The Ennis ISD is canceling classes and giving students a holiday on Monday, April 8, the day a total solar eclipse will occur over North Texas.
Ennis is on the center line in the path of totality and will experience one of the longest durations of darkness in the area when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun and casts a shadow over the planet.
Because of this, the city expects a large number of visitors in town, as many as 200,000, and said that may bring with it traffic issues that could hinder student transportation. The district also believes staff members and students may want to take the day off so that they can be outside observing the eclipse with friends and their families.
"While we understand this may be an inconvenience, we feel this is the best decision and hope communicating this decision well in advance will assist in planning," district officials said in a news release. "As the date draws closer, EISD will share information on how parents can positively and safely experience this once-in-a-lifetime event."
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During the eclipse, the moon will take about 2 hours and 40 minutes to transit the sun. City officials in Ennis say the partial eclipse begins at 12:22:43 p.m. with the full eclipse beginning at 1:40:02 p.m. The full eclipse ends at 1:44:25 p.m. Maximum darkness occurs halfway through at 1:42:14 p.m. The partial eclipse ends at 3:02:28 p.m.
For more information on events around the city of Ennis, please visit https://www.eclipseoverennis.com.
