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MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
To our CSAT Families:
I’m writing today to inform you of an important change to the school hours for the 2023-2024 school year.
As many of you are aware, a bus driver shortage has caused issues for school districts across the nation. It is no different in Western New York, specifically in Buffalo, where bus routes and bus stops have been consolidated due to the driver shortage. This has resulted in late buses and longer time on the bus for our youngest students. To ease the strain on transportation, the Buffalo Board of Education approved a three-bell schedule to be introduced this fall in all Buffalo schools. The addition of a third bell time will allow bus drivers to complete two runs in the mornings and afternoons, allowing transportation of more students with the same number of drivers. Because Buffalo transports most of our students, the change will impact the start and end times for all CSAT students beginning this August.
Effective August 31, 2023, our school day will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m. Students who take the bus are slated to be dropped off at our buildings by 7:25 a.m. and picked up promptly at 2:25 p.m. This change is meant to ensure students are transported to and from school each day in a timely and safe manner and will reduce the time students spend in transit.
I understand that change is difficult, but I know that most of our families understand the impact this driver shortage has had on loss of learning time for our students. I am hopeful that this shift in our arrival and dismissal time will be as seamless as possible for our families. Please read below for answers to the most frequently asked questions and feel free to reach out to us with any concerns.
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Lyle
Superintendent
I work until 5 p.m. Is there an after-school care option for my Elementary student?
CSAT is currently exploring options to provide after-school care options for families. This would be similar to programming offered in the past by the Boys & Girl Club. Click here to view a flier regarding the program. Please note, spots at the Boys & Girls Club are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Can I still drop my child off at school, and/or pick them up at the end of the day?
Yes, you still have the option to drive your child to and from school. However, it is our hope that reduced transit and wait times will eliminate the need for you to drop off/pick up your child from school.
What time will my child be picked up and dropped off each day?
Bus information will be mailed to your address on file in mid-to-late August. This information will include your bus number and estimated pick up and drop off times. Please be advised that the numbers are estimates; delays can be anticipated in the first few days until drivers are more familiar with routes.
I don’t live in Buffalo. Why is my child’s arrival and dismissal time changing?
As many of you know, busing is provided by your home school district. Because most of our students reside in Buffalo, their busing is provided through our contract with Buffalo Public Schools. This change to our start/end time allows us to maintain continuity of scheduling for all students. Outside Districts providing transportation, including Ken-Ton, Sweet Home, Tonawanda and others, have indicated they are able to shift pickup and drop off times to meet the needs of our students.
Is the length of the school year affected?
No, the length of the school year remains the same.
What if my child is late?
We understand that situations arise where students may arrive late to school. However, it is critically important that families do their very best to ensure that students are at their bus stop on time each morning. Students who are frequently tardy have lower averages, lower scores on standardized assessments, and lower graduation rates. Chronic tardiness in elementary and middle school is also linked to failure in high school.