Local school boards are joining others across the province in rescheduling a professional activity day in April due to safety concerns about the total solar eclipse.
Article content
The PA Day previously scheduled for April 19 will be changed to April 8.
Article content
The Grand Erie District School Board and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board say the change is due to safety concerns related to the eclipse when the moon blots out the sun across eastern Canada, plunging cities and towns into darkness for a few minutes.
All the provinces in eastern Canada will experience a total solar eclipse on April 8. If skies are clear, Canadians from Point Pelee in southwestern Ontario to Gander in northeastern Newfoundland will be able to witness the celestial spectacle that Monday afternoon, starting at about 2 pm and ending at about 4:30 pm
The timing coincides with student dismissal times, said letters sent out Tuesday to families with students attending local schools.
Article content
“This decision was made to ensure that students will not be outdoors during the total solar eclipse,” said the letter sent out by the Catholic board.
The Grand Erie board said rescheduling the PA Day was done “out of an abundance of caution for student safety and well-being.”
As noted on the Government of Canada’s website – asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/eclipses/total-solar-eclipse.asp — “there are risks associated with viewing a solar eclipse,” said the Catholic board’s letter. “Directly looking at the sun, even during an eclipse, without appropriate protection can lead to severe eye damage or loss of vision.”
“We understand that this change might cause some inconvenience, however, this decision is in the best interest of the safety of our community.”
Article content
Childcare centers and PA Day camps are permitted to run as they would normally, with safety measures in place, said the Catholic board.
The total eclipse is considered a rare occurrence and will only be visible in some parts of the world, including Brantford and Norfolk County, where the moon will pass between Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light.
Typically, a total solar eclipse is visible once roughly every 18 months or once every one to two years from somewhere on Earth, but for a given location this can be a very rare occurrence coming after a gap of centuries.
The time and duration of the solar eclipse vary depending on where you are.
In Brantford, the sun will be completely hidden for over a minute starting at 3:18 pm, according to the Canadian Space Agency. However, it will be at least partially covered from about 2 pm to 4:30 pm
In Norfolk County, the space agency says the sun will be completely hidden for close to three minutes, starting at 3:16 pm
Livestream viewing of the solar eclipse can be watched through the NASA Exploratorium livestream at exploratorium.edu/eclipse/livestream
McMaster University has donated EclipSmart Solar Eclipse Glasses, “which will be given to all staff and students, along with optional curriculum resources to support student learning around this rare event,” said the Grand Erie board.
Share this article in your social network