Seymour, Oxford Schools Will Dismiss Early For Eclipse

SEYMOUR – While rain blanketed the Naugatuck Valley on Wednesday (April 3), forecasts show clear skies for Monday’s upcoming total solar eclipse – and, for Seymour and Oxford students, an early school day.

Seymour announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday that schools will be releasing students early on Monday. The post cites safety concerns, noting that looking at the sun can cause permanent eye damage when viewed without special equipment – especially during an eclipse, when looking at the sun is at its most tempting.

“A commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and staff drives our decision,” Superintendent Susan Compton wrote in the post. ​“The decision to send students and staff home early will safeguard their well-being and provide a chance to experience this rare celestial event with their families, should they choose to do so, under safe viewing conditions.”

Oxford Public Schools also cited safety concerns in their decision to dismiss early, according to WTNH.

The eclipse – the first total solar eclipse visible in the US since 2017, and the last until 2045 – will darken the sky on Monday afternoon, reaching its peak magnitude at around 3:37 p.m.

Here’s what schools throughout the Valley have said about the eclipse. And, if you’re making plans to view the eclipse, here are a few things to consider to stay safe.

Seymour

The decision to dismiss early sparked off a heated discussion among parents, with the Facebook post garnering more than 75 comments by the end of the school day.

“We made a science project out of it and learned a lot last time many moons ago,” one commenter wrote after the Valley Indy shared the Facebook post. ​“To call early dismissal is just ridiculous.”

Other commenters pointed out that the eclipse will occur between 2 and 4 p.m. – around the same times Seymour schools normally dismiss.

“It’s nearly impossible to tell kids to not look at the sun while they’re riding the bus,” another commenter wrote. ​“Plus the safety of making the stops in the dark. I would think that if this was going to be over before dismissal, they would stay in school.”

According to the Facebook post, Seymour Public Schools’ decision was based on guidance from the Connecticut Department of Education. 

A recent memo from the department advised Connecticut schools on safe viewing methods for the eclipse. It noted that the eclipse occurs during times when many students are normally coming home from school. The memo did not include guidance on whether to send students home early.

The Valley Indy sent a voicemail and an email to Seymour Public Schools, which had not been returned as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. 

Release times vary by school. From earliest to latest, they are:

• Seymour High School: 11 a.m.

• Seymour Middle School: 11:30 a.m.

• Bungay and Chatfield Elementary Schools: 12:15 p.m.

Ansonia, Derby, And Shelton

School officials in both Ansonia and Derby said on Wednesday that they have no plans to alter the school day.

Next week will be April recess for Shelton Public Schools. There will be no school.

An email sent to Derby parents said that special eclipse-viewing glasses will be provided to each student, and reminded families that it will not be safe to look directly at the sun at any time. Eclipse-viewing glasses are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses, allowing viewers to look at the sun without risk of injury.

Ansonia Superintendent Joseph DiBacco said in an email to The Valley Indy that schools will release students at their usual time on Monday. He mentioned that Derby and Region 16 (Beacon Falls and Prospect) are doing the same thing.

DiBacco said that eclipse glasses will be provided to Ansonia students.

Viewing Options: To Chase Totality, Or Stay Home?

Ansonia, Derby, and Seymour will all experience the eclipse at about 92 percent magnitude, according to a webpage on Eclipse2024.org. The eclipse will first be visible beginning around 2:12 p.m., and it will reach its peak magnitude at about 3:37 p.m. By about 4:37 p.m., the sky should return to normal.

Wondering what the difference is between 92 percent and a total solar eclipse? This video from the National Weather Desk shows a simulation of the difference between a partial and total eclipse.

Sarbani Basu, an astrophysicist who studies the sun and teaches at Yale, described the difference in a phone call with The Valley Indy. It’s a night-and-day difference, she said:

“The saying in the eclipse community is, ​‘A 99 percent total is actually a zero percent total,’” Basu said. ​“However, that doesn’t mean things won’t get strange. Assuming that the weather gods smile on Connecticut, what you will see is a considerable darkening.”

Basu, who has seen three total eclipses, said to keep an eye on your shadow, wherever you are.

“During an eclipse, even though it gets dark, shadows don’t change size. They remain the same and they get sharper, which looks very strange if you notice it.”

Basu reiterated the need to wear eclipse glasses anytime you look up, since looking at the sun can cause eye damage even at 92 percent totality.

The path of totality – the region which will experience a total eclipse – includes parts of northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. At 100 percent totality, the sun will be invisible except for its corona, which can be safely viewed without eclipse glasses.

But you may want to hold off before packing your bags and heading up north. According to an article from the Burlington Free Press, Vermont is expecting around 250,000 visitors on Monday. The Vermont Agency of Transportation advised Vermonters to avoid all unnecessary travel throughout the day given the expected traffic.

A spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation said that the department does not expect traffic in Connecticut to be heavily impacted. She said that most of the burden will be borne by Massachusetts and Vermont.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is expected to make a press release on Thursday (April 4) concerning eclipse travel conditions, according to the spokesperson.

Whether you choose to stay home or chase after clear skies in the path of totality, it’s worth taking a look up on Monday afternoon. The next total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. won’t be until 2045 – and Connecticut won’t be in or near the path of totality until 2079.

Click here to learn more about solar eclipses from the American Astronomical Society.