Citing safety concerns, students throughout the Peterborough area will not be in school when a total solar eclipse passes over North America in early April 2024.
The next total solar eclipse is on April 8, 2024. According to NASA, a total solar eclipse occurs as the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.
“The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk,” NASA states.
On Tuesday during separate board meetings, trustees with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board voted in favour of moving a professional activity (PA) day that each had scheduled for April 26 to Monday, April 8. Students will have the day off from school.
The school boards note all regions will be impacted by diminished levels of daylight as the total solar eclipse will be visible from Canada to Mexico. The eclipse is expected in Ontario from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
NASA notes it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
“Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury,” stated NASA.
It is those safety concerns that prompted both school boards to schedule the PA day on April 8 The KPR District School Board serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Northumberland County and the Municipality of Clarington.
“The peak of the eclipse will occur during dismissal time across the school board, increasing student safety concerns for safe travel and potentially damaging eye exposure to the sun at that time,” the public school board stated.
“Educational material and resources to support learning and student safety on that day will be developed and shared throughout the school board community.”
The Catholic school board also said the peak of the eclipse is during dismissal time across the school board, increasing student safety concerns. The school board has 30 elementary schools and six secondary schools throughout Peterborough, Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Durham Region.
“There is also the potential for damaging eye exposure to the sun at that time,” the board stated. “As such, the board felt it prudent to move the April PA day so that students will not be in school on April 8.
“We look forward to creating educational material and resources to support learning and student safety prior to the April 8 eclipse so that students can safely learn about this historic and rare occurrence.”
A list of Canadian cities where the total eclipse and its 186-kilometre-wide swath will be visible is available online.
— with files from Doyle Potenteau/Global News
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