School's out: Canton City Schools cancels classes, activities for solar eclipse

Amy L. Knapp
·1 min read
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A portion of a NASA solar eclipse map showing how close the path of totality will be to Cape Cod on April 8, 2024. According to NASA, "the total solar eclipse will be visible along a narrow track stretching from Texas to Maine."
A portion of a NASA solar eclipse map showing how close the path of totality will be to Cape Cod on April 8, 2024. According to NASA, "the total solar eclipse will be visible along a narrow track stretching from Texas to Maine."

CANTON – Canton City Schools students will have the day off on April 8 as Ohio takes centerstage for a total solar eclipse.

District officials said the decision to have a calamity day and cancel all school activities was prompted by a concern for safety.

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency has been planning for the eclipse for some time and has advised traffic could be heavy with gridlock before and after the eclipse. Cellphone service may be limited or disrupted.

Northeast Ohio is in the path of the solar eclipse, with it crossing the state from southwest to northeast passing through cities such as Toledo, Mansfield, Akron and Cleveland in a 124-mile band across the state.

Northwest Stark County, including Canal Fulton, will be in the line of total solar eclipse, when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, obstructing the view of the sun and darkening the sky. The rest of Stark County, including Canton, will experience a partial solar eclipse, where the sky darkens but will not go completely black.

County emergency management officials estimate hundreds of thousands of eclipse visitors will flood the area.

The timing of the eclipse coincides with the dismissal times. The eclipse will first begin in the area around 2 p.m., with the total eclipse occurring around 3:30 for about two minutes. The entire event will end about an hour later.

Several districts have canceled classes that day, including Massillon City Schools, North Canton City Schools and Northwest Local Schools. More are expected to decide in the coming weeks.

School officials said the district education services department is working on lessons to help prepare students for the eclipse, including how to safely view the eclipse.

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com.

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Canton City Schools joins others in canceling classes for eclipse