BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — It was back to school for more than 30,000 Buffalo Public School students Friday, and for the first time since 2015, the district says all the bus routes were covered.
Buffalo Schools Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams kicked off the school year with what she called a “bus tour” with stops at a few schools.
“There ain’t no stopping us now,” said Dr. Williams.
The superintendent arrived outside Community School PS #53 on Buffalo's east side Friday pumped up and singing that popular 70's disco song. “Ain’t no stoppin’ us now” to generate excitement for students and families on their first day back.
“We will have an exception year, where we'll increase math, reading, and graduation rates,” remarked Dr. Williams.
“Welcome to the first day of school,” greeted a school staffer.
480 students in Pre-K through eighth grade attend School 53.
“My kids are excited,” declared Umma Ranu, Buffalo School’s parent.
“Just excited for the school year to see what it holds,” replied Joanne Johnson, parent.
Also new this school year, city families must adhere to new arrival and dismissal times under a "Three-Tier Bell" system designed to deal with a school bus driver shortage.
“So, I’ve got my phone, because I’m taking emergency calls, and I’ve gotten none, so we're going to keep our fingers we don't get any,” Williams commented.
But I asked the superintendent about complaints I heard from some parents, who say it forces their child to be on a bus longer.
“This year is they recalculated — it’s possible that they're on the first pickup, so the ride could be a little longer, but again, it's fewer students on the bus,” responded Williams.
The city school district was able to hire 150 new bus aides this school season. It announced Friday morning that, so far, all bus routes were covered and deployed safely.
“They have bus aides on their buses. Our children are getting off their buses smiling with backpacks and supplies. We want to thank our bus drivers and our bus aides. our parents’ — thank you for entrusting your children to the Buffalo Public Schools. They are in good hands,” commented Williams.
"We greet them at the door every day, so we're making sure that this is not just a place where kids are learning. but it's also a place where they want to be because they find school to be exciting,” Denisca Thompson, principal, School #53.
School #53 Principal Thompson says she has a great staff and many teachers have been at the school long-term. Thompson says she was a former teacher at School #53.
“And I have to tell you also that we have families that have I have ‘grand’ students if that makes sense when I was a teacher -- their kids go here now,” laughed Thompson.
“How are you feeling on this first day as a Buffalo School parent?” asked Buckley. “Good. The situation is nice,” Ranu noted.
For now, the parents I spoke with say they are feeling confident about the work of the district and feel more informed than in past years.
“They really built a lot of excitement about going to school today, and I think that's so important for the children?” Buckley asked. “It really was. This year was really different. They had events. You could get the school shirts there. They had food. It was really nice. I like this year,” replied Johnson. “Letting us know what's going on, keeping in the loop.”
