Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It's back to school for the more than 29,000 students of the Buffalo Public School District, as doors opened for children at public schools across the City of Buffalo on Friday.
At Public School 53 along Roehrer Avenue, the nearly 500 students who attend the school were welcomed back to class by teachers and school administrators, along with members of the Buffalo School Board, Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams, and even Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
"You can feel the synergy today, so it's not just me, it's everyone. And it is contagious," said Dr. Williams during Friday's event outside the school. "We are excited, we are so happy to have our children back. We're thrilled that the parents entrusted their children to us. The staff is ready, our schools look magnificent. The teachers have been working hard to make sure their classrooms are engaging. It's going to be a great year."
Mayor Brown could also sense the excitement over the start of a new school year in the City of Buffalo. That excitement also extends much further, especially with the start of the upcoming Buffalo Bills season on Monday night against the New York Jets.
"We know it's going to be a great season for our Bills, and it's going to be an even greater season for our children in the Buffalo Public Schools," said Mayor Brown. "It's an honor, it's a pleasure to be here with all of these great people, and in particular, to cheer on our children and to wish them well this school year."
Friday also saw the debut of the new three-bell system for the Buffalo Public Schools that hopes to better address transportation issues within the district. Dr. Williams has been crossing her fingers hoping the system would go well in its first day in use, and through the early goings of Friday, all signs were pointing in the right direction.
"Are some of the children on the bus a little longer? Well, they had to designate different routes this year because of the tier system. So whereas the child may have been picked up last before going to the school last year so their right would have been shorter, this year, as they recalculated, it is possible they're on the first pick up, so the ride could be a little longer. But again, it's fewer students on the bus, there are bus aides on the bus, the children are safe, the children are comfortable. And so far, it's been good," Dr. Williams said.
A part of the reasoning for the new three-bell system was for the shortage of bus drivers in the district. However, Dr. Williams is thankful for the bus drivers on-hand, as well as the bus aids hired for the 2023-24 school year to help students get to-and-from school on a daily basis.
"What you see pulling up to the school are our beautiful children, who are being driven by our committed First Student bus drivers. They have bus aids on their buses, our children are getting off their buses smiling with backpacks and supplies," Dr. Williams said. "We want to thank our bus drivers, our bus aides, our parents. Parents, thank you for entrusting your children to the Buffalo Public Schools. They are in good hands."