Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Buffalo Bills prime-time game at home means an early dismissal from school for younger fans.
The Frontier, West Seneca, and Orchard Park School Districts will all have either a half day or early dismissal on Thursday, but it's not so that students and staff can enjoy the game.
"Unfortunately we learned about six or seven years ago that we had three or four elementary bus runs trapped in traffic for quite a lengthy time," said Frontier superintendent Chris Swiatek. "Ever since that moment we have decided to adjust our transportation runs and adjust our days."
In the past few years, Swiatek said parents and others living in the area have become more accepting of letting kids out early.
"It's not only for Bills games, it's also for high volume traffic for major concerts," Swiatek said. "We also did this for the country music festival last year. Whenever we have a large volume of people expected to go to the stadium, that's when we try an adjust our transportation run."
Those adjustments have to be made once the NFL schedule is released, which Swiatek said typically doesn't happen until well after the instructional calendar is set.
As of now, Thursday is the only day where schools have to adjust for a Bills game. But the recently announced Metallica concert at the stadium on Tuesday, June 8 will present a similar problem.
"Unfortunately we learned about six or seven years ago that we had three or four elementary bus runs trapped in traffic for quite a lengthy time" - Chris Swiatek
"Unfortunately we learned about six or seven years ago that we had three or four elementary bus runs trapped in traffic for quite a lengthy time" - Chris Swiatek
