School districts across Schuylkill County have announced early dismissals for Monday, April 8, in anticipation of the solar eclipse.
In Schuylkill County, we’re not expected to experience a total eclipse but, according to timeanddate.com, the magnitude of the eclipse here will be 0.934 (the greatest is 1), or 93% obscuration.
So, it’ll be a nearly total eclipse. And schools here believe that its alignment with normal dismissal times could cause some issues so they’re moving up the end of the school day and moving back the start of after-school activities, namely sports.
These early dismissals will happen regardless if it’s sunny or cloudy on Monday. The latest National Weather Service forecast for Schuylkill County on Monday calls for a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 60 degrees.
Here is a letter sent to parents in the Blue Mountain School District:
Monday’s partial solar eclipse in Schuylkill County is expected to begin at 2:07 p.m. and last until 4:34 p.m. The eclipse will reach its maximum at 3:22 p.m. That’s when the moon will obscure about 93% of the sun.
Check with your local school district for the specific timing of early dismissals.
This is the first time Pennsylvania has been in direct line with a total solar eclipse since 1806.
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Education will consider an early dismissal for the solar eclipse as a full school day.
Image: Canva
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