This school year, Voorheesville Central School District welcomed Vince Foley as a new security monitor at the MS/HS campus. Foley brings extensive experience in safety and a long-standing commitment to the youth in our community.
While the role of the security monitor involves ensuring safety on campus, Foley is also dedicated to fostering positive relations with students to help them feel comfortable and secure at school. To do this, he regularly calls on skills he began developing in 1984 when he coached Pop Warner teams.
“You have to listen to kids to understand their interests and their needs,” Foley said. “When you can fill their needs and relate to what they like, it builds trust.”
Fostering connections, building trust
Foley, who is a retired Albany City Police Officer and Deputy Chief, was already well known in the district. He’s an alum, and two of his children are graduates, while his youngest child is still a student at VCSD. For over a decade, he has also been a coach of the VCSD varsity baseball and varsity football teams. Because of these connections, he had already formed relationships with many families, faculty and staff before assuming the role of security monitor.
Now, he is forming new connections, getting to know many of the students by name and learning more about who they are and what interests them.
“I ask them how their team is doing, or about a musician they have on their t-shirt. There are many ways we can connect,” Foley stated.
Recently, he connected with students in the Digital Media class by participating in one of their video productions.
Along with the students, Foley is getting to know the faculty and working to support them as he walks the campus, monitoring security and ensuring hallways remain quiet and orderly.
“Teachers know that they can focus on their work with students,” he said.
School safety and student well-being: a team approach
As a security monitor, Foley is one part of the VCSD safety advisory board, who bring their skills and knowledge to the work of ensuring a safe learning environment and supportive student experience. Learn about the many ways the district and its community partners work to ensure our students’ safety and well-being.