NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The City School District of New Rochelle announced changes to half days at the elementary schools.
On days when only elementary schools are dismissed early, the dismissal time will be 11:40 a.m. On days when all schools are dismissed early, the elementary schools will be dismissed at 11:10 a.m., and the secondary schools will be dismissed at 12 noon.
The schedule is as follows:
- Sept. 7 – 11:40
- Sept. 26 – 11:10
- Oct. 19 – 11:10
- Nov. 28 – 11:10
- Dec. 12 – 11:40
- Dec. 19 – 11:40
- Jan. 9 – 11:10
- March 6 – 11:40
- June 12 – 11:40
- June 21 – 11:40
- June 22 – 11:40
- June 23 – 11:40
This dismissal change is a result of transportation changes. In prior years, half days ended at 11:40 a.m., with district buses providing transportation for elementary schools and the county’s Bee-Line public bus providing transportation for secondary schools. Bee-Line has advised us that it will not provide transportation for the secondary schools’ dismissal on half days during the 2016-2017 school year.
As a result, on the four days when both elementary and secondary schools have half days, our district buses will make both the elementary and secondary school runs to make up for the loss of the Bee-Line bus service. In order to accomplish this and avoid the need to stagger elementary school bus bell schedules, the elementary schools will be dismissed first. This is necessary because it takes longer to complete secondary school bus routes.
Initially, we planned for an 11:10 a.m. dismissal on all 12 days. However, in response to parent feedback and in order to preserve instructional time, we are now keeping as many days as possible at an 11:40 a.m. dismissal time.
As a reminder, the first of these four days is approximately four weeks from now, on September 26. Please adjust your childcare arrangements accordingly.
We appreciate your understanding of the district’s unique transportation challenges and support of our efforts to always ensure safe transportation. We are looking forward to greeting your children next week and beginning a school year that will be a happy and successful one for us all.Superintendent
