February 9, 2024—The Shaker Heights City School District will be canceling classes April 8, 2024, during a full solar eclipse of the sun. Students and families are invited to join the Shaker Heights Recreation Department and Shaker Heights Public Library for a “Planetarium in the Park” Solar Eclipse Watch Party from 1-4 p.m. that day at Thornton Park.
The decision to cancel classes was based on a variety of factors:
- The timing of the eclipse will occur during some end-of-day dismissal windows.
- The event is expected to draw large numbers of tourists and traffic is expected to be heavy.
- Communication capabilities such as cell service and internet bandwidth could be diminished.
Athletics and other after-school events will also be canceled or postponed. Teachers and staff should report to work in-person from 8:30-11:30 a.m. to work on building-level transition planning and other professional learning opportunities. More information will follow.