Schools To Close Early Thursday For The Buffalo Bills Game

Buffalo and Western New York support its sports teams, whether it's the Bills & Sabres or the local high school; the 716 often goes out of its way to ensure that our teams have what they need to win.

Sometimes, that support comes strangely, like schools and businesses adjusting their schedule to make it a little easier for the hometown teams to play a home game. With the Buffalo Bills hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football in Orchard Park, several school districts and a local college are doing that exact thing this week.

The Hamburg Central School District, Orchard Park Central School District, and SUNY Erie Community College have all announced they are adjusting their schedules on Thursday, October 26, 2023, to accommodate Bills fans who are heading to Highmark Stadium.

Local Schools To Close Early For Buffalo Bills Thursday Night Game

In an email that was sent to students at SUNY ECC, administrators at the college have advised the entire student body and staff that the South Campus will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Shortly after that, the Orchard Park Central Schools confirmed in an email to WKBW-TV that they were also closing early, giving students a half-day of classes leading up to the Bills game, with middle school students going home as early as 10:30 am and high schoolers leaving around 12:45 pm.

The Hamburg Central Schools announced on their website that they are giving kids a short reprieve from classes, students being dismissed 20 minutes earlier than their regular dismissal time.

Traffic To Highmark Stadium Still Impacted By Stadium Construction

With construction ongoing for the new Highmark Stadium, traffic patterns have changed quite a bit from what people are used to.

The Erie County Sheriff's Office, which is responsible for gameday traffic control, has repeated time and time to make sure you know your routes before you head to the stadium. Large sections of Abbott Rd. are closed for several hours before kickoff when the Bills are home.