More Middle Georgia schools changing dismissal times for solar eclipse

More school districts have decided to shorten or extend their school days Aug. 21 for the solar eclipse.

This is the first time in 38 years that the United States will experience a total solar eclipse — when the moon blocks the sun. Area residents will be able to see a partial eclipse, with peak times predicted between 2:35 and 2:40 p.m., according to an interactive map from Vox Media.

Crawford County will dismiss students an hour late. Bibb and Baldwin counties will let students out 45 minutes later, and Putnam and Bleckley counties will dismiss students 30 minutes later. The Putnam County district said parents will not be permitted to pick up students between 2:30 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.

Houston County elementary, middle and high schools will end the day 30 minutes later. Career Academy and Crossroads Center students will be bused to their home schools around 2 p.m. Transition Academy students will be released at 3 p.m., and Elam and Elberta Center students at 3:15 p.m.

Jones and Monroe counties are ending the school day early. Jones County schools will release students in pre-K at 11:15 a.m., elementary at 11:30 a.m., Jones County High School ninth-grade campus at 11:55 a.m., and middle schools at 12:20 p.m. Car riders at the high school’s main campus will leave at noon and bus riders at 12:05 p.m.

In Monroe County, Mary Persons High School’s freshman campus and the Monroe County Achievement Center will end the day at 11:35 a..m., and the high school’s main campus and Monroe County Middle’s Hubbard Campus at 11:45 a.m. Car riders at Monroe County Middle’s Banks Stephens Campus will leave at 11:50 a.m. and bus riders at noon, and car riders at the elementary schools at noon and bus riders at 12:15 p.m.

Extra-curricular activities after 4 p.m. that day will run as scheduled for both the Jones and Monroe districts, with parents responsible for getting children there. After-school programs at elementary schools will be canceled.

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 5:13 PM with the headline "More Middle Georgia schools changing dismissal times for solar eclipse."