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Schools closing or releasing later during solar eclipse?? Anyone hear of this in your area.

lynn

By lynn,
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lynn

lynn

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My sister told me yesterday they are keeping the kids at her school an hour later that day and some schools around her are opting to close schools for the day.   I have not heard anything here?     Do you know anything from your area?

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MrsMommy

MrsMommy

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A few school districts here have already cancelled school for "safety reasons" that day...the reason being that the younger kids would be outside for recess at the time of the eclipse, and they're worried about them looking at it.

 

Schools are being closed where my in-laws live for traffic reasons. I think the totality is supposed to happen right around the time the junior highs let out for the day, and they're expecting lots of visitors and extra traffic to their town.

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zoobie

zoobie

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It will be happening right during elementary dismissal here, so I know one system has moved all dismissals back an hour. Makes sense as that would be pretty chaotic and possibly dangerous to the kids. No way to keep everyone from looking at the sun!

 

The total eclipse in the 1980s happened during the school day for me. My gifted teacher somehow managed to get all of her kids to watch it. We made those boxes, and a local meteorologist came to the school to talk to our class and film a segment.

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MrsBasil

MrsBasil

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It's the first day of school for 1-12th here and school will go on as usual.  It's also going to happen well before dismissal time though.  The eclipse ends a little after 1 here, so I'm guessing those with schools closing or changing schedules are well east of me.

 

  I'm sending my kids to school this year and the school has already informed us that all students will have an opportunity to see the eclipse. 

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rutamattatt

rutamattatt

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We start school in early August here.  They just voted in our district to close schools the day of the eclipse.  We are in the second longest viewing area for totality in the country, and the amount of traffic coming in that day will be astronomical.  (Ha! Sky pun!)  The schools didn't want to compete with that traffic for busing the kids home.  There are a TON of events/viewing parties here that day, and I think the distrcits figures kids will possibly skip school that day anyway so they voted to close.  

 

 

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Tanaqui

Tanaqui

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No school in August here either.

 

A few school districts here have already cancelled school for "safety reasons" that day...the reason being that the younger kids would be outside for recess at the time of the eclipse, and they're worried about them looking at it.

 

So instead they'll be home with their parents, going outside and looking at the sun...?

 

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luuknam

luuknam

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So instead they'll be home with their parents, going outside and looking at the sun...?

 

 

I'd assume that it's a lot easier for a parent make sure their kids wear eclipse glasses, than for a teacher to make sure all 30 of his/her kids do. 

 

School starts some time in Sept. 

Edited by luuknam
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shawthorne44

shawthorne44

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We start school in early August here.  They just voted in our district to close schools the day of the eclipse.  We are in the second longest viewing area for totality in the country, and the amount of traffic coming in that day will be astronomical.  (Ha! Sky pun!)  The schools didn't want to compete with that traffic for busing the kids home.  There are a TON of events/viewing parties here that day, and I think the distrcits figures kids will possibly skip school that day anyway so they voted to close.  

 

One of those will be us :)   

 

Last weekend DD heard about the eclipse and asked to see it.  We gave it some thought and decided to see it.  Everywhere on the total eclipse line from Nebraska to Tennessee that costs less than $200/night to stay is sold out.  So, we are staying South of Nashville, then driving to an Eclipse event.  We are doing tourist stuff over the weekend.  Parthenon and Hermitage are topping the list.  

 

Schools in this area start mid-August, which I think is bat-poo crazy considering what the electric bill will be for August in Texas.  

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BarbecueMom

BarbecueMom

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Our district's online calendar doesn't say they are off, but I think they are (school starts August 16th here - website hadn't been updated beyond that). They are charging each car to park in the lots on each school campus, and you can go out on the fields to watch the eclipse. They are closing and guarding the lots overnight so people don't RV or camp on school property.

 

ETA: They are also selling concessions, and it looks like the senior class is selling eclipse glasses. Students and staff get free glasses. I'm glad they are capitalizing on this event. Better than mattress sales, lol.

 

I live off an interstate in the totality path. I'm not going ANYWHERE that day.

