New Student Information

The school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and officially ends at 3:25 p.m. Campus opens to students at 7:00 a.m. Athletic practices and extracurricular activities begin after the academic day and end at varying times.

School closing information is shared through the School’s notification system and posted on Nichols communication channels. Nichols may not always follow Buffalo Public Schools closings. For
extended closures, students may be asked to attend classes online. 

Yes. The Health Office is available to assess student illness or injury and will contact families when necessary. The Health Office Number is 716-332-5105. 

Technology requirements vary by division.

Middle School students will be provided with a Lenovo Chromebook outfitted with all of the apps needed for their classes, including digital texts. Personal devices are not permitted in the Middle School. Opportunities to purchase insurance to avoid damages and replacement fees will be sent to families closer to the beginning of the school year. 

Upper School students are expected to bring a charged personal device (not a phone) to school each day.  Nichols School will provide students with any software that is required for the courses they are taking.  We support Windows devices, Apple devices, and Chromebooks. Please contact our IT department at support@nicholsschool.org with any questions or if you wish to rent a Chromebook from our school.  A member of our team will return your email or call you back as soon as possible.

Yes. Nichols will provide any software required for coursework.

Transportation forms are available on your school district’s website and must be submitted annually by April 1 for the upcoming school year.

Families should contact the Middle School Front Office (716-332-5100) or Upper School Front Office (716-332-6300) that morning between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. to report an absence. 

Families should notify the Middle School Front Office (716-332-5100) or Upper School Front Office (716-332-6300) by 8:00 a.m. of the student’s arrival time. Students arriving late must sign in at the front office. 

Student schedules are typically shared with families in late summer before the start of school.

Class placement is based on a careful review of prior coursework, grades, testing, and the School’s understanding of each student’s academic background. 

It is important to note that we section separately for each discipline. A student might be at the Advanced level in the humanities, but not in the math and sciences. 

Course changes are limited and subject to approval. Any requests should be directed to the appropriate dean. Changes can be made after the first quarter in the beginning of the school year, and also from one year to the next, depending on the student's performance. 

Conference information and sign-up instructions will be shared with families during the school year.

When students feel they need extra support in a course, the first resource is the classroom teacher. Normally, a teacher can provide the student extra help either during X-period or immediately after school. Our goal in developing responsible young people is to make seeking extra help the student’s responsibility. Students have additional resources including study groups and peer tutoring which can be arranged through our Academic Enrichment Center. If the student needs more general support or experiences academic difficulties that cannot be addressed through extra help, the student, their advisor, and the dean may schedule a meeting to explore new solutions. 

Start dates vary by season. Fall athletics typically begin in late summer before the academic year starts.

Each season (fall, winter, spring), all students are required to take physical education or a Nichols dance class, or be a member of a sports team. Students must have a physical form on record to try out for a school sport. Practice and game schedules are on the Athletics page. 

Yes. Students must have the necessary health and athletics documentation on file before participating.

Yes. Daily lunch is included in tuition.

Students are not allowed to bring a lunch from home unless there is a specific medical condition that is confirmed by the student's physician and documentation has been given to the School Nurse. The lunch menu can be found on the website here. 

Families are encouraged to make daily arrangements in advance whenever possible. For urgent messages or significant changes in plans, please contact the school office before 2:00 p.m. and they will get a message to your student. 

Please note: Cell phones are NOT permitted to be used in the classrooms during the school day without permission of faculty or staff.

Full dress code information will be shared with families prior to the start of the school year. 

Upper School textbook information is shared in the summer. Families may purchase materials through the School’s designated provider or another source.

Supply information will be available by division and grade level before the start of the school year.

Yes. The Campus Store, located in Albright Hall, offers school supplies, apparel, and selected items during the school year.

Hours during the academic year are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. The store is closed when classes are not in session.

When a student makes a purchase in the Campus Store, it is billed directly to their student account. Students need to present a picture ID (distributed in September) in order to charge an item to their account. Purchases may also be paid with cash or credit card. Receipts are available upon request. You will receive a detailed accounting of all purchases each month.

Any questions regarding Campus Store purchases should be directed to Jeff Ryan, Manager of the Campus Store, at 716-332-6391.

Nichols shares important information through the Parent Portal, school email communications, and division updates.

The Parent Portal provides access to important school information, schedules, report cards, assignments, and family resources.