EMSB cancelling classes on April 8 due to solar eclipse
Posted February 14, 2024 11:11 am.
Last Updated February 14, 2024 11:16 am.
The English Montreal School Board is cancelling all daycare, elementary and high school classes on April 8 due to a solar eclipse.
The school board revised its school calendar for all elementary schools by moving a previously scheduled pedagogical day from March 22 to April 8.
For all high schools, a March 15 ped day will now take place April 8.
The EMSB says April 8 will be a regular school day for its adult education and vocational centres, as well its F.A.C.E. School.
Experts say looking directly at the sun during an eclipse, particularly for children, can lead to partial or complete loss of eyesight. There is also traffic safety concerns, with thousands of children heading home in temporary darkness.
The eclipse is expected to be observed in Mexico first at around 11:07 a.m. PDT, when the moon will move in between the Earth and the sun, casting a partial or total shadow.
The eclipse will then be visible in the United States before moving toward southern Ontario, then Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton, lasting for about two hours around the same time many kids in Canada are let out from school.
The Lester B. Pearson School Board says it’s not yet decided if it will cancel classes on that day.
“We are looking at different scenarios and will inform our community once a decision is made,” the school board told CityNews in a statement. “Our main priority is to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff.”
–With files from The Canadian Press
