KERRVILLE, Texas — School districts in the Texas Hill Country are closing schools on Monday, April 8, the day of the 2024 total eclipse.
The school districts confirmed to have decided to give students and staff the day off.
- Kerrville ISD
- Boerne ISD
- Bracket ISD
- Comfort ISD
- Comal ISD
- Seguin ISD
- Texas State University
Texas State University also announced it has suspended classes from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday.
The phenomenon is being dubbed the Great American Eclipse for how big a path it will cut through the U.S. It'll also be the last total solar eclipse for decades. Nearly four and a half minutes of daytime darkness will overtake some Texas Hill Country communities during the astronomical phenomenon—the longest period of eclipse anywhere in the country.
Boerne ISD said the decision was to protect the safety of students and staff in the following statement:
"Due to the large number of people expected to visit to our area for the eclipse on April 8, we wanted to ensure that we had a student and staff holiday. We were proactive and placed this on our district calendar last year prior to the school year starting so families could plan ahead.
We wanted to avoid having our families on the roads with the increased traffic. It is just much safer for our families that way.
It will also be a great at home learning experience for our students."
Meanwhile, Comfort ISD made the following statement:
"Comfort ISD has designated April 8th as a holiday for staff and students since it's anticipated that there will be a lot of people in our area to view the solar eclipse. In addition, the local library will be donating solar eclipse glasses to every student in our district."
Comal ISD also announced March 1 that it will close schools on April 8.
Seguin ISD announced March 19 that they will be canceling classes on April 8.
School officials say there are enough minutes allotted in the calendar that students will not need to make up the day later in the semester.
The school district issued the following statement:
We aim to alleviate rising concerns surrounding transportation and attendance during what promises to be an awe-inspiring experience. This decision reflects our commitment to the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families.
This determination has been made with careful consideration of the historic significance of this celestial event and the unique opportunity it presents to our community. We are fortunate to reside in an area that will allow us to witness this phenomenon firsthand.
Texas State University announced on the social media platform X that they will be suspending classes from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on April 8 to celebrate the eclipse.
Other parts of San Antonio and the surrounding areas are in the path of totality. KENS 5 is in the process of reaching out to other schools districts about whether they will open on April 8, but please reach out to your students' district for plans if they are not listed in this article.