Edited by BarbecueMom
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QueenCat

QueenCat

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I'm thinking anywhere in the path of totality might make sense to cancel for traffic reasons.

 

It's the first day of school in the city here. No canceling.

 

The county we used to live in is in direct path. Schools are closed there. Traffic is a major reason. Several of the schools are near the interstate and use the interstate for transporting kids to/from school. They are expecting up to 100,000-200,000 tourists in the area. They are not typically a tourist destination.

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fairfarmhand

fairfarmhand

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One of those will be us :)   

 

Last weekend DD heard about the eclipse and asked to see it.  We gave it some thought and decided to see it.  Everywhere on the total eclipse line from Nebraska to Tennessee that costs less than $200/night to stay is sold out.  So, we are staying South of Nashville, then driving to an Eclipse event.  We are doing tourist stuff over the weekend.  Parthenon and Hermitage are topping the list.  

 

Schools in this area start mid-August, which I think is bat-poo crazy considering what the electric bill will be for August in Texas.  

 

Enjoy your trip. The adventure science center is good too. And the Frist is a family favorite. I'm not sure what they've got on display right now but it's always good.

 

I live on the north side of Nash-vegas.

 And schools are closed in our area that day.

Edited by fairfarmhand
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shawthorne44

shawthorne44

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Enjoy your trip. The adventure science center is good too. And the Frist is a family favorite. I'm not sure what they've got on display right now but it's always good.

 

I live on the north side of Nash-vegas.

 And schools are closed in our area that day.

 

Thank you for that!  I am totally uninterested in Country Music stuff, so a great many of the normal suggestions are unappealing.   I was investigating the history because we are History Geeks and I figured Tennessee, it has that!   But, we are also Science Geeks.  

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QueenCat

QueenCat

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Enjoy your trip. The adventure science center is good too. And the Frist is a family favorite. I'm not sure what they've got on display right now but it's always good.

 

I live on the north side of Nash-vegas.

 And schools are closed in our area that day.

 

You could have an Eclipse party on the farm :) Do you have to do things to keep the animals calm during something like this? I've read that some animals might get confused when it happens.

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fairfarmhand

fairfarmhand

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You could have an Eclipse party on the farm :) Do you have to do things to keep the animals calm during something like this? I've read that some animals might get confused when it happens.

We're hoping to have a party. I doubt the animals will be too worried about it. The Fourth of July will be likely worse, although I expect the cows to bed down and the chickens to roost. Confused is more what they'll be than upset or nervous I believe.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Beth S

Beth S

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Thanks for mentioning this.

It caused me to check our local school calendar.

 

We're in the totality area, & our public schools are cancelled for the day.

Our kids are at the community college here, which is hosting a big NASA-sponsored 3 hour viewing event on the front lawn.

We'll watch from our backyard!

They've warned that the traffic will be crazy (500K visitors to the region)?

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Mbelle

Mbelle

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One school district here is releasing an hour later.

We are a one hour drive by road, but it might be closer directly.

I plan to drive the hour and experience it.

I was in school for the last eclipse and they took us all outside to see it.

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Daria

Daria

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No school in August here either.

 

 

So instead they'll be home with their parents, going outside and looking at the sun...?

 

As a teacher, I'd much rather parents be the ones making decisions about whether their kid is mature enough to be outside and follow the rules, making sure they're keeping their glasses on, etc . . . . I'd much rather monitor a couple kids than a class full.

 

We aren't near the totality, and school's not in session yet, so there's no issue here, but I think between the safety issue and traffic issues, it makes sense for a school to close.

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Word Nerd

Word Nerd

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It doesn't seem like a big deal to me even if they do. I know some people here don't get all the hoopla and think it will be "as exciting as watching grass grow," but even in areas that aren't in the path of totality there will be families traveling to places that are.

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luuknam

luuknam

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Seems it'd be easier to just... cancel recess, or else schedule it for a different time of day.

 

 

Of course they could... but as a parent, I'm going to be annoyed if we're in the path of the eclipse and my kids didn't get to see it. So, if the school is going to keep them inside, I'd be inclined to call in sick that day. If a significant number of parents do that, then it's kind of like "why do we bother to have the school open?". 

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