Area schools dismissing early for eclipse; what to expect in Shenandoah
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL FILE - A partial solar eclipse seen over Shenandoah in 2017.
SHENANDOAH – Ahead of Monday’s solar eclipse — expected to peak around 3:30pm here — each school district in our area is dismissing early.
Although the Shenandoah area will not experience totality — that spectacle is reserved for the northwest corner of the state and upstate New York — our area will still be above 90% coverage at the eclipse’s peak.
As such, each school district in the Sentinel‘s coverage area plans to dismiss early.
Shenandoah Valley Superintendent Brian Waite said in a letter to parents that the move is to “ensure all our students are safely home before the eclipse.”
He said each school district in Schuylkill County is dismissing early. In the Sentinel‘s coverage area, Shenandoah Valley, Mahanoy Area, North Schuylkill, Hazleton Area, and Mount Carmel are all dismissing early.
Shenandoah Valley High will dismiss at 12:30pm and the elementary center will dismiss at 1pm.
All athletic practices and extracurriculars will also either be rescheduled or will start after 5pm.
Other schools’ dismissal plans are as follows:
- Mahanoy Area: 11:30am (HS); noon (Elem.)
- North Schuylkill: 11am (HS); noon (Elem.)
- Hazleton Area: 10:30am (STEM/Arts); 10:45am (HS/Career Ctr.); 11am (Middles); noon (Elem.)
- Mount Carmel: 12:30pm (Jr/Sr. High); 12:50pm (Pre-K); 1:15pm (Elem. Walkers); 1:20pm (Elem. Bus).
Eclipse Details
The Shenandoah area will experience a partial solar eclipse, beginning at 2:07pm and ending at 4:34pm, with a peak at 3:22pm.
At the time of the peak, 93% of the sun will be blocked by the moon.
While the area will not experience totality, the lighting will be unique, seeming overcast even if the sky is clear.
That is what we experienced in August 2017, when a partial eclipse blocked about 75% of the sun in the Shenandoah area.
NASA warns that watching the sun as it’s slowly obscured by the moon’s shadow without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing can cause serious eye injury.
Some organizations, like the Ringtown Library, have offered eclipse glasses for safe viewing.
A limited number of those will be available at their StoryWalk ribbon cutting Saturday morning.
If you want to experience totality, the nearest spot is Syracuse, three hours away from Shenandoah.
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