Instructional Start/End Time Changes
- Elementary Schools: Start at 8:40 a.m. (approx.) and end at 3:26 p.m. (approx.)
- Intermediate and Middle Schools: Start at 7:20 a.m. (approx.) and end at 2:10 p.m. (approx.)
- High School: Start at 7:30 a.m. (approx.) and end at 2:30 p.m. (approx.)
As more precise routing is completed the final time may need to be adjusted slightly for exact start and end times for students.
The exact start and end times will be finalized in late spring after the initial draft of bus routes has been developed. The district will confirm the final school start and end times for students at that time.
Transportation
Transportation and start time changes are taking place as part of the voter-approved Horseheads 2030 project. As the district transitions to three elementary schools, the district conducted a bus study based on the new elementary boundary lines. These changes align resources, improve transportation efficiency, and ensure a majority of bus ride times are reduced.
Students in grades 5-12 will be transported in one tier.
Students in grades K-4 will be transported in a second tier.
Reduces bus ride times.
Removes late bus arrivals to schools in the morning and in the afternoon.
Minimizes and/or eliminates most daily bus-to-bus transfers.
Aligns transportation with staffing needs.
No, the Pre-Kindergarten program is funded in part by a special grant from New York State which does not include transportation services. The district does not currently transport Pre-Kindergarten students.
Child Care and Drop Off
Specific drop-off times will be shared with families in the spring once the bus routes have been finalized.
While the district does not provide before- and after-school care, the district is working with community partners to explore expanding programs to accommodate families as best as possible. Updates will be shared with families as information is finalized.
Revised procedures will be implemented to address traffic and safety concerns. Details will be provided as the start of the school year approaches by the building principal.
Parents will also need to adjust their drop-off practices to allow students to exit their vehicles and walk into the building IS/MS, once their vehicle stops anywhere along the sidewalk, rather than holding up the lines for doorway drop-offs.
The district is focused in supporting families through these upcoming changes. The district has provided a timeline that is updated each month and a Transition Talks Guide (created by our social workers and psychologists to help families navigate these changes).
The schedule was designed to maximize transportation efficiency, align high school start times with BOCES, and reduce overall student ride times (student ride times are calculated when the buses wheels are moving on the route).
Families can contact the district at hcsdinfo@horseheadsschooldistrict.com or visit the district's website for updates and resources.
Operational Questions
HSCD is transitioning from four elementary schools to three because Center Street is the oldest building in the district and has substantial renovation cost implications. It was selected for repurposing to primarily adult use. In addition, the closure of Center Street Elementary School allows the district to work with NYSED to minimize cost impacts to district residents by providing substantial state aid for the district to renovate and re-size educational spaces in the remaining three elementary buildings. As the building is scheduled for adult use, the district will utilize the facility as a home for district administrative services, district facility office, and eventual community/senior center for the Horseheads community.
Demographic Analytics Advisors LLC, a professional demographer, was brought in to develop a 10-year forecast of enrollment by grade and school through the analysis of Horseheads student data, community information from the census, and local and national data trends. Based on this information, the demographer was tasked with developing new boundaries based on the voter-approved closing of Center Street Elementary School.
Click here to view the demographer's recommendations made during the July 2 Board of Education meeting.The demographer used:
- HCSD enrollment trends
- HCSD, Chemung County, and national birth trends
- Birth to Kindergarten enrollment
- Grade progression for students in first through fourth grades
- School utilization trends
- Student demographics
- As well as other best practices, such as transportation timing, overall number of students impacted, etc.
The district has developed a timeline that highlights key milestones that will take place for students and staff. The 2025-26 school year will be when the redistricting occurs across all elementary schools. During the 2025-26 school year, Ridge Road Elementary School will also undergo construction to accommodate the redistricting and modernize the building to meet current educational environment standards. When this happens, students assigned to Ridge Road Elementary will attend Center Street Elementary for one year (2025-26 school year). Students and staff will return to Ridge Road Elementary School at the start of the 2026-27 school year. Click here to see the full timeline.
Yes, there will be enough space for students and staff. Redistricting for all elementary schools will take place in the fall of 2025-26. Students and staff from Ridge Road Elementary School are temporarily relocated to the building at Center Street for one year. To accommodate this one-year displacement, BOCES classrooms and services, Pre-K classrooms, and specific special education classrooms and services will be moved to other elementary buildings. When Ridge Road Elementary reopens for the 2026-2027 school year, these programs will be relocated to their final locations.
Center Street Elementary School is an important part of the school district and has served as a community hub for decades. The district does not intend to change that. In 2025-26, Central Administrative offices, now located at Hibbard Road and the south wing of the High School, will be relocated to Center Street as a major cost savings for the district. In addition, the Facilities department will start its transition to Center Street with an approval of the third phase of the Horseheads 2030. The district plans to explore ways in which it can be a fluid space for our students, staff, and the community.
Impact on Students and Families
The redistrict map options were presented to the Board of Education on July 2. The Board will approve one of the proposed options in September 2024. It is projected that families will be notified in October 2024 of their school placement.
To view the proposed redistricting optionsClick here. Click here to see the propsed timeline.Horseheads Central School District only provides transportation to students within their school boundary.
The plan has been for the central office to move from Hibbard Road upon the consolidation to three elementary schools. The sale of the property does not require voter approval, unless a petition requesting a vote is presented to the board, signed by at least 10% of the voters in the district. The board is obligated to obtain the best sale price and it is highly recommended to engage a real estate broker and obtain a certified appraisal.
Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the collective bargaining agreement with the Horseheads Teacher Association states a class size limit of:
- 23 students per classroom: Kindergarten – grade 4
- 25 students per classroom: grades 5 – 12
The district has and will continue to uphold this agreement. The district is required to provide all mandated services for students who receive special education services or supports. These students will not be impacted by proposed reductions in class size.
With the projections provided by the demographer, the district does not anticipate this happening. In addition, Big Flats Elementary, Gardner Road Elementary, and soon, Ridge Road Elementary will have all undergone construction to resize some classrooms. The district will continue to evaluate schools and class sections to ensure the district falls within state and collective bargaining agreement recommendations.
The social-emotional needs of our students have been a focus of work before and since the inception of the Horseheads 2030 strategic plan in 2017. To further this work in the redistricting of the elementary buildings, this August the district will be launching a HCSD Redistricting Cultural Team for staff. The team will identify and propose specific activities and accompanying action plans with timeframes aligned with the district's vision, mission, values, and goals.
While the team’s initial focus will be on culture for our staff, the group will also make recommendations for embedding intentional steps to promote positive school culture for students, families, and our community as the redistricting timeline progresses.
The district values the input of staff and parents. The district is launching a HCSD Redistricting Cultural Team for staff in August 2024. As the internal and external timelines progress, parents will be invited to participate through surveys, parent groups, and through activities determined by the HCSD Redistricting Cultural Team.