Brant County school boards change PA days due to solar eclipse
Two schools boards in Brant County have decided to move a scheduled PA day in light of a rare cosmic phenomenon.
Some parts of southern Ontario will witness a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse on April 8.
Although the eclipse will be visible across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, only some areas will be in what’s known as the path of totality – areas where the sun will be completely blocked out by the moon.
Brantford and parts of Brant County, including Burford, Harley and Langford, will be in the path of totality.
Staring directly at the eclipse, even while in the path of totality, without proper eye protection can cause serious eye damage, such as retinal burns.
On Tuesday, the Grand Erie District School Board and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board both announced plans to move a PA Day originally scheduled for April 19 to April 8 as the eclipse is set to coincide with student dismissal times.
In a release, the Grand Erie District School Board says: “The potential of students looking at the eclipse without proper eye protection poses a safety risk. Looking directly at a total solar eclipse can be dangerous because of the intense and potentially eye-damaging sunlight that is still present even when the moon is blocking part of or all of the sun. We are moving the PA Day to April 8 out of an abundance of caution for student safety and well-being.”
The school board also says McMaster University has donated solar eclipse glasses that will be given to all staff and students.
The Catholic board issued a similar statement regarding safety concerns, noting they understand the change might cause some inconvenience, but “this decision is in the best interest of the safety of our community.”
The Waterloo Region District School board said it’s continuing to monitor the situation and has not made a final decision yet.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
'What have we done?' Lawyer describes shock at possible role in Trump's 2016 victory
A lawyer who negotiated a pair of hush money deals at the centre of Donald Trump's criminal trial recalled Thursday his "gallows humor" reaction to Trump's 2016 election victory and the realization that his hidden-hand efforts might have contributed to the win.
Conservative MP says Chinese hacking attack targeted his personal email
A Conservative MP is challenging claims by House of Commons administration that a China-backed hacking attempt did not impact any members of Parliament, because the attack was on his personal email.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Loblaw leaders call criticism 'misguided,' say they aren't to blame for high food prices
Loblaw chairman Galen Weston and the company's new CEO are pushing back against critics who blame the grocery giant for soaring food prices, as a month-long boycott of the retailer gets underway.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
'Giant-killer' Kazushi Kimura to race in Kentucky Derby this weekend: 'I'm representing Canada and Japan'
Six years ago, at age 18, Kazushi Kimura left his home and family behind in Hokkaido, Japan to chase a dream. This weekend, he'll ride in the Kentucky Derby.
President Joe Biden calls Japan and India 'xenophobic' nations that do not welcome immigrants
President Joe Biden has called Japan and India “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, lumping the two with adversaries China and Russia as he tried to explain their economic circumstances and contrasted the four with the U.S. on immigration.