Eclipse Will Extend School Day For Abington Twp. Students

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —The Abington Township School District won't be dismissing school early for the partial solar eclipse on April 8 —they'll be extending the day.

Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher said that since the school community won't have a chance to experience an eclipse of this magnitude again until 2044, the district is planning on taking advantage of the celestial event and using it as an educational opportunity for students.

According to NASA, the eclipse is expected to be visible in the Philadelphia region between 2:08 p.m. and 4:35 p.m., with the maximum eclipse occurring at 3:23 p.m.—just after the elementary school dismissal time.

"This is truly an exciting learning opportunity for our Abington School District students," the superintendent said.

In North America, the last total solar eclipse occurred in August 2017. The next one won't occur until 2044.

Here is the schedule for students on April 8:

Elementary Level

• As it will be dark outside during dismissal time on Monday, April 8, we are going to delay elementary school dismissal until 3:45 p.m., which will extend the school day by 25 minutes. (please note that this will not affect the dismissal times at the secondary level)
  • If your student is a walker or taking the bus, please anticipate their arrival home from school 25 minutes later than on a typical day.
• On or before April 8, all classes will feature special lessons about eclipses, including important safety information.
• During the eclipse, staff will bring students outside to witness the phenomenon firsthand.
• To facilitate this learning experience, each teacher will receive eclipse glasses for staff and students to safely observe the eclipse. These glasses are ISO 12312-2 certified and essential for protecting eyes during the event.
  • You may choose to opt your child out of receiving a pair of glasses and watching the eclipse outside by notifying your child’s teacher via email. Any students whose parents/guardians have opted for them to not participate in the outdoor viewing will be brought into a common area for a livestream broadcast of the eclipse, available via NASA’s website.
• Any parents/guardians who choose to pick up their student at the normal dismissal time are permitted to do so. Likewise, for any students whose parents/guardians wish for them to be absent or signed out of school early due to safety concerns or the desire to watch the eclipse elsewhere, the absence will be considered as an “Excused Absence”. Please notify the school as you normally would if you plan to sign your student out early or call them out for the day.

Secondary Level

• On or before April 8, secondary classes will feature lessons on the celestial phenomenon, including important safety information. Further, all students and staff will receive eclipse glasses to safely observe the eclipse. These glasses are ISO 12312-2 certified and essential for protecting eyes during the event.
  • Principals at the secondary buildings will be communicating how glasses will be distributed to staff and students.
  • If you choose to opt your child out of receiving a pair of glasses, please notify your student’s grade-level assistant principal via email.
• On Monday, April 8, secondary schools will dismiss at their regular times. All after-school activities will be postponed.
  • There will not be late buses scheduled that evening.
• Any students whose parents/guardians wish them to be absent or signed out of school early due to safety concerns or the desire to watch the eclipse elsewhere, will be considered as an “Excused Absence”. Please notify the school as you normally would if you plan to sign your student out early or call them out for the day.

For safety tips to keep in mind on Monday, April 8, and other eclipse-related information from the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, please click here.

Anyone with questions about the district's plans for the eclipse should contact the school principal, who will be communicating more specific details once we return from spring recess.