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Atlanta, Fulton school systems to extend school day for eclipse

In this handout photo provided by NASA, Alex Frye, 12, uses special viewing glasses to look at a partial solar eclipse from a highway overpass October 23, 2014, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
In this handout photo provided by NASA, Alex Frye, 12, uses special viewing glasses to look at a partial solar eclipse from a highway overpass October 23, 2014, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
By
July 28, 2017

Atlanta and Fulton County school officials will extend the school day on Aug. 21 to allow students to watch the total solar eclipse.

Atlanta will extend the school day by 30 minutes, officials announced Friday. Fulton officials said late Thursday they will delay release of elementary school students by 45 minutes on that day. Normal release time for elementary students is 2:20 p.m.

The solar eclipse will be viewable in Atlanta around 1:02 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m., APS said in a news release, citing NASA.

Because the timing of the eclipse overlaps APS dismissal time, the school district is planning lessons about the eclipse into its classroom instruction. The district has ordered over 50,000 solar glasses for all students to safely view the eclipse.

Several other metro Atlanta school district announced plans earlier this week to extend the school day because of the eclipse.

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About the Author

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

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