Buildings & Grounds

District-wide School Safety Plan | Water Testing | Facilities Notifications | Integrated Pest Management | Facilities Use

District-wide School Safety Plan

School districts are required to develop a District-wide School Safety Plan designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious, violent incidents, declared state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease, or local public health emergency declaration and other emergencies. The District-wide School Safety Plan also allows the district to facilitate the coordination of schools with local and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies.

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Water Testing

In September 2016, a state law went into effect that requires all public school districts in New York to test water for lead. The law requires school districts to sample all water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking purposes in buildings that may be occupied by students and to submit those samples to a state-approved lab for analysis. Regulations call for testing to take place every five years thereafter, unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner. However, due to the pandemic the 2020 deadline was extended to June 30, 2021.

The state established an action level of 15 micrograms of lead per liter, typically referred to as “parts per billion (ppb).” If a sample from a water outlet exceeds this level, schools must take steps to prevent the use of the outlet for drinking or cooking purposes until it is remediated and follow-up testing confirms it is no longer above the action level.

School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health, the State Education Department and the local health department, and to post the results—along with remediation plans, if required, on this page.

Water Testing Results

The school district will notify staff, and all parents and guardians, of the results of these tests here, and at their child(ren)’s school(s). If you have questions related to the District’s water testing, please contact Director of Facilities Bill Darcy.

Cohoes City School District Water Testing Results (October 2021)

All locations that came back showing levels of lead above the limit of 15 parts per billion (ppb) in the June 2021 testing (below) were repaired and retested. After retesting, none of the locations showed elevated levels of lead.

Abram Lansing Elementary School Water Testing Results (June 2021)

Of the 74 samples drawn throughout Abram Lansing, one location showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:

• Classroom Bubbler (in classroom drinking fountain) in Room 210.  This classroom bubbler was not in use all year due to the pandemic and has been replaced.

This new source will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning to fully active service.

Harmony Hill Elementary School Water Testing Results (June 2021)

Of the 86 samples drawn throughout Harmony Hill, 7 locations showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:

• Classroom Bubblers in Rooms 102, 105, 107, 109, 110.  These bubblers were not in use all year due to the pandemic and have been replaced.
• Wall Mounted Boys Locker Room fountain.  This locker room was not in use during the pandemic and the fountain will be removed.

These new sources will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning them to active service.

Van Schaick Grade School Water Testing Results (June 2021)

All of the 44 samples drawn throughout Van Schaick were below the actionable lead level of over 15 parts per billion (ppb).

Cohoes Middle School Water Testing Results (June 2021)

All 31 samples drawn throughout the school were below the actionable lead level of over 15 parts per billion (ppb).

Cohoes High School Water Testing Results (June 2021)

Of the 53 samples drawn throughout the school, 1 location showed elevated lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), as summarized below:

• Kitchen hand washing station. Signs were posted and the station was taken out of service.  A new faucet will be installed.

The new source will be tested and confirmed to be below the state’s action level prior to returning to fully active service.

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Facilities Use

While the district’s school buildings and grounds are maintained primarily for the purpose of educating students within the district, 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. 

To learn more, view the Facilities Use Handbook.

Please contact our Facility Coordinator, Colleen McDonald, at (518) 237-0100, ext. 2358 to submit a facility usage request.