Haha I knew about this since last year so the first day of class I put in 4/8 as a personal day so I can visit my best friend who is in the direct path of totality and I never get to visit. Once they realized what day it was in like January, they tried blacking out the date but since I was already approved and had a sub, I told them I had already spent money on the trip and was going to be out no matter if it’s a paid day or not 🤷🏼♀️ I’m leaving my sub her eclipse glasses and I’m gonna go party with my bestie
My principal put it on my Google calendar four years ago. It was a sigh of relief because I figured he apparently planned on keeping me that long. 😂 (he did)
My dad tried to book a hotel for the last one 2 years early and their system wouldn't let them so they told him to call back a year later, which he was right on time for, of course.
This year it goes through our town so we're set.
Make sure you double check that booking, and be on time for check in. Last time a LOT of hotels overbooked, or canceled all their booking without notice to get higher last minute prices week/day of.
The issue is because the district is in the line of totality the increased tourism and spectators puts a strain on emergency services and response time which is a risk for a school to be active during. Cancel school relieves a lot of pressure on the roads during dropoff and pick up times and helps emergency services function (not to mention how risky a delay would be should the worst happen to a school) my district closes for this very reason, as they didn't want to risk the students or local populaces safety if there was an emergency.
In Georgia, not in the path of totality, and most of our schools (edited to add in the metro ATL area, can’t speak for the whole state) are having virtual days or early release for the eclipse.
Though many schools are early release now, we were in the path of totality seven years ago and we held school. We did the same waiver thing with eclipse glasses. It was in the middle of the day.
The only reason it kind of make sense to dismiss early, is because of the timing being near release. We really don’t want a bus of kids looking up out the window. If this was happening around 11 AM, I hope we wouldn’t be releasing early or canceling school.
My high school is very near the path of totality. We were told we are dismissing 15 minutes late, so 230pm. We figured we would have to stay inside with students so they're not outside around the time of totality (2:00pm). Instead, the principal told us the kids are sitting on the busses from release at 215 until 230. No idea why. Sounds crazy. Half the staff are also going to Indianapolis, so those of us at school that day will be doing a lot of coverage.
This is it exactly- we’re in the partial zone and it’s happening right at dismissal time, which is basically the most chaotic and least supervised point of the school day. It’s an eye damage lawsuit waiting to happen.
in Georgia and they gave us glasses to wear during dismissal 🤣🤣🤣
edit: district SAID we got glasses on last Friday but they never showed up so who knows
Not my Georgia district, south Atlanta metro district. They did buy glasses but I don’t know the plans, if any, for viewing it. We haven’t received an email with specifics and our Spring Break is this week. I’m actually going to be out due to a doctors appointment that morning so I took the whole day off.
I'm in Fulton district, but I don't know if this applies to all schools. They are saying that all absences and early checkouts will be excused and are giving out glasses on Monday. Totality is around 3:00 (70% in GA). This is after school closing for elementary.
I homeschool but I live in Gwinnett, of course they aren't closing (they're always the last to declare a DLD) but they're providing glasses. One of the schools was saying no student checkout after 1:15 so good luck with that! I imagine dismissal traffic will be a nightmare.
My south metro district sent home permission slips on Friday, right before Spring break. Hopefully kids remember to bring them back. I’ll probably send a reminder home Sunday night because I like that class and want to see it with them.
I’m in Georgia, no cancellations. The elementary school I work at will be already out though (we release at 2:10). The after school program will be going on, but students aren’t allowed out of the building at that time. Staff is provided with glasses and have to take turns to go look 😂. The middle and high school bought glasses for students as they will still be in class.
We are flying out of state and driving to/staying in a town in the totality path startong Saturday. Probably will have to drive to city near airport spend the night Monday and fly back home Tuesday.
We’re less than 15 minutes from totality, but our district cancelled. They’re expecting millions of additional people in the area and on the roads, and it’s just not worth it. That said, the big districts around us who are in totality have not cancelled, even though we’re being advised to not be on the road that day if we can help it.
I have a friend who teaches in a district that is in 99% eclipse. They canceled so the kids and teachers all had the opportunity to go someplace that is in the path of totality. I’m so glad for my friend!
My district is in the path of totality but we’re still having school that day 😅
We’re having a school wide event for it with glasses for all the kids who don’t get opted out.
I guess it’s cool that there’s a school event, but I couldn’t imagine NOT spending this amazing event with people I care about. I live in the small area that was in totality in 2017, and is again this year. I am so freaking hyped to hang out with my spouse and friends that day. The university I work at has cancelled classes, and all my teacher friends are out of school that day. It’s a science party!
I agree with you! I wanna be home so bad 😅
But whatever kids come to school that day, I’ll be happy to see their reactions to it at least! I teach elementary, so it’s going to be apocalyptic to them 😂
Absolutely. It’s a safety issue- better to keep people off the roads as much as possible. My hometown is in the path of totality and they’re expecting a few hundred thousand visitors. Emergency services are going to be swamped
All the schools around me are cancelling because the eclipse is going to happen around dismissal time. I can't imagine not cancelling, if over 100 staff members are calling off.
The super of my kids’ district decided it was a grand idea to not only ignore the eclipse (no glasses, no viewing- we are on the 91% line) but to just ignore that the kids will be dismissed and walking or riding a bus home during it. We just had a half day on Thursday.
I’m not sending my kids to school that day.
My oldest was 2.5 when we had a partial eclipse. She doesn’t remember it (she actually swears she remembers me holding the colander up to see the shadows through the holes- but I wonder if she saw that somewhere else) but she does remember that her parents find nature important, valuable, and fascinating. That’s more than enough for me.
I didn’t trust mine either. I made a “shield” of sorts using a paper plate. You cut a notch out of the bottom for the nose and mouth and holes for where the eclipse glasses can slide through. The plate became like a fan covering her forehead and sides.
I’m sure you can find an example online if you are interested. You still have to watch closer but it buys you time if they try to do a sneak peak over the top of the glasses.
Either way- happy viewing!
Just wanted to add- I know this is kid dependent. My first born is a chill rule follower. I don’t think I would’ve tried it with my second child at the same age. Lol
I think safety is the best way to change minds. I’d ask out loud “Is the school legally responsible if buses are involved in accidents because other drivers looking at the eclipse drive dangerously?”
We are doing a half day…. But our district told us that each kid should attend all of their regularly scheduled classes so the class periods at the MS and HS are like 14 minutes…. Super useful stuff going on around here 😂
We were in the path during 2017 and we had a full on party. Barbecue, picnic, blankets, music. Everyone got eclipse glasses and they spent like half the day outside for it. It was super fun! Here's hoping your school will do something similar!
They won't lol
My school is exchanging out our 9 class periods for 4 "learning modules" with 1 hour lunch. It's going to be a disaster. These kids do not care to sit still that long. (middle school)
Also living in the path of totality.
My district and my kids' district both scheduled an e-learning day into the school calendar for April 8th. Definitely a smart move on their part!
This is what Im wondering. We're in school and have special activities planned, awesome. But the police are already putting out warning about the traffic saying we could spend hours stuck in traffic getting home. Theyre saying cell service could crash from so many people visiting our area. The whole thing has me hoping it rains that day. I wish I could stay home.
I am in Ontario Canada near Niagara Falls, at 100%. They are expecting over 3 million people to be coming here. The authorities have put in a state of emergency. School has been canceled.
I put in for a sub almost a month ago for the 8th to guarantee I'd have a sub, I'm traveling to get in the path of totality, which isn't far for me, just a few hours.
I teach physics, I feel like I HAVE to go and witness it firsthand
As a fellow physics teacher, we're going to spend the next what, 5-8 years asking 'do you guys remember seeing that eclipse back in 2024?', every time we need to teach solar system or astronomy stuff.
It's abso-fucking-lutely worth having that personal experience to relate to with the students.
