From Superintendent Perry:
I am reaching out to let you know that I have decided to adjust our school calendar ever so slightly for the coming month. I am going to MOVE the originally listed April 3 Early Release day to April 8, 2024. This would move April 3 to a full day of school and change April 8 to an Early Release day. I am hopeful that the three week notice will give ample time for families to adjust their child care needs accordingly.
The reason I am making this shift is due to the upcoming Solar Eclipse and primarily the issue of safety. Not that eclipses get to choose their timelines, but this one chose the absolute WORST possible time to occur for schools. As you may or may not know, the eclipse is scheduled to occur at 3:28 p.m. on April 8 and will last between 5-6 minutes. If you know our bus schedules - you would know that that is smack dab in the middle of our PK-5 p.m. bus runs home.
Although Gorham is not in the direct path to view the 100% eclipse (that is further north), the eclipse view here in Gorham will be between 96-97%. It is most definitely enough to distract other drivers on the road. It is also enough to distract our own bus drivers who already have a very big and difficult job without an eclipse. Finally, it is enough to distract the almost 1000 students we will have on buses during that time with no ability to monitor that they are not looking out the windows into the eclipse out of sheer curiosity.
By shifting the early release day from April 3 to April 8 we are able to make sure that students are settled and safely in one place for the eclipse and not on the roads during that time.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we remain focused on our student's safety. Please reach out with any questions you may have. My email is [email protected]
The reason I am making this shift is due to the upcoming Solar Eclipse and primarily the issue of safety. Not that eclipses get to choose their timelines, but this one chose the absolute WORST possible time to occur for schools. As you may or may not know, the eclipse is scheduled to occur at 3:28 p.m. on April 8 and will last between 5-6 minutes. If you know our bus schedules - you would know that that is smack dab in the middle of our PK-5 p.m. bus runs home.
Although Gorham is not in the direct path to view the 100% eclipse (that is further north), the eclipse view here in Gorham will be between 96-97%. It is most definitely enough to distract other drivers on the road. It is also enough to distract our own bus drivers who already have a very big and difficult job without an eclipse. Finally, it is enough to distract the almost 1000 students we will have on buses during that time with no ability to monitor that they are not looking out the windows into the eclipse out of sheer curiosity.
By shifting the early release day from April 3 to April 8 we are able to make sure that students are settled and safely in one place for the eclipse and not on the roads during that time.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we remain focused on our student's safety. Please reach out with any questions you may have. My email is [email protected]