Some Texas schools are canceling classes for the solar eclipse on April 8. Is yours?
Alexis SimmermanNatural phenomena like solar eclipses are exciting for adults and children alike. A total solar eclipse is coming in April, and some Texas school districts are already preparing.
Many Central Texas cities will fall in the path of totality in the early afternoon of April 8. Some have announced canceled classes for the day to allow students to experience the eclipse.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lisa Sullivan, communications director with the City of Dripping Springs, told KXAN. "It only happens in the same area every 300 years."
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Other school districts, such as Liberty Hill ISD and Marble Falls ISD, have called off classes in anticipation of an influx of tourists into the area. Instead of a typical school day, they have deemed April 8 as a professional development day.
“It was kind of a win-win for us. We didn’t lose any instructional time, we just adjusted our schedule slightly,” Todd Washburn, assistant superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD, told KXAN.
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When is the 2024 total solar eclipse?
The total solar eclipse is on Monday, April 8, 2024.
Which Texas school districts are closing for the 2024 solar eclipse?
Here’s a list of school district closings on April 8:
- Blanco ISD
- Boerne ISD
- Burnet CISD
- Cherokee ISD
- Comfort ISD
- Doss CCSD
- Dripping Springs ISD
- Ennis ISD
- Fredericksburg ISD
- Harper ISD
- Johnson City ISD
- Kerrville ISD
- Killeen ISD
- Lampasas ISD
- Liberty Hill ISD
- Llano ISD
- Lometa ISD
- Marble Falls ISD
- Mason ISD
- Medina Valley ISD
- Midway ISD
- San Saba ISD
- South San ISD
- Temple ISD
School districts hosting activities
However, not all school districts that fall into the path of totality are canceling classes. Larger districts like Austin ISD plan to hold classes while offering special activities so students can engage with the solar eclipse.
“We are excited that students across our district will have the opportunity to experience the solar eclipse with engaging and fun activities being planned at our campuses,” Northside ISD PIO Barry Perez told MySA. “Since the total eclipse occurs on a school day, Northside ISD will provide viewing glasses for all students and staff to safely view this incredible phenomenon.”
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Educators in the Dallas-Fort Worth area participated in the fifth installment of training on Jan. 13. "Total Eclipse of the Classroom" was hosted by Dallas College, the Frontiers of Flight Museum and Region 10 Education Service Center.