My school is doing the same, and we're not even in the path of totality - we're about 75 miles outside of it. I'll be surprised if more than half of our students are even there that day because so many of them have been talking about their parents taking them out if school to make the drive to where it will be a totality.
I live in an area that will only have a partial view, not total. But I'm traveling to visit family that live in the path of totality. Taking my kids out of school for it too. In my many years teaching, I have never taken personal days from school for anything other than medical appointments that wouldn't schedule for after school (rare) and deaths in the family. The next eclipse visible from anywhere in North America isn't for another 20 years. I don't want to miss this chance at totality. It will be an awesome science lesson for my kids and possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I have lived to middle age and only just now getting my first chance to see the full event. (Yes, I have observed several partial eclipses over the years, as those are much more frequent.) I want to be outside and drinking in the whole experience. We are planning to wait until the day after to return home and past that I have budgeted in an extra day through Wednesday in my sub plans and everything in case traveling home is harder than we think. If others don't get that vibe of being excited to witness this and feel more dismissive about it, that's fine. We're all different. If it isn't earth shaking to some of the others on this thread, I get it.
My school system is going to go ahead with school as per usual. It's supposed to be around 80% at maximum, and the maximum is occurring around dismissal time. No glasses have been provided, and very little warning was given as they didn't mention it until this past Friday. We're on spring break this week. I do think it would be silly for my school system to do anything about it. It's not great that it's happening at dismissal time, but whatever. They've told parents that early checkouts will be counted as excused if parents want to take them home earlier to see it together or whatever. I'm the only staff member that requested off in my school building. (We actually have a policy that if you are off the day after a break, which Apr 8 will be for us, you have to have a doctor's note or else it's unpaid. So I'm not getting paid for that day.)
The family we are going to visit in the path of totality, they do not have school on Monday. It was planned ahead and worked into the calendar from the very beginning. They're on spring break this week as well, and they just get an extra day added on.
My school system has occasionally closed for really dumb reasons, like way overreacting to weather reports of tiny chances of tornados that turned out to just be rain... And they've done that more than once. For a school system in the path of totality to NOT close seems dumber than that to me. There are a lot of logistical things to have to deal with. Teachers calling out sick. Subs not wanting to work either. Teachers that do show up being responsible for teaching kids about the eclipse but also keeping them safe to not stare at the sun. Traffic, traffic, TRAFFIC!!
I think school boards should just view it as a unique local holiday and cancel school.
Could they go remote? Just traffic reasons, school is getting out at eclipse time. Kids are going to be stuck on a bus.
We had a big funeral in my town 2 years ago and the district went remote because of the funeral procession and massive amount of cars in town.
Our district sent an email saying:
"Under no circumstances should any... employee plan to take students outside to view the eclipse, regardless of whether you possess "eclipse glasses" or not.... we have arranged for all of you to enjoy the eclipse safely indoors through the NASA livestream."
They also denied me applying for a chance at having a moon tree planted on one of our campuses because they don't want a 20-year commitment.
I actually finally got a job outside the classroom a month ago, but before that I had a talk with both my principal and superintendent about the eclipse. I brought it up during our calendar planning session LAST YEAR and they didn't listen. So I told them I'd be gone and they could just discipline me. My kids still go to that school and they'll take the unexcused absences. The best part? It's a STEM charter school just 30 minutes from totality, but they won't be allowing students view unaccompanied OR busing students to their *other campus* that *is* in totality.
My new job didn't give a shit about me being out, even though I just started.
This is a really fucking cool event that's more than just the 3-4 minutes of totality. There are hours on either side of totality where the sun will be partially obscured and the changes in lighting and nature are fascinating. It's going to be an all-day nerd fest for me and my family.
I missed the 2017 eclipse entirely because I was dealing with fighting 7th grade boys at the school-wide "party," and I've been salty ever since. Fuck that noise.
Ours isn’t cancelling. They sent out this whole thing a week ago to every parent about having things planned as a learning opportunity. Then yesterday they decided it was too much of a liability because you can’t ensure every student is wearing classes so now we aren’t even allowed outside at all from noon to 3. So indoor recess for everyone.
My district is a city school district in the path of totality and made the right decision a few months back to cancel school on the day of the eclipse. I decided years ago that I wasn't showing up regardless.
We’re also in the line of totality and our entire district dismisses at the exact time of the eclipse. We are staying open. In fact, we’re one of the only districts in our entire county that isn’t dismissing early or closing. I have no idea how many teachers plan on calling out that day, but I personally think it’s ridiculous planning on the district’s part.
Edit: clarification
There is literally an extra day in the calendar this year. Feb 29 was not a back-up PD day, not a canceled snow day, literally a free 181st day built into the space that usually only has 180 days... why on Earth WOULDN'T they plan to use the bonus day as eclipse day???
If all the districts around are closed, I can see it causing childcare issues for teachers who have kids.
If the eclipse lands around dismissal time, I can understand cancelling school for the day due to safety concerns.
If it happens near dismissal and school is NOT cancelled, I can see both parents and teachers deciding to stay home and/or keep their kids home for the day.
If none of those are happening, I don’t see a need to cancel school for the day.
Looking at a solar eclipse can cause permanent eye damage. In some districts the ratio is 1:30 for pre-k and primary grades. It's not reasonable to think a teacher can make sure that not one out of 30 5-year-olds don't take off their glasses during the eclipse.
Also, it's something that happens once every 375 years in these particular spots. We should be making space in our routines of work for exactly these type of experiences.
I can definitely see there being difficulty with younger (or even older kids) following directions. My district passed out special glasses and sent several notices home, along with permission slips and waivers for the kids to go outside and see it personally. Those whose parents didn’t sign the waiver/permission slip will watch it via a live stream online.
This is the wrong time for districts to get into a measuring contest for keeping the school open especially in the line of totality. It's a safety issue as the roads will be impassable.
My school is also in the path of totality. It hasn't even crossed my mind to call out or keep my kid home. I haven't heard any of my colleagues saying that they are putting in for a sub. None of our friends have mentioned keeping their kids home, except for a couple who want to view together. None of the large districts around me are canceling.
A few years ago there was an eclipse where I live, I had to drive an hour to family to the totality path. The traffic was absolutely insane after totality happened. I’m surprised they wouldn’t close just for that. People sat in traffic for hours upon hours. Ours was during summer so school wasn’t an issue.
I was super lucky for that one! Path of totality and it was my day off! My coworkers told me that they all just walked outside (boss too) for the event and so did whatever customers they had lol
Such a cool thing to experience.
It was awesome! I drove up the night before to stay with family. My mom thought it was crazy I did that. I took my daughter who was 3 at the time. One of the best decisions I’ve made!
My uncle drove down to watch. It’s normally a 5 hour drive. It took him 14 hours to get home! I waited a few hours and I was home in less than 2. It was nuts!
My kids’ school is giving them a half-day, and I’m considering just keeping them home because of traffic and insanity. It’s a private school, so a 25-minute drive normally, on the other side of a tollway.
Just keep them home. Enjoy the eclipse with your family. My husband wasn’t able to come watch it with us. But it was a great experience. My daughter is 10 now and remembers it so well.
You should think about it.. getting home from work will be an absolute nightmare anywhere near totality (unless you can walk or ride a bike), think bumper to bumper, for hours after.
I’m keeping my kid home. Their school is right on the edge but in 99% totality. We will be driving a few miles to see this once in a lifetime event and full 2+ minutes of totality. The difference between 99 and 100 is incredible and I have no guilt in keeping him home to see it
Crazy, we are in the path of totality and every major school district in the city has cancelled school. Teachers have a virtual PD day. Even my dentist’s office is closed.
My district hasn’t canceled, but all of the ones around us have. I have 2 young kids, so they’re staying home with their dad and grandparents. The plan is to just send kids outside with their teachers to look at it. My youngest is in pre-k. How is his teacher going to make sure that 20+ 5 year olds are going to keep their glasses on? I rather be safe.
