (516) 434-3620.
NYSED School Integrated Pest Management & Neighbor Notification
Lead Water Testing
As part of our testing program:
- All drinking water outlets were tested.
- Any outlet testing above the action level was removed from drinking service.
- Sink faucets that are required for handwashing and are not intended for drinking were clearly labeled “CAUTION! NON-POTABLE WATER DO NOT DRINK.”
- Outlets testing below the action level remain in service with no restrictions.
- Older classroom fountains were decommissioned as part of our modernization efforts.
These steps ensure that students and staff only have access to drinking water that meets state safety standards.
Valley Stream 30 completed all required testing September 2025 in all our schools’ drinking water outlets and we are in full compliance with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) regulations, including the recently updated action level of 5 parts per billion (ppb).
ALL DRINKING WATER OUTLETS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENT AND STAFF USE IN VALLEY STREAM 30 ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT NYSDOH STANDARDS.
Any outlet that is not intended for drinking has already been clearly labeled, and appropriate safeguards remain in place in accordance with NYSDOH guidance.
Ongoing Improvements To Our Water Systems
In addition to meeting current requirements, the district continues to modernize its facilities to ensure long-term water quality:
- All buildings are equipped with filtered bottle-filling stations.
- Additional filtered water stations will be installed where warranted if there is an identified need in new or existing locations
For information about lead in school drinking water, go to:
Health Department NYS NYS Department Health NYS DOH Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
For more information on blood lead testing and ways to reduce your child’s risk of exposure to lead, visit:
Health Department Publications NY Health Education Materials
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Bundling Over Years
A project is completed in a bundle, such as large AC projects across the District which take multiple years to complete.
Fund Availability
Funds are only available after the budget is approved or when the voters approve a proposition
Limited Timeframe
The summer is too short of a timeframe to complete a project from start-to-finish before the start of the school year.
Multi-Year Projects
A project is planned to be a multi-year project, such as the AC project. We try to accomplish as much as possible over a period the summer because the classrooms must be back in place to start the school year.
Delays
We have constraints with supplies as there are delays on specific products required for this type of job
Unforseen Circumstances
There are always delays in any project due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, staff shortages due to illnesses, etc. -
New York State requires schools to perform what is known as “first draw” testing. This testing method samples water that has been sitting in pipes for an extended period of time, such as overnight, over weekends, or during school breaks. Because water can absorb trace amounts of lead while sitting in plumbing, first draw testing helps identify outlets that may require attention. Even though first draw results may not reflect water used continuously during the school day, the process allows districts to proactively identify and address any potential concerns.
More Information
For further information about Facilities & Operations, contact us at +1 (516) 434-3620.