Central Arkansas schools cancel classes ahead of total solar eclipse
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The skies will go dark and the school bells will be silent come Monday as school districts across central Arkansas have opted to cancel class for the total solar eclipse.
It’s a historical event that for some could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but the North Little Rock School District officials say the decision to cancel classes for the day boils down to safety.
“There’s just going to be a lot of congestion,” NLRSD superintendent Gregory J. Pilewski said.
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The eclipse is expected to wrap up around 3 p.m. Monday. Pilewski said that’s the same time as school dismissal.
“Sometimes it can be really backed up, now you’re just going to add more people into the mix,” he said.
State leaders stated previously they are expecting, at the very least, 300,000 visitors in Arkansas for the eclipse. The Arkansas Department of Transportation has projected that traffic will build up on Friday and continue through Monday night.
“That was kind of our first concern is could we logistically get our kids home in a timely manner?” the superintendent said. “We don’t want kids getting home at 10 o’clock at night.”
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Pilewski said talks started at the beginning of the school year, discussing traffic, student and teacher attendance and safety during the eclipse.
“There may be cell service that is not going to be able to be used,” he said. “The safest thing for our kids is to be home with their families in a safe environment then they don’t have to worry about those things.”
Bryant School District is also canceling class on Monday. BethAnne Travis has two kids in the district and said she got a letter weeks ago.
“I was like, ‘Oh good, I’ll be three weeks postpartum,’” Travis said.
Travis said the news was initially stressful.
“There could be some stressed-out parents,” she said “I’m stressed out as I will have four children at home 5 and under, but I think if we can look at it from a cool experience point of view, it’s less stressful.”
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Travis said she plans to spend the day at home, experiencing the eclipse with her family.
“I realized that’s going to be really cool to see them experience the eclipse,” Travis said. “That’s never going to happen here again.”
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