The Salem School Board voted to adjust a built in snow day due to the Total Solar Eclipse that is expected to impact this area on April 8 during its meeting Monday night.
The school calendar had Friday, April 5, scheduled as a snow day. Since the eclipse is set to come through Monday, April 8, near the time of dismissal from school, the board voted unanimously to move the built-in day to April 8 for safety reasons.
Assistant Superintendent Jill Mires said this is not uncommon, as many schools across the country are taking the initiative to either have an elearning day or call school for the day.
“It worked out well that we had a built-in day scheduled already,” she said. “It made it an easy fix for us to ensure our students are not on buses during the total eclipse.”
According to NASA, the total eclipse will move over Mexico, United States and Canada on April 8. “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People viewing the eclipse from locations where the Moon’s shadow completely covers the Sun – known as the path of totality – will experience a total solar eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk.” Read more about the eclipse at science.nasa.gov.
The eclipse is expected to pass over Washington County at approximately around 3:05-3:10 p.m. that day.