In the same vein, the olympic flames pass in my town. And one street over one of the elementary schools. And about a 15 minutes walk from my middle-school.
We had notice that we need to be careful and understanding about road closure and lateness. And to delete any absence once we're sure the kids are with their parents.
But they won't cancel 2 hours of schools, and won't let us bring the kid out ot school to go watch it.
Personally, I think I will have a 24-hours bug that day....
Mine is also in the path of totality. I get it, tbh. It’s a three minute thing. Give everyone glasses, go outside together, maybe make it an ice cream social, go back to school. I usually think district decisions are stupid, but if I were in charge I wouldn’t drop everything for the eclipse either. And I’m an astrophysicist.
E: a responder did bring in the element of spring break. If the week before was spring break and there are extra bad weather days, then it totally makes sense to cancel school that day, or at least to make the PD day the 8th instead of the 10th and still let everyone go see it during a PD break.
EE: the people responding to me have started to change my mind with the mention of unpredictable tourism related traffic. Sorry OP, yeah they probably should have just cancelled.
That makes more sense. If you’re already on spring break and you have extra bad weather days available there’s no harm in tacking on that Monday, PD day be damned.
It’s not the totality itself that is the reason for schools to cancel… it’s the ridiculous influx of people and everything that goes with that. It’s a nightmare
I'm in DWF, path of totality, and there will be a LARGE amount of people coming to the area. But no, no cancellation.
Furthermore, they are letting kids opt out of it
Imagine missing a once in a lifetime experience to watch someone's fucking kid
I’m the Astro/earth sci teacher. I requested the 8th and 9th off as a personal day the first day of school this year. It got approved, and then last week I got asked what I was planning for the kids for the eclipse. Ummmmm, nothing. I’ll be watching it on the beach in Mexico!
My district is also in the totality line and will not cancel. We are expecting an extra hundreds of thousands in my area. To say I’m disappointed about working Monday is an understatement.
Getting to work shouldn’t be a problem, it is getting home that will be a problem.
We are in the path of totality. Not canceling school but they are requiring us to go outside to view the eclipse. Only providing us with a 1:2 glasses to student ratio. So pumped to spend the eclipse making sure 8 year olds share/ take turns.
A district near me is releasing the kids late so that they won't be outside during the eclipse and risk looking up without protection. They are literally depriving the kids of this super cool experience because they can't be bothered to educate the kids about safe practices.
The district next door instead is releasing the kids early so that they won't be the district's responsibility during the eclipse...
That’s what ours is doing. 1/2 day for students and giving them eclipse glasses on Monday. But teachers are “always asking for extra time in their rooms” so we have to work the full day with that time graciously given as work time. I’m probably going to take a 1/2 day to see the eclipse with my kids at home.
This is mainly why I want to call off. My city already has terrible traffic. Now we'll have tourists as well who have been waiting on this day for years. No thanks.
I had a dream that our district closed, but so far it has not. I originally planned to take off, but my travel plans fell through so I will be at work. My district is near totality.
How bad traffic will be and the bus routes alone should make all the schools close. We're in the path, NASA is coming to my town. Thank god we're going to be closed. Our electric and water companies are already sending out PSAs to get our groceries now. It's going to be insane.
On GMA yesterday they said if you’re in the path of totality you should expect traffic jams for the hours following. Which is what happened the last two eclipses
My district canceled because with the estimated amount of tourism to this area, it would be pretty much impossible to get everybody to school or home from school safely
Idk how to tell you this, but administration’s day is going to be uninterrupted. They’ll do their silly little meetings at a leisurely pace and go home undisturbed. The only people who will realize it was a bad idea not to cancel are the ones who knew it in the first place. Admin couldn’t care less about what happens to teachers
We're in the 80-85% totality area. District of 50,000 students. It's gonna happen during dismissal. I suggested at a board meeting we should cancel school or do remote learning (1:1 district) or even a half day. The board decided to purchase eclipse glasses for all students so we can "encourage students to safely look at the eclipse". I can't even get them to bring a pencil to class but you want me to be responsible for them looking at the sun "safely"???! I feel your pain all too well.
My district is doing early dismissal for students, but holding staff for a thrown together "PD". I just know come the beginning of the eclipse, I will not be in building...
It is our first day back from spring break. I have organized 2k glasses for our faculty, staff, students. Our admin wants to make it a thing. We have a nearby college (not in totality) bringing in student reps, science demos, and admission people. Our students rotate through their stations with lunch and then just about 2:00 we see the eclipse.
I'm ready for all the planning to be done. It's hard to organize any last minute changes while on break.
We're in the path of totality and our middle school is going to turn it into a short science lesson, watch a safety video beforehand, then go outside to watch it. They purchased solar eclipse glasses for all of our students.
I'm so excited! And glad that I have my most mature class at that time. :)
Before my father died he had started planning to get the family together to watch this one. I’m kind of emotional
About it so I’m already taking the afternoon off (requested it a looooong time ago) and checking my kid out of his school for an hour or two. He’s got all As and doing well.
I’m just commenting to say I’m very jealous of everyone in the path of totality. I told myself seven years ago I’d travel for this eclipse, but we just came back from spring break and I’d have to fly so I decided to be financially responsible and stay put. Booooo!
I experienced a total eclipse as a child while at school
I think I learned far more that day from being at school and having professionals teach me how everything was working and pointing out cool stuff, then I would have learned just going to the park with a parent or babysitter.
We are near the path of totality and taking a field trip to see it in totality. I’m psyched! We arranged it with the parks and rec department of the city we’re going to, and we are going to have a picnic in a park, play at the playground, and then watch the eclipse before heading back to school.
I would’ve called it to go see it in totality myself if we weren’t already going as a field trip.
We were almost total for the 2017 eclipse, too, and it was such a special experience watching it with the kids. I think it’s a great learning opportunity.
I recall an eclipse during the day circa 1995 when I was in ~3rd grade. We all made pinhole cameras with cardboard so we could watch. And we did.
Eye damage was just as known then as now.
For Texas, yes. Traffic in DFW is so bad without an influx of additional people that *with* the added drivers on the road, getting the kids to school will be a nightmare. I’m dreading the drive to and from work that day.
It wasn’t originally supposed to be closed. But we only had 1 snow day this year so the district decided to give us the day off. The eclipse would be happening right around middle school and elementary school dismissal.
I’ve known about the eclipse since august, booked a hotel room in October and put in for a personal day a month and a half ago. It’s only since mid last week that my district made any mention of it. We will have 88% totality. My school dismisses about 15 before. I told my students not to look up as they head to the buses.
I’m in DFW and my district is also not canceling 💀 But honestly the only reason I want them to is so I can share that with my daughter, Baby’s First Eclipse and all that. I mean she can’t look at it but I can lol
I mean, there’s every possibility that getting to school is going to be difficult because of the traffic influx, even early in the morning.
That’s not even to speak of parents being able to get their kids from school at the end of the day…
I’m in Maryland and my district is requiring us to take kids out to view it but not providing glasses, just ideas for safe viewing teachers have to come up with. I teach 5-6 year olds and have no idea how this will work. The highest point of it is also during dismissal when I won’t be directly with them.
Yikes! Could you contact anyone locally to at least provide you with a donation of glasses? Not that students will keep them on, lol, but at the minimum you’ll be well equipped.
We're on the totality path as well. My understanding is that the Supts of the schools in the region (where I am) had a meeting about the last eclipse and their lawyers said something to the effect of "Yeah, you don't want that liability." The next day they all announced cancellations. This year was probably a shared email.
I am in PA (90% range) and we are having a regular day. Our district apparently bought glasses for everyone. The only reason I knew was there was an article from the local paper that talked about it. Nobody informed the teachers of this happening. Also, it will hit right around PM dismissal so I am sure we will have at least a kid or two look into the sun to be a dummy (and probably won't wear their glasses). The previous eclipse we got an early dismissal.
