Mar. 26—Several school districts across Johnson County are announcing they will be closed on April 8 for the total solar eclipse.

Johnson County Emergency Management Director Jamie Moore visited the Johnson County Commissioners Court on Monday to address the issues facing the county.

“One of the reasons that we anticipate the traffic could be more impactful is because generally this time of year Texas will experience less cloud cover than anywhere else in the nation,” he said.

In December, Moore began coordinating with local chambers to check on hotel bookings for the date and found that every hotel in the county was booked already.

“That was really my eye-opener that this may be something we need to pay attention to and at least do something to prepare for,” he said.

Over 1 million people are expected to travel to Johnson County to view the eclipse, creating traffic and resource issues that may last for days.

After receiving guidance from JCEM, Cleburne ISD announced they will be closed for the eclipse since the city is in the path of totality.

“With recent information that up to 1 million visitors will come near our area, the safety of our students and families remains our top priority,” Superintendent Coby Kirkpatrick said. “Emergency personnel and traffic congestion will be pushed to extreme limits and cell service will be taxed. Additionally, all hotel rooms and campsites in our area have been reserved.

“While we understand this may be an inconvenience, we feel this is the best decision for our students and community. We hope communicating this decision well in advance will assist in planning. As the date draws closer, CISD will share information on how parents can positively and safely experience this once in a lifetime event with their student. Eclipse glasses will be sent home with all students and staff.”

The district include information from the Texas School Safety Center about the 2017 eclipse in a release sent to parents.

“In 2017, Kentucky had visitors from 47 different states and 25 countries,” according to the release. “Most After Action Reports from the solar eclipse mention visitors leaving as soon as the event was over; this led to backups on all roadways, leaving motorists spending up to four times the expected travel time. One stretch of I-25 in Wyoming went from a four-hour commute to an 11-hour commute. Due to the path of totality going through primarily rural areas of Texas, bus routes could see an increase in travel time that would put some students getting home past midnight.”

Burleson ISD, also citing information from the TSSC, announced they, too, will be closed.

“We cannot in good conscience put our young drivers and busses onto the roads given what is being predicted,” Superintendent Bret Jimerson said. “The risk is too great that accidents will happen, vehicles will be stranded, and emergency services will be overwhelmed.

“The good news is that we will not have to make up this day later. Due to the mild winter, our schedule has enough cushion built in. So, stay home on the 8th. Stay safe. and enjoy a rare beautiful show of nature.”

Officials for Grandview ISD, which will also be closed, said the district will not have to make up the day either.

Rio Vista ISD, while announcing the closure for April 8, said the district will have students attend on April 5 instead.

“Chief Ford and Staff have attended planning meetings that have mentioned locals needing to be prepared for excessive resource use by the visitors as they come and go, so fill up your gas tanks and make a run to the grocery store beforehand,” Superintendent Paul Ryan said. “We also anticipate large amounts of traffic for the hours after the event as people start returning home, which is a concern for buses on afternoon routes. As I-35 backs up, people will search for alternate routes. Please keep in mind this if you plan to travel.”

Alvarado ISD also plans to be closed for the day.

The only schools that plan to keep students in school on April 8 are Godley, Joshua and Keene ISDs.

“We have been planning since the fall to have an event at the stadium for most of our grades,” Keene ISD Superintendent Ricky Stephens said. “We have bought 1,100 glasses and look forward to an amazing learning experience for our kids.”

JISD also plans to capitalize on the educational opportunity for their students by staying in school. Each campus/classroom has the option to plan an activity for the eclipse.

GISD also has eclipse glasses for all students. They will be going outside during the time period and spend the day discussing the eclipse.

Parents at each district can opt out if they’re not comfortable with their child viewing the eclipse.