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The upcoming historic solar eclipse is proving to be a good enough excuse for several Hudson Valley school districts to either give their students a day off or let them leave early.
As of Tuesday, March 26, many school districts in Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Columbia, and Ulster counties have announced closings or early dismissals for the day of the eclipse, Monday, April 8.
On the day of the eclipse, between 3:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., the moon will pass between the earth and the sun and completely block out sunlight, completely turning day into night for 1 and a half to 3 and a half minutes in the zone of totality, which is in the western and northern parts of New York state.
School districts that have announced closures or early dismissals for the historic event include:
Westchester:
- Chappaqua Central School District: 1-hour early dismissal for all schools;
- Croton-Harmon Union Free School District: Early dismissal for CET Elementary School;
- Eastchester Union Free School District: Early dismissal;
- Greenburgh Central School District: Early dismissal;
- Mount Vernon City School District: Early dismissal;
- Peekskill Central School District: several schools will dismiss early;
- Pocantico Hills Central School District: Early dismissal at 2:15 p.m.;
- Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District: Schools will dismiss 20 minutes early;
- Southern Westchester BOCES: Rye Lake campus, St. Matthew's, Valhalla Special Services, and Tappan to dismiss at 11:30 a.m.;
- Tuckahoe Union Free School District: Schools will hold half-day;
- Valhalla Union Free School District: schools will dismiss early.
Putnam:
- Carmel Central School District: will close as a give-back day.
Orange:
- Minisink Valley Central School District: May dismiss early, check back to the district's website for updates;
- Newburgh Enlarged Central School District: To hold half-day;
- Pine Bush Central School District: To hold half-day;
- Washingtonville Central School District: will close for Superintendent's Conference Day
Dutchess:
- Hyde Park Central School District: will close for give-back day;
- Red Hook Central School District: to hold half-day;
- Spackenkill Union Free School District: schools will close;
- Webutuck Central School District: will hold early release evacuation drill.
Rockland:
- Nanuet Union Free School District: to hold rapid dismissal;
- Suffern Central School District: schools will dismiss early.
Ulster:
- Ellenville Central School District: to dismiss schools early;
- Highland Central School District: to dismiss schools early;
- New Paltz Central School District: to close as give-back day;
- Onteora Central School District: to dismiss early;
- Rondout Valley Central School District: to dismiss schools early;
- Saugerties Central School District: to close as give-back day.
Columbia:
- Taconic Hills Central School District: to dismiss at 1:35 p.m.
Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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