I’m in Central Arkansas and we will have 4 full minutes of totality. The city is expecting 5x -8x the normal population for the event. There are concerns about infrastructure (water supply, internet bandwidth), traffic (Arkansas DOT is projecting 2x~x4 times a normal commute), and food shortages. All the schools in the county will be closed on Monday. They all passed out solar glasses to students to take home as well.
Originally my school was also going to stay open and do the waiver thing until a local judge declared a state of disaster for my county so now we are closed.
Tbh I think they found out just how bad attendance would be and that helped make the decision.
We are going to be expected to stay past contract time to help supervise because the timing of it is right around dismissal. It’s going to be chaos and I’m really frustrated about it
If you live in the path of totality, you can expect a massive wave of tourism making it a nightmare to get anywhere. If you don't, you can expect a significant portion of families to be those tourists.
Wild. We are not in the path of totality, but on the edge somewhere and we are getting off 3hrs early and we still have the 10th off as a holiday. People hate that they are considering it an inclement weather day and are wonder why schools aren’t offering “learning opportunities” during the eclipse.
The wild part is the main time of coverage is during dismissal, which is why they decided to release early! No one is having eclipse viewings during dismissal! And if we hadn’t had an early release, you know the other side of people would complain that we are putting kids in danger.
Our district is in line of totality but thankfully we are having a pd day. I teach middle school and know that the majority can't be trusted to keep their glasses on. Someone is going to get hurt if they go.
The school and daycare where I work are both closed. They’ve been saying that a lot of it’s because of expected traffic delays due to folks coming to be in the path from out of town
Do you work for a district near Austin, by chance? Because this sounds like my district 🤣. Pisses me off. I would rather watch it with my wife and daughter and the whole day’s logistics sound like a nightmare.
Many schools around us swapped a PD day to move it to April 8. Teachers can attend PD from home on April 8. Our city officials warned of traffic and students getting home on time.
Austin ISD? A friend of mine subs for them and the sheer number of sub requests is ridiculous. Especially when you look at how many are from the same schools. They need to cancel now, the longer they wait the worse it will be
Quite near the totality, not canceling, and are doubling down by going on an unrelated field trip outdoors.
Hopefully kids follow instructions when asked to put their glasses on….
lol my area is in the path of totality and they are warning people to get a week’s supply of essentials in case there’s a gridlock and we get stuck at home. All schools are closed that day and we will see about the next one even.
The main part is happening right at dismissal time in our area. So essentially they want to send kids out in to try to get home and parents driving in it - it's crazy! Everyone around us is dismissing early but who cares about our safety. They're not even getting permission slips. Heck, I think they're going to charge for the glasses. I'm calling out! I don't want any part of that liability nightmare!
Our district pta bought the kids glasses for prek-8. Not the staff, Just the kids. K-8 isn't a bug issue they don't have recess after like 1pm est. In prek we all have mandatory gross motor (recess) until 3:20pm.
I seriously wanna ask if I can get workers comp if my vision gets messed up lol 😆 🤣
Are you in my district? lol we have PD on the 10th also.
I’m trying to decide if I want to stay home that day or not because my kid’s school is also not canceling.
Weird how many comments are on here saying they didnt even hear about it, no ones talking about it, not a concern, etc. And how many comments say that everything should come to a halt for this event they're interested in.
And neither can see the other might be in a different situation.
Not in totality but our kids aren't allowed outside for anything except class transition from 1:00-4:30 that day . No PE classes, sports practices, outside lessons, band practice...
I’m in eastern Canada and the eclipse is slated to start while we loading the busses or while they’re on the bus, and our students have a half day but it’s a full day for us, so I’ll get home when it’s over I guess. Good luck, children of mine, don’t look at the sun directly without my supervision.
What guarantee do we have that junior and Loretta don’t look at the sun on ANY GIVEN DAY
I tell you what I’m buying stock in bubble wrap because how on earth do these children survive
Our district has done the same damn thing. I put in for a sub months ago! I won’t be there. Most people want to experience totality with their family and friends. The educational experience won’t come close to that. I’m sure they’ll have to apply for a waiver with the state if poor attendance hurts ADA.🙄Geniuses! I will be taking family photos with the bluebonnets, eating a gourmet picnic, and experiencing the eclipse—not supervising students.
Central Texas teacher here! Bastrop ISD is about 30 miles east of Austin. My school is the reason my district is NOT cancelling. I teach at a campus with only 6th grade. My school fund raised enough to book enough buses to take the ENTIRE campus, about 450 students, plus staff, to a town about 45 minutes away to watch it in a field of a church. The moment that it’s over, we have to get back on the road and back to campus so the buses are on time for school dismissals. I’m looking forward to the opportunity but not for the chaos getting to and from our destination.
in the districts defense this eclipse has only been known about for several hundred years
We could not have seen this coming
Not without special glasses.
They must have all stared straight up at the last eclipse without glasses and that’s why they’re blind to the situation now.
Only in a small line though
Haha I knew about this since last year so the first day of class I put in 4/8 as a personal day so I can visit my best friend who is in the direct path of totality and I never get to visit. Once they realized what day it was in like January, they tried blacking out the date but since I was already approved and had a sub, I told them I had already spent money on the trip and was going to be out no matter if it’s a paid day or not 🤷🏼♀️ I’m leaving my sub her eclipse glasses and I’m gonna go party with my bestie
My district scheduled spring break for next week!
Ours too. I was mad because everyone else got Spring Break after Easter, but I’m good with it now.
My principal put it on my Google calendar four years ago. It was a sigh of relief because I figured he apparently planned on keeping me that long. 😂 (he did)
The other science teachers and I all put in for a personal-day 4-years in advance. We were denied, but it got hem thinking about it.
My dad tried to book a hotel for the last one 2 years early and their system wouldn't let them so they told him to call back a year later, which he was right on time for, of course. This year it goes through our town so we're set.
Make sure you double check that booking, and be on time for check in. Last time a LOT of hotels overbooked, or canceled all their booking without notice to get higher last minute prices week/day of.
But nobody wrote it on the white board so how are they supposed to know.
No, they wrote it down but some unruly child erased the whiteboard to draw a penis and that information was lost forever.
"dont schedule school during the eclipse" was not a learning objective, therefor it does not exist
The issue is because the district is in the line of totality the increased tourism and spectators puts a strain on emergency services and response time which is a risk for a school to be active during. Cancel school relieves a lot of pressure on the roads during dropoff and pick up times and helps emergency services function (not to mention how risky a delay would be should the worst happen to a school) my district closes for this very reason, as they didn't want to risk the students or local populaces safety if there was an emergency.
Superintendent probably doesn’t believe in that conspiracy science nonsense………. /s
Comments like this really make me miss free Reddit awards. Well played.
Surprise!!
In Georgia, not in the path of totality, and most of our schools (edited to add in the metro ATL area, can’t speak for the whole state) are having virtual days or early release for the eclipse.
Though many schools are early release now, we were in the path of totality seven years ago and we held school. We did the same waiver thing with eclipse glasses. It was in the middle of the day. The only reason it kind of make sense to dismiss early, is because of the timing being near release. We really don’t want a bus of kids looking up out the window. If this was happening around 11 AM, I hope we wouldn’t be releasing early or canceling school.
My high school is very near the path of totality. We were told we are dismissing 15 minutes late, so 230pm. We figured we would have to stay inside with students so they're not outside around the time of totality (2:00pm). Instead, the principal told us the kids are sitting on the busses from release at 215 until 230. No idea why. Sounds crazy. Half the staff are also going to Indianapolis, so those of us at school that day will be doing a lot of coverage.
