Round Rock schools to remain open for April 8 eclipse
The Round Rock school district announced last week it will remain open for the April 8 eclipse to ensure students and staff experience the eclipse.
Officials said each campus will have a designated area where students and staff can watch the eclipse. The district will be providing students and staff with solar glasses. Students must have parental permission to participate in any activities.
“We understand this is a rare opportunity for our student,” Natalie Nichols, senior chief of schools and innovation, said at the school board meeting where the decision was announced. “For that reason, it was very important for us to make sure that this was going to be part of the school have and to have the students take part in this.”
A total solar eclipse, in which the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking its light, will move over some areas of Texason April 8, and parts of Central Texas, including Round Rock, are in the eclipse's path of totality. Those in the 100-mile-wide path will experience total darkness, while areas outside the path will experience only partial darkness.
A thin ring of sunlight remained visible around the moon's silhouette in the October annular eclipse in Round Rock.
More: Where are the best spots to view the total solar eclipse in Texas? Here are a few options
During a board meeting last week, trustees Danielle Weston and Mary Bone objected to the district's decision to remain open. They said they were concerned about how traffic might affect students’ ability to make it to school and the ability to reach emergency services if needed because of an expected increase in visitors to the area.
Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez said the district is aware of the influx of visitors expected that day and is taking necessary precautions. For now, all bus routes will run as normal. He said if changes are made, parents will be updated through the district's SmartTag bus monitoring system.
Azaiez also said he expects attendance to be affected as parents might take their children out to view the eclipse elsewhere. He said he is aware of approximately 300 employees who will not be at work during the eclipse.
"We understand that our attendance may suffer that day for our students as well as for our staff, but I think a lot of our students and parents rely on us being open because they feel like we have to provide instruction and learning," Azaiez said. "In some cases, the district is providing happiness for our students and a safer environment for them. And so again, that's how we feel, but obviously, we're gonna watch and continue working with our partners and law enforcement agencies."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Round Rock schools to remain open for April 8 eclipse
