JCPS Plan Regarding Solar Eclipse on August 21

JCPS Acting Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio provided additional guidance to our school principals on August 8 regarding the solar eclipse later this month.

Here are the highlights:

• All JCPS middle and high schools will have a delayed dismissal the day of the eclipse, Monday, August 21. The dismissal time for these schools, including all special schools and alternative schools, will be 2:41 p.m. This is a delay of 21 minutes past the regular dismissal time of 2:20 p.m.
• Elementary schools will have an on-time dismissal, but parents should know that their child may be delayed when arriving home that afternoon due to traffic. This is especially true for students whose transportation may run through a depot.
• Students and teachers may participate in instructional activities regarding the eclipse if proper safety protocols are followed. Each school should develop a plan and communicate that plan to the appropriate assistant superintendent. The plan should include which classes are going outside for instruction and the safety protocols being followed to ensure student and staff safety.
• Each student involved in outside instructional activities must complete a permission form that will be provided by the school.
• Additionally, all non-eclipse outdoor activities (e.g., recess, physical education) between 12:30 and 3 p.m. should be moved indoors.

If parents are requesting an excused absence to attend the eclipse, an educational enhancement form must be submitted by Friday, August 18. Normally, these forms would be due on August 16, but we are providing two extra days because August 16 is the first day of school. Each school should have forms to provide parents and information about additional student obligations, if required by your school’s School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council.

A link to the district form is available here: http://bit.ly/2vM2j22.