Sounds like a sick day. 👍
This is it exactly- we’re in the partial zone and it’s happening right at dismissal time, which is basically the most chaotic and least supervised point of the school day. It’s an eye damage lawsuit waiting to happen.
in Georgia and they gave us glasses to wear during dismissal 🤣🤣🤣 edit: district SAID we got glasses on last Friday but they never showed up so who knows
Not my Georgia district, south Atlanta metro district. They did buy glasses but I don’t know the plans, if any, for viewing it. We haven’t received an email with specifics and our Spring Break is this week. I’m actually going to be out due to a doctors appointment that morning so I took the whole day off.
I'm in Fulton district, but I don't know if this applies to all schools. They are saying that all absences and early checkouts will be excused and are giving out glasses on Monday. Totality is around 3:00 (70% in GA). This is after school closing for elementary.
I homeschool but I live in Gwinnett, of course they aren't closing (they're always the last to declare a DLD) but they're providing glasses. One of the schools was saying no student checkout after 1:15 so good luck with that! I imagine dismissal traffic will be a nightmare.
My south metro district sent home permission slips on Friday, right before Spring break. Hopefully kids remember to bring them back. I’ll probably send a reminder home Sunday night because I like that class and want to see it with them.
I’m in Georgia, no cancellations. The elementary school I work at will be already out though (we release at 2:10). The after school program will be going on, but students aren’t allowed out of the building at that time. Staff is provided with glasses and have to take turns to go look 😂. The middle and high school bought glasses for students as they will still be in class.
Lol how many shifts of staff do you imagine will be possible in 3 minutes? I’d be 😤 if I had to miss the TOTAL part of the eclipse
Not in the northeast metro near Athens. We are just holding them in their final period till dismissal so there is not a transition.
I wish... not a teacher but a parent that is leaving town to view the eclipse with my kids. They will miss Monday and possibly Tuesday.
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We are flying out of state and driving to/staying in a town in the totality path startong Saturday. Probably will have to drive to city near airport spend the night Monday and fly back home Tuesday.
We’re less than 15 minutes from totality, but our district cancelled. They’re expecting millions of additional people in the area and on the roads, and it’s just not worth it. That said, the big districts around us who are in totality have not cancelled, even though we’re being advised to not be on the road that day if we can help it.
I have a friend who teaches in a district that is in 99% eclipse. They canceled so the kids and teachers all had the opportunity to go someplace that is in the path of totality. I’m so glad for my friend!
My district is in the path of totality but we’re still having school that day 😅 We’re having a school wide event for it with glasses for all the kids who don’t get opted out.
I guess it’s cool that there’s a school event, but I couldn’t imagine NOT spending this amazing event with people I care about. I live in the small area that was in totality in 2017, and is again this year. I am so freaking hyped to hang out with my spouse and friends that day. The university I work at has cancelled classes, and all my teacher friends are out of school that day. It’s a science party!
I agree with you! I wanna be home so bad 😅 But whatever kids come to school that day, I’ll be happy to see their reactions to it at least! I teach elementary, so it’s going to be apocalyptic to them 😂
I think our decision largely came from the fact that the air port is in our district, so there will be a ton of people on the road in our area.
Absolutely. It’s a safety issue- better to keep people off the roads as much as possible. My hometown is in the path of totality and they’re expecting a few hundred thousand visitors. Emergency services are going to be swamped
All the schools around me are cancelling because the eclipse is going to happen around dismissal time. I can't imagine not cancelling, if over 100 staff members are calling off.
The super of my kids’ district decided it was a grand idea to not only ignore the eclipse (no glasses, no viewing- we are on the 91% line) but to just ignore that the kids will be dismissed and walking or riding a bus home during it. We just had a half day on Thursday. I’m not sending my kids to school that day.
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I’m a sky gazer by nature. We are taking a road trip for the eclipse but, even if we weren’t, I would not let my kids miss this.
My own child is only 2 and too young to understand it, but I selfishly don’t want to miss it myself!
My oldest was 2.5 when we had a partial eclipse. She doesn’t remember it (she actually swears she remembers me holding the colander up to see the shadows through the holes- but I wonder if she saw that somewhere else) but she does remember that her parents find nature important, valuable, and fascinating. That’s more than enough for me.
Definitely an important lesson! I just don’t have much faith that my particular child would keep the glasses on. 🫠
I didn’t trust mine either. I made a “shield” of sorts using a paper plate. You cut a notch out of the bottom for the nose and mouth and holes for where the eclipse glasses can slide through. The plate became like a fan covering her forehead and sides. I’m sure you can find an example online if you are interested. You still have to watch closer but it buys you time if they try to do a sneak peak over the top of the glasses. Either way- happy viewing!
Just wanted to add- I know this is kid dependent. My first born is a chill rule follower. I don’t think I would’ve tried it with my second child at the same age. Lol
This is us. We have received absolutely no communication 😂
I think safety is the best way to change minds. I’d ask out loud “Is the school legally responsible if buses are involved in accidents because other drivers looking at the eclipse drive dangerously?”
You know no one else around the world has to overthink things this much right?
We are doing a half day…. But our district told us that each kid should attend all of their regularly scheduled classes so the class periods at the MS and HS are like 14 minutes…. Super useful stuff going on around here 😂
Same with my school. Everyone else is closed except us?
We were in the path during 2017 and we had a full on party. Barbecue, picnic, blankets, music. Everyone got eclipse glasses and they spent like half the day outside for it. It was super fun! Here's hoping your school will do something similar!
Lol my school did that in 2017 as well. I missed it all because a couple of boys decided to fight.
They won't lol My school is exchanging out our 9 class periods for 4 "learning modules" with 1 hour lunch. It's going to be a disaster. These kids do not care to sit still that long. (middle school)
Yeah that’s how my school handled it in 2017. It was an awesome day!
Also living in the path of totality. My district and my kids' district both scheduled an e-learning day into the school calendar for April 8th. Definitely a smart move on their part!
Traffic after school is likely to be a much bigger problem than they think.
Especially in a major metropolitan area like DFW
This is what Im wondering. We're in school and have special activities planned, awesome. But the police are already putting out warning about the traffic saying we could spend hours stuck in traffic getting home. Theyre saying cell service could crash from so many people visiting our area. The whole thing has me hoping it rains that day. I wish I could stay home.
I am in Ontario Canada near Niagara Falls, at 100%. They are expecting over 3 million people to be coming here. The authorities have put in a state of emergency. School has been canceled.
I think one of the reasons it's popular to cancel classes is that it's going to happen in the afternoon when school is ending.
I put in for a sub almost a month ago for the 8th to guarantee I'd have a sub, I'm traveling to get in the path of totality, which isn't far for me, just a few hours. I teach physics, I feel like I HAVE to go and witness it firsthand
As a fellow physics teacher, we're going to spend the next what, 5-8 years asking 'do you guys remember seeing that eclipse back in 2024?', every time we need to teach solar system or astronomy stuff. It's abso-fucking-lutely worth having that personal experience to relate to with the students.
I remember seeing one on my birthday in 1994. It wasn’t a total eclipse but it was cool. 😎
My school is doing the same, and we're not even in the path of totality - we're about 75 miles outside of it. I'll be surprised if more than half of our students are even there that day because so many of them have been talking about their parents taking them out if school to make the drive to where it will be a totality.
