Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter
Valley students will be able to watch the total solar eclipse from their own backyards on April 8. The New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) has announced that all elementary and secondary schools will be closed that day as a preventive measure.
A solar eclipse is a rare astronomical phenomenon, and looking at the eclipse during the different phases without proper eye protection can result in permanent eye damage or “solar retinopathy,” where the retina is burned by the brightness of the sun. The moon is expected to cross paths with the sun between 2:14 and 4:36 p.m. on April 8, which coincides directly with the period during which most students will be dismissed from school.
NFSB director general Michael Helm confirmed the decision to make April 8 a pedagogical day in a communication sent to all parents on March 12. Helm explains that the decision was made because the board “cannot ensure close supervision during student dismissal, and because we are concerned for the safety of our students who may be tempted to watch the solar eclipse without proper eye protection.”
Helm says the board worked through several scenarios to keep the schools open, but the timing of the eclipse made this too difficult. “We feel that this is the right decision based on all the information,” said Helm, noting the Ministry of Education was supportive of any decision so long as it maximized school days. “We had one more pedagogical day available, so this meant we could make the move,” he explains. As a result, a conditional ped day scheduled for May 10 will now become a regular school day.
School daycare services at all NFSB elementary schools will remain open throughout the day.
The Huntingdon Adult Education and Community Centre in Huntingdon, as well as the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre in Ormstown and the NOVA Career Centre in Chateauguay will all remain open on April 8. Helm says the centres will be able to adjust schedules so students can avoid driving during the eclipse.
The announcement, which was posted to social media, generated over 185 comments, and was shared over 195 times by parents who were either frustrated over the decision or pleased with the board’s concern for their children’s safety.
Citing similar safety concerns, the Lester B. Pearson, Sir Wilfred Laurier, English Montreal, and Riverside school boards have all cancelled scheduled classes on April 8, as well as many French school centres across the province.
As of press time, the Centre de services scolaires de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT) had not issued an official announcement concerning the cancelation of classes on April 8. A statement from the school centre notes that certain elements of the action plan concerning the eclipse have yet to be confirmed. The CSSVT will be in communication with parents, adult students, and staff very soon with more detail concerning its decision whether to maintain classes or not.
All NFSB schools will be providing students with certified solar eclipse glasses prior to April 8 so students can experience the astronomical event safely from home.