Board Votes to Keep School Open During Eclipse

Update: Superintendent Joe Craig stated on April 2 that the district will be closed on April 8.

A total solar eclipse will cross North and Central America creating a path of totality on April 8.  The school board voted last Monday to keep the district open. 

“It’s a big deal,” Craig said. “It’s a neat event and I think it’s going to be really cool. We plan to make it a big school-wide event.”

FISD is the only district in the surrounding area that is staying open that day.

“Our original thought was that once the totality eclipse finished after 2 minutes and 21 seconds of totality, and that was going to be at about 1:40 p.m,” superintendent Joe Craig said, “so at 1:45, 1:50, it’s kind of over. That gives people a chance to leave, clear the roads, that sort of thing.”

  The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an event at the fairgrounds with live music, Kona Ice, and other attractions from 11am-2pm.

“We know that our city chamber of commerce is doing an event at the city park, the fairgrounds area,” Craig said. “We know that we had that day scheduled for school. And we would love to have school that day, because I think it gives us the best opportunity to make it a true educational experience.”

Viewing a total solar eclipse requires specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. The district purchased solar eclipse glasses for all of the students and staff to use that day.

“I’m getting a lot of pressure right now,” Craig said. “But if we don’t have school, yeah, we can send the glasses home with the students.”

The moon will move between the sun and the Earth, making the sun look like it’s covered up for a little while. The eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean. The first location in continental North America that will experience totality will be Mexico’s Pacific coast. It will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The eclipse will exit continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, and Canada. 

“I’ve learned, as you get more information, sometimes your way of thinking changes,” Craig said. “I’m really watching the weather and we’re a little far out right now. I don’t want us to be stuck in traffic with our school buses.”