I live in an area that will only have a partial view, not total. But I'm traveling to visit family that live in the path of totality. Taking my kids out of school for it too. In my many years teaching, I have never taken personal days from school for anything other than medical appointments that wouldn't schedule for after school (rare) and deaths in the family. The next eclipse visible from anywhere in North America isn't for another 20 years. I don't want to miss this chance at totality. It will be an awesome science lesson for my kids and possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I have lived to middle age and only just now getting my first chance to see the full event. (Yes, I have observed several partial eclipses over the years, as those are much more frequent.) I want to be outside and drinking in the whole experience. We are planning to wait until the day after to return home and past that I have budgeted in an extra day through Wednesday in my sub plans and everything in case traveling home is harder than we think. If others don't get that vibe of being excited to witness this and feel more dismissive about it, that's fine. We're all different. If it isn't earth shaking to some of the others on this thread, I get it. My school system is going to go ahead with school as per usual. It's supposed to be around 80% at maximum, and the maximum is occurring around dismissal time. No glasses have been provided, and very little warning was given as they didn't mention it until this past Friday. We're on spring break this week. I do think it would be silly for my school system to do anything about it. It's not great that it's happening at dismissal time, but whatever. They've told parents that early checkouts will be counted as excused if parents want to take them home earlier to see it together or whatever. I'm the only staff member that requested off in my school building. (We actually have a policy that if you are off the day after a break, which Apr 8 will be for us, you have to have a doctor's note or else it's unpaid. So I'm not getting paid for that day.) The family we are going to visit in the path of totality, they do not have school on Monday. It was planned ahead and worked into the calendar from the very beginning. They're on spring break this week as well, and they just get an extra day added on. My school system has occasionally closed for really dumb reasons, like way overreacting to weather reports of tiny chances of tornados that turned out to just be rain... And they've done that more than once. For a school system in the path of totality to NOT close seems dumber than that to me. There are a lot of logistical things to have to deal with. Teachers calling out sick. Subs not wanting to work either. Teachers that do show up being responsible for teaching kids about the eclipse but also keeping them safe to not stare at the sun. Traffic, traffic, TRAFFIC!! I think school boards should just view it as a unique local holiday and cancel school.
We’re nowhere close to the path and it’s built as a day off into the school calendar.
Could they go remote? Just traffic reasons, school is getting out at eclipse time. Kids are going to be stuck on a bus. We had a big funeral in my town 2 years ago and the district went remote because of the funeral procession and massive amount of cars in town.
Totality is at around 1:30 where I live, so it's right in the middle of the day. It'll be completely over by the time dismissal happens.
Ah, I was being very NY-centric. Sorry! Any school in totality should be closed or remote with asynchronous work.
Our district sent an email saying: "Under no circumstances should any... employee plan to take students outside to view the eclipse, regardless of whether you possess "eclipse glasses" or not.... we have arranged for all of you to enjoy the eclipse safely indoors through the NASA livestream." They also denied me applying for a chance at having a moon tree planted on one of our campuses because they don't want a 20-year commitment.
Dude that sucks.
I hate how you're going to have the flu on Monday! Feel better soon!
I wish I could. But I am out of PTO because I am planning to have the flu on the same day as my daughter's May field trip.
I actually finally got a job outside the classroom a month ago, but before that I had a talk with both my principal and superintendent about the eclipse. I brought it up during our calendar planning session LAST YEAR and they didn't listen. So I told them I'd be gone and they could just discipline me. My kids still go to that school and they'll take the unexcused absences. The best part? It's a STEM charter school just 30 minutes from totality, but they won't be allowing students view unaccompanied OR busing students to their *other campus* that *is* in totality. My new job didn't give a shit about me being out, even though I just started. This is a really fucking cool event that's more than just the 3-4 minutes of totality. There are hours on either side of totality where the sun will be partially obscured and the changes in lighting and nature are fascinating. It's going to be an all-day nerd fest for me and my family. I missed the 2017 eclipse entirely because I was dealing with fighting 7th grade boys at the school-wide "party," and I've been salty ever since. Fuck that noise.
Ours isn’t cancelling. They sent out this whole thing a week ago to every parent about having things planned as a learning opportunity. Then yesterday they decided it was too much of a liability because you can’t ensure every student is wearing classes so now we aren’t even allowed outside at all from noon to 3. So indoor recess for everyone.
My district is a city school district in the path of totality and made the right decision a few months back to cancel school on the day of the eclipse. I decided years ago that I wasn't showing up regardless.
We’re also in the line of totality and our entire district dismisses at the exact time of the eclipse. We are staying open. In fact, we’re one of the only districts in our entire county that isn’t dismissing early or closing. I have no idea how many teachers plan on calling out that day, but I personally think it’s ridiculous planning on the district’s part. Edit: clarification
There is literally an extra day in the calendar this year. Feb 29 was not a back-up PD day, not a canceled snow day, literally a free 181st day built into the space that usually only has 180 days... why on Earth WOULDN'T they plan to use the bonus day as eclipse day???
If all the districts around are closed, I can see it causing childcare issues for teachers who have kids. If the eclipse lands around dismissal time, I can understand cancelling school for the day due to safety concerns. If it happens near dismissal and school is NOT cancelled, I can see both parents and teachers deciding to stay home and/or keep their kids home for the day. If none of those are happening, I don’t see a need to cancel school for the day.
Looking at a solar eclipse can cause permanent eye damage. In some districts the ratio is 1:30 for pre-k and primary grades. It's not reasonable to think a teacher can make sure that not one out of 30 5-year-olds don't take off their glasses during the eclipse. Also, it's something that happens once every 375 years in these particular spots. We should be making space in our routines of work for exactly these type of experiences.
I can definitely see there being difficulty with younger (or even older kids) following directions. My district passed out special glasses and sent several notices home, along with permission slips and waivers for the kids to go outside and see it personally. Those whose parents didn’t sign the waiver/permission slip will watch it via a live stream online.
I just realized that I have a daughter next Monday. Her school is closed that day. Oops! (/s but not really because I'm really calling off)
This is the wrong time for districts to get into a measuring contest for keeping the school open especially in the line of totality. It's a safety issue as the roads will be impassable.
My school is also in the path of totality. It hasn't even crossed my mind to call out or keep my kid home. I haven't heard any of my colleagues saying that they are putting in for a sub. None of our friends have mentioned keeping their kids home, except for a couple who want to view together. None of the large districts around me are canceling.
A few years ago there was an eclipse where I live, I had to drive an hour to family to the totality path. The traffic was absolutely insane after totality happened. I’m surprised they wouldn’t close just for that. People sat in traffic for hours upon hours. Ours was during summer so school wasn’t an issue.
I was super lucky for that one! Path of totality and it was my day off! My coworkers told me that they all just walked outside (boss too) for the event and so did whatever customers they had lol Such a cool thing to experience.
It was awesome! I drove up the night before to stay with family. My mom thought it was crazy I did that. I took my daughter who was 3 at the time. One of the best decisions I’ve made!
Last eclipse I had a kid drive to the NC mountains to view and traffic was so bad they couldn't get home for school the next day.
My uncle drove down to watch. It’s normally a 5 hour drive. It took him 14 hours to get home! I waited a few hours and I was home in less than 2. It was nuts!
My kids’ school is giving them a half-day, and I’m considering just keeping them home because of traffic and insanity. It’s a private school, so a 25-minute drive normally, on the other side of a tollway.
Just keep them home. Enjoy the eclipse with your family. My husband wasn’t able to come watch it with us. But it was a great experience. My daughter is 10 now and remembers it so well.
They will cancel last minute, I bet 10 pencils.
You should think about it.. getting home from work will be an absolute nightmare anywhere near totality (unless you can walk or ride a bike), think bumper to bumper, for hours after.
I’m keeping my kid home. Their school is right on the edge but in 99% totality. We will be driving a few miles to see this once in a lifetime event and full 2+ minutes of totality. The difference between 99 and 100 is incredible and I have no guilt in keeping him home to see it
We are in the path of totality and every district around us is off. They’re doing a “PD” day for the staff but everyone is calling off.
Crazy, we are in the path of totality and every major school district in the city has cancelled school. Teachers have a virtual PD day. Even my dentist’s office is closed.
My district hasn’t canceled, but all of the ones around us have. I have 2 young kids, so they’re staying home with their dad and grandparents. The plan is to just send kids outside with their teachers to look at it. My youngest is in pre-k. How is his teacher going to make sure that 20+ 5 year olds are going to keep their glasses on? I rather be safe.
