Kent City School District

Emailed to parents on December 9, 2023

Dear Kent City Schools Families,

For the first time in more than 200 years, parts of Ohio and the Midwest will experience a total or near total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The timeline of the eclipse happens to coincide with our elementary and preschool dismissal time and is shortly after our middle and high school dismissal. The City of Kent and the Kent Chamber of Commerce are embracing this once-in-a-200-year-event and have a number of events planned. School districts and municipalities have been warned to expect significant demands and stresses on local infrastructure and services.  Furthermore, road closures and alternate traffic patterns in Kent are being planned which will complicate school dismissal and school bus service.   We have utilized a number of opportunities to collaborate with the City of Kent, Kent State University, as well as other entities within our school district boundaries and have decided Kent City Schools will NOT be in session on Monday, April 8, 2024. The safety concerns for students, parents, and staff commuting to and from school were determining factors in this decision. To safely view this rare and historic event, all students will receive a pair of solar eclipse glasses at school the week prior to the eclipse. We wanted to communicate this decision enough in advance to allow our families to plan for no school on April 8, 2024.

Thank you and have a great day!

Keep Smiling,

Tom Larkin
Superintendent