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Lake Travis ISD will close campuses for students and staff on April 8 as a total eclipse will pass over Central Texas.
The rare phenomenon is expected to bring in thousands of visitors and may not reoccur in the region for another 200 years, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
What's happening?
On April 8, a total eclipse will cross over North America with part of Central Texas falling directly in the eclipse’s path of totality around 1:35 p.m, according to NASA.
District officials have canceled class due to safety concerns as city and county leaders expect to see a massive influx of visitors and traffic in the area, specifically on RM 620 and Hwy. 71, said Marco Alvarado, the district’s executive director of communications and community relations.
Students will not have to makeup the missed school day as the district has enough instructional minutes for this school year, Alvarado said.
In their own words
“The decision to close our schools reflects a commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff during this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Superintendent Paul Norton stated in a letter to parents. “We acknowledge that a solar eclipse of this magnitude is a unique educational opportunity, which is creating much anticipation and excitement across our district.”
Also of note
Both the cities of Lakeway and Bee Cave are expecting high volumes of traffic and advising some residents to consider staying home, city officials said. The cities are meeting with their shared emergency management coordinator to prepare for the eclipse.
“It’s probably a good idea to stay home if you’re local just because traffic will be impacted,” said Jarrod Wise, city of Lakeway communications director.
The city of Lakeway, which will hold a viewing event, will have law enforcement stationed along Hwy. 71 and collaborate with multiple local agencies, Wise said. The city of Bee Cave plans to release information to community members about the expected traffic, said Jenny Hoff, city of Bee Cave director of communications.