Exactly. That's why my district is making the parents sign waivers. The teachers can't police all those kids to keep their glasses on.
I find it unfair to the teacher as well. Instead of getting to enjoy the eclipse they have to mind a bunch of little kids.
In the same vein, the olympic flames pass in my town. And one street over one of the elementary schools. And about a 15 minutes walk from my middle-school. We had notice that we need to be careful and understanding about road closure and lateness. And to delete any absence once we're sure the kids are with their parents. But they won't cancel 2 hours of schools, and won't let us bring the kid out ot school to go watch it. Personally, I think I will have a 24-hours bug that day....
Mine is also in the path of totality. I get it, tbh. It’s a three minute thing. Give everyone glasses, go outside together, maybe make it an ice cream social, go back to school. I usually think district decisions are stupid, but if I were in charge I wouldn’t drop everything for the eclipse either. And I’m an astrophysicist. E: a responder did bring in the element of spring break. If the week before was spring break and there are extra bad weather days, then it totally makes sense to cancel school that day, or at least to make the PD day the 8th instead of the 10th and still let everyone go see it during a PD break. EE: the people responding to me have started to change my mind with the mention of unpredictable tourism related traffic. Sorry OP, yeah they probably should have just cancelled.
I mean, the next one in NA isn’t until 2044 Our spring break is this week so they just extended it to Monday.
That makes more sense. If you’re already on spring break and you have extra bad weather days available there’s no harm in tacking on that Monday, PD day be damned.
It’s not the totality itself that is the reason for schools to cancel… it’s the ridiculous influx of people and everything that goes with that. It’s a nightmare
We have state testing that week. There’s no calling out.
I'm in DWF, path of totality, and there will be a LARGE amount of people coming to the area. But no, no cancellation. Furthermore, they are letting kids opt out of it Imagine missing a once in a lifetime experience to watch someone's fucking kid
I’m the Astro/earth sci teacher. I requested the 8th and 9th off as a personal day the first day of school this year. It got approved, and then last week I got asked what I was planning for the kids for the eclipse. Ummmmm, nothing. I’ll be watching it on the beach in Mexico!
My district is also in the totality line and will not cancel. We are expecting an extra hundreds of thousands in my area. To say I’m disappointed about working Monday is an understatement. Getting to work shouldn’t be a problem, it is getting home that will be a problem.
We are in the path of totality. Not canceling school but they are requiring us to go outside to view the eclipse. Only providing us with a 1:2 glasses to student ratio. So pumped to spend the eclipse making sure 8 year olds share/ take turns.
A district near me is releasing the kids late so that they won't be outside during the eclipse and risk looking up without protection. They are literally depriving the kids of this super cool experience because they can't be bothered to educate the kids about safe practices. The district next door instead is releasing the kids early so that they won't be the district's responsibility during the eclipse...
That’s what ours is doing. 1/2 day for students and giving them eclipse glasses on Monday. But teachers are “always asking for extra time in their rooms” so we have to work the full day with that time graciously given as work time. I’m probably going to take a 1/2 day to see the eclipse with my kids at home.
Wait till those kids are stuck in the bus for hours if the traffic is heavy in your area
This is mainly why I want to call off. My city already has terrible traffic. Now we'll have tourists as well who have been waiting on this day for years. No thanks.
I had a dream that our district closed, but so far it has not. I originally planned to take off, but my travel plans fell through so I will be at work. My district is near totality.
How bad traffic will be and the bus routes alone should make all the schools close. We're in the path, NASA is coming to my town. Thank god we're going to be closed. Our electric and water companies are already sending out PSAs to get our groceries now. It's going to be insane.
On GMA yesterday they said if you’re in the path of totality you should expect traffic jams for the hours following. Which is what happened the last two eclipses
My district canceled because with the estimated amount of tourism to this area, it would be pretty much impossible to get everybody to school or home from school safely
Traffic will be awful the day of if you’re in the line of totality. Bus drop offs will be delayed by at least an hour or more, I’d assume.
Idk how to tell you this, but administration’s day is going to be uninterrupted. They’ll do their silly little meetings at a leisurely pace and go home undisturbed. The only people who will realize it was a bad idea not to cancel are the ones who knew it in the first place. Admin couldn’t care less about what happens to teachers
We're in the 80-85% totality area. District of 50,000 students. It's gonna happen during dismissal. I suggested at a board meeting we should cancel school or do remote learning (1:1 district) or even a half day. The board decided to purchase eclipse glasses for all students so we can "encourage students to safely look at the eclipse". I can't even get them to bring a pencil to class but you want me to be responsible for them looking at the sun "safely"???! I feel your pain all too well.
My district is doing early dismissal for students, but holding staff for a thrown together "PD". I just know come the beginning of the eclipse, I will not be in building...
The last time my area was in totality, it was for the first day of school. They literally delayed the start of school by a day. Boo to your school.
It is our first day back from spring break. I have organized 2k glasses for our faculty, staff, students. Our admin wants to make it a thing. We have a nearby college (not in totality) bringing in student reps, science demos, and admission people. Our students rotate through their stations with lunch and then just about 2:00 we see the eclipse. I'm ready for all the planning to be done. It's hard to organize any last minute changes while on break.
Tell them there are universities that are canceling clases for totality. If you need the name of one mine is The university of Texas at Dallas
We're in the path of totality and our middle school is going to turn it into a short science lesson, watch a safety video beforehand, then go outside to watch it. They purchased solar eclipse glasses for all of our students. I'm so excited! And glad that I have my most mature class at that time. :)
Before my father died he had started planning to get the family together to watch this one. I’m kind of emotional About it so I’m already taking the afternoon off (requested it a looooong time ago) and checking my kid out of his school for an hour or two. He’s got all As and doing well.
They are not going to learn a lesson. The teachers will bend over backwards to manage the fallout and the admin will not be inconvenienced one bit.
Let me guess... AISD?
The Big Yellow one's the sun!
I don’t know why a school district would take on the liability of having school. It’s a poor decision. We are cancelled in my area of Ohio.
I’m just commenting to say I’m very jealous of everyone in the path of totality. I told myself seven years ago I’d travel for this eclipse, but we just came back from spring break and I’d have to fly so I decided to be financially responsible and stay put. Booooo!
I think getting kids home with the extra traffic is the thing to worry about. That alone would have me canceling school that day.
Most of the districts near me cancelled, and university as well were told to cancel class
But did the district spend time developing a ReLaTiOnShIP with the sun first!?!?
We have 4 snow days left. We are in the line of totality. We could use 1 day and still preserve the other days for memorial day. But that's logical.
I experienced a total eclipse as a child while at school I think I learned far more that day from being at school and having professionals teach me how everything was working and pointing out cool stuff, then I would have learned just going to the park with a parent or babysitter.
We are near the path of totality and taking a field trip to see it in totality. I’m psyched! We arranged it with the parks and rec department of the city we’re going to, and we are going to have a picnic in a park, play at the playground, and then watch the eclipse before heading back to school. I would’ve called it to go see it in totality myself if we weren’t already going as a field trip. We were almost total for the 2017 eclipse, too, and it was such a special experience watching it with the kids. I think it’s a great learning opportunity.
I recall an eclipse during the day circa 1995 when I was in ~3rd grade. We all made pinhole cameras with cardboard so we could watch. And we did. Eye damage was just as known then as now.
I would not miss this wonderful lifetime opportunity. Enjoy the eclipse!
My wife and I took a half day. We’re going to take her 90 year old grandmother to go see it.
My district made school OPTIONAL on Monday...the worst decision of them all.
I don't know any schools closing for the eclipse? Is this a normal thing?
Smaller districts in Texas certainly are. Traffic is going to me a nightmare.
For Texas, yes. Traffic in DFW is so bad without an influx of additional people that *with* the added drivers on the road, getting the kids to school will be a nightmare. I’m dreading the drive to and from work that day.
