Solar eclipse school closings in Rochester NY: Brighton decides to close

Brighton Central School District announced Friday that the district tweaked its school calendar and will now close on Monday, April 8, the day of the total solar eclipse. Until this change, Brighton was the lone Monroe County public school district that asked students and staff to report on April 8 for instruction. Students were expected to attend for a half-day of instruction.

The eclipse will take place the Monday after a week-long spring break at the time most classes are dismissed for the day. Most Rochester area school districts opted to extend spring break by one day and canceled classes on April 8.

Previously, Brighton officials said the district already scheduled a full day off on Wednesday, April 10, for Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. District spokesman Dan Goldman said the district could not cancel classes on April 8 in addition to April 10, "in order to maintain the appropriate number of school days for our students" for the 2023-24 academic year. But school officials reviewed the school calendar and decided to set the last day of school now, rather than waiting until May as they typically do.

Brighton NY schools to close on day of total solar eclipse. Here's why

Brighton Superintendent Kevin McGowan said the district recently learned that five of eight daycare providers in the district will be closed on April 8, a move that would require an anticipated 140 changes to transportation plans to primary and elementary students. Since few emergency closure days were used this school year due to a mostly mild winter, McGowan set the final day of classes as Monday, June 24. This date could change if any more emergency days are used, he said.

To date this school year, only one emergency closure day was used in Brighton for middle and high school students due to a water main break. No emergency days were used for primary and elementary students, according to district officials.

"Although we felt as though our students could be safely transported home prior to the beginning of the eclipse, the change in logistics ... and our availability of days due to the mild weather have given us an opportunity to allow for families to be together on this day, including our staff and their families," McGowan said.

District officials shared the change on the district's website and social media and also directly contacted Brighton families.

Are classes in Brighton NY still canceled on April 10?

Yes, classes will still not be held on Wednesday, April 10, as scheduled. School will be in session, however, on Tuesday, April 9.

What time is the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024?

Starting at 2:07 p.m. on April 8 in Rochester, the moon will begin to appear to move in front of the sun. Totality begins at 3:20 p.m. and will last for 3 minutes and 38 seconds (plus or minus a few seconds depending where you are standing.) By 4:33 p.m. the moon will have moved past the sun returning the light to normal.

Rochester NY schools closed on April 8 due to solar eclipse

Mary Grow, East Irondequoit's Superintendent and the president of Monroe County's Council of Superintendents, said state officials in 2023 reached out to the council regarding the impact the eclipse could have on the school day, particularly due to anticipated heavy traffic around dismissal time. The decision on whether to cancel class for the day was left up to each district, she said. Nearly every school district in the nine-county region opted to cancel class for the day, according to Dan Schneiderman, the eclipse partnerships coordinator for the Rochester Museum & Science Center.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Solar eclipse school closings in Rochester NY: Brighton decides to close