While Branford's first day of school got off to a great start on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 4 (see related story), progress was a bit slower during dismissal time at Walsh Intermediate School and the town's three elementary schools.

Zip06/The Sound fielded two comments from readers noting bus delays and traffic issues, and contacted Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez on Sept. 5 to talk about the first-day dismissal delays.

Hernandez said the new traffic pattern at WIS was the most "impactful" variable among common first-day dismissal delay issues such as the changing traffic patterns which emerge when school is session, as well as students and bus drivers getting back into the routine of their routes.

At WIS, a total of three waves of buses entered and parked in the school driveway to be boarded by students. Students were directed by staff onto the buses, which were parked side-by-side in the bus loop.

"The buses were delayed because there was traffic jam [caused by] buses not being able to get in bus loop, because the parent loop was blocked," said Hernandez. "That was an artificiality. Today [Sept. 5] it went much smoother; because we looked at what we can do to minimize that. But at the same token, there are some things that are outside of our control."

The delay on Sept. 5 led to some students arriving home well-past the anticipated time, with "about an hour" as the "absolute extreme" length of delay experienced, said Hernandez.

The town's three elementary schools were made aware of the delay occurring at WIS and parents of elementary students were notified by text from the schools about the situation at point that was close to regular school dismissal time on Sept. 4, said Hernandez.

A district message about the delays was posted at approximately 5 p.m. on the school website and Hernandez also sent to parents via the parent portal at about that time.

Hernandez also talked to Zip06/The Sound about comments from a reader that some children may have felt unsafe boarding between buses at WIS. He said the district has been sharing information about the side-by-side bus entry and exit practices for students, including the information that buses are shut down while students are getting on and off.

"We have messaged, and anybody who has given witness knows, that kids are walking between buses when buses are not idling. That was clear. Do I think some kids may have felt a little bit uncomfortable doing that for the first time? Yes, but we were reassuring them, and there were high levels of supervision and high levels of structure" said Hernandez, "...and I think it's a normal feeling for kids sometimes, or for anybody, to feel a little discomfort doing something for the first time. That doesn't mean they can't do it; that doesn't mean it would be unsafe."

For the time being, the new procedures set up for WIS bus and parent traffic and drop-off/pick-up will remain the same, he said.

"As far as procedurally, we are looking at the pattern; but I think giving it more than a day is a prudent course, when you consider it was a new pattern on the first day of school," said Hernandez. "I feel very confident that the school, the team and the staff [at WIS] are looking at it very objectively; and if adjustments need to be made, they will be made. But at the same token, if we adjust every day, we really don't know what is working and what is not. We need to be patient."

By Sept. 5, the dismissal process was already getting better, based on times of transport said Hernandez.

"Today it went much smoother. Going by time, it went better on day two than day one," he said, speaking to Zip06/The Sound after bus runs were completed on Sept. 5. Hernandez said he wasn't at the building for the day's dismissal, but was going to follow up with WIS principal Raeanne Reynolds to get her input, as well.

Hernandez said student safety, which has been the priority since planning for the new WIS procedures began, will remain the overarching priority.

"I think anybody and everybody would say that getting our kids home safely is the number one priority," he said. "Understanding that you have these new changes and procedures, and it was the first day of school, my expectation was not that we would have a record dismissal time. My expectation was we would do it safely, orderly and that we would be taking a first step towards a new process."