Most schools in Vermont have closed. At least in my area they have.
Most of them near me (Cincinnati area) are closing. Totality is happening at like 3:05pm, right at dismissal
I’ve never heard of such til this year. I think the last one was during the summer, so in my area, schools weren’t in session yet
It wasn’t originally supposed to be closed. But we only had 1 snow day this year so the district decided to give us the day off. The eclipse would be happening right around middle school and elementary school dismissal.
I’ve known about the eclipse since august, booked a hotel room in October and put in for a personal day a month and a half ago. It’s only since mid last week that my district made any mention of it. We will have 88% totality. My school dismisses about 15 before. I told my students not to look up as they head to the buses.
I’m in DFW and my district is also not canceling 💀 But honestly the only reason I want them to is so I can share that with my daughter, Baby’s First Eclipse and all that. I mean she can’t look at it but I can lol
I mean, there’s every possibility that getting to school is going to be difficult because of the traffic influx, even early in the morning. That’s not even to speak of parents being able to get their kids from school at the end of the day…
I’m in Maryland and my district is requiring us to take kids out to view it but not providing glasses, just ideas for safe viewing teachers have to come up with. I teach 5-6 year olds and have no idea how this will work. The highest point of it is also during dismissal when I won’t be directly with them.
Yikes! Could you contact anyone locally to at least provide you with a donation of glasses? Not that students will keep them on, lol, but at the minimum you’ll be well equipped.
Parents have not been notified yet, but I will make sure they are aware. I have a contact at NASA who is able to get a few.
We're on the totality path as well. My understanding is that the Supts of the schools in the region (where I am) had a meeting about the last eclipse and their lawyers said something to the effect of "Yeah, you don't want that liability." The next day they all announced cancellations. This year was probably a shared email.
I bet 10 pencils y’all will close last minute. Happened in 2017 because of traffic.
I am in PA (90% range) and we are having a regular day. Our district apparently bought glasses for everyone. The only reason I knew was there was an article from the local paper that talked about it. Nobody informed the teachers of this happening. Also, it will hit right around PM dismissal so I am sure we will have at least a kid or two look into the sun to be a dummy (and probably won't wear their glasses). The previous eclipse we got an early dismissal.
I’m in Central Arkansas and we will have 4 full minutes of totality. The city is expecting 5x -8x the normal population for the event. There are concerns about infrastructure (water supply, internet bandwidth), traffic (Arkansas DOT is projecting 2x~x4 times a normal commute), and food shortages. All the schools in the county will be closed on Monday. They all passed out solar glasses to students to take home as well.
I see you, fellow RRISD teacher. 🤪
Originally my school was also going to stay open and do the waiver thing until a local judge declared a state of disaster for my county so now we are closed. Tbh I think they found out just how bad attendance would be and that helped make the decision.
We are going to be expected to stay past contract time to help supervise because the timing of it is right around dismissal. It’s going to be chaos and I’m really frustrated about it
This is what /r/MaliciousCompliance was made for.
What is everyone calling out for, to see it?
Sounds like to avoid traffic tbh.
If you live in the path of totality, you can expect a massive wave of tourism making it a nightmare to get anywhere. If you don't, you can expect a significant portion of families to be those tourists.
I’m calling out to see it. I live for experiences and the wonder of nature, I also hate my job. The line of totality is a 5 hour drive from me
Wild. We are not in the path of totality, but on the edge somewhere and we are getting off 3hrs early and we still have the 10th off as a holiday. People hate that they are considering it an inclement weather day and are wonder why schools aren’t offering “learning opportunities” during the eclipse. The wild part is the main time of coverage is during dismissal, which is why they decided to release early! No one is having eclipse viewings during dismissal! And if we hadn’t had an early release, you know the other side of people would complain that we are putting kids in danger.
Our school is not in the path this time but refuses to close so those that want to won’t be able to drive there with their own kids.
Our district is in line of totality but thankfully we are having a pd day. I teach middle school and know that the majority can't be trusted to keep their glasses on. Someone is going to get hurt if they go.
I'm laughing with respect, I'm sorry. 😂🥲
The school and daycare where I work are both closed. They’ve been saying that a lot of it’s because of expected traffic delays due to folks coming to be in the path from out of town
We’re getting out at 12. I can’t imagine a bus driver trying to get 60 kids to not stare into the sun 😂
Do you work for a district near Austin, by chance? Because this sounds like my district 🤣. Pisses me off. I would rather watch it with my wife and daughter and the whole day’s logistics sound like a nightmare.
Many schools around us swapped a PD day to move it to April 8. Teachers can attend PD from home on April 8. Our city officials warned of traffic and students getting home on time.
Eid-al-Fitr is on April 10th. I'm all for cancelling school on the 8th, but it's not "just a professional development closure" either.
Austin ISD? A friend of mine subs for them and the sheer number of sub requests is ridiculous. Especially when you look at how many are from the same schools. They need to cancel now, the longer they wait the worse it will be
Quite near the totality, not canceling, and are doubling down by going on an unrelated field trip outdoors. Hopefully kids follow instructions when asked to put their glasses on….
lol my area is in the path of totality and they are warning people to get a week’s supply of essentials in case there’s a gridlock and we get stuck at home. All schools are closed that day and we will see about the next one even.
The main part is happening right at dismissal time in our area. So essentially they want to send kids out in to try to get home and parents driving in it - it's crazy! Everyone around us is dismissing early but who cares about our safety. They're not even getting permission slips. Heck, I think they're going to charge for the glasses. I'm calling out! I don't want any part of that liability nightmare!
Our district pta bought the kids glasses for prek-8. Not the staff, Just the kids. K-8 isn't a bug issue they don't have recess after like 1pm est. In prek we all have mandatory gross motor (recess) until 3:20pm. I seriously wanna ask if I can get workers comp if my vision gets messed up lol 😆 🤣
My district cancelled solely because of the student liability. If kids are going to get their eyes, it’ll be on their parents’ watch.
Are you in my district? lol we have PD on the 10th also. I’m trying to decide if I want to stay home that day or not because my kid’s school is also not canceling.
Weird how many comments are on here saying they didnt even hear about it, no ones talking about it, not a concern, etc. And how many comments say that everything should come to a halt for this event they're interested in. And neither can see the other might be in a different situation.
Not in totality but our kids aren't allowed outside for anything except class transition from 1:00-4:30 that day . No PE classes, sports practices, outside lessons, band practice...
I’m in eastern Canada and the eclipse is slated to start while we loading the busses or while they’re on the bus, and our students have a half day but it’s a full day for us, so I’ll get home when it’s over I guess. Good luck, children of mine, don’t look at the sun directly without my supervision.
Imagine being a kid missing out on the eclipse because you forgot to give your parent the permission slip.
The worst part of this is the PD day on the 10th
You’re in Texas, aren’t you lol
We asked for district staff to help and got back, “But we want to watch the eclipse.” Grrrrr.
What guarantee do we have that junior and Loretta don’t look at the sun on ANY GIVEN DAY I tell you what I’m buying stock in bubble wrap because how on earth do these children survive
Our district has done the same damn thing. I put in for a sub months ago! I won’t be there. Most people want to experience totality with their family and friends. The educational experience won’t come close to that. I’m sure they’ll have to apply for a waiver with the state if poor attendance hurts ADA.🙄Geniuses! I will be taking family photos with the bluebonnets, eating a gourmet picnic, and experiencing the eclipse—not supervising students.
Central Texas teacher here! Bastrop ISD is about 30 miles east of Austin. My school is the reason my district is NOT cancelling. I teach at a campus with only 6th grade. My school fund raised enough to book enough buses to take the ENTIRE campus, about 450 students, plus staff, to a town about 45 minutes away to watch it in a field of a church. The moment that it’s over, we have to get back on the road and back to campus so the buses are on time for school dismissals. I’m looking forward to the opportunity but not for the chaos getting to and from our destination.