A total solar eclipse will be visible in the Mid-Ohio Valley on April 8 and some local schools will be closing early for it.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is between the sun and the earth. At totality, the corona of the sun is visible.

The solar eclipse will be visible in the Mid-Ohio Valley starting shortly before 2 p.m. and ending around 4:30 p.m. The eclipse will reach its height around 3;15 p.m. and the totality will be about 95%. according to the National Solar Observatory.

Marietta City Schools will be open April 8, according to the district’s Facebook page.

Marietta City Schools Superintendent Brad Silvus said in the post “After much discussion between myself, our Board of Education members and neighboring districts within the county, we have decided that all four of our buildings in the district will be having a normal day of instruction on April 8. Our board has established a clear expectation that minimizing our time out of the classroom is what is best for our students.

This decision we feel will allow our students to have a minimally interrupted day of learning, and still witness this event alongside their peers and educators.”

Eye Care Associates in Marietta donated protective eyewear for all students, the post said.

Belpre City Schools on the other hand, will be letting students out early.

“We have an early release that day,” Belpre City Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Greenley said about the April 8 solar eclipse.

He said representatives from the Belpre Police Department will be coming to the schools on April 8 to work with staff on safety training.

Fort Frye Local Schools will also have an early dismissal for the eclipse.

“We’re doing a two-hour early dismissal,” Fort Frye Local Schools Superintendent Stephanie Starcher said.

Starcher said the district has different start and end times for schools. She also said some students would have been on dismissal or on the bus when the eclipse started and the district wants students to be able to safely enjoy the eclipse with their family at home so they decided to dismiss early.

Students will receive eclipse glasses.

“We got glasses donated,” Starcher said.

She also said the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released eclipse resources and the district will use them “to educate the kids and engage them in this once in a lifetime event.”

According to Wolf Creek Local Schools’ Facebook page, the district will dismiss early as well.

“We’re thrilled to announce that on April 8, we’ll be experiencing a partial eclipse in our area around 3:00 p.m.!,” the post said. “To ensure everyone can safely witness this celestial event, we’ll be dismissing school two hours early that day.ciates.

The post also informed parents “that students should be dropped off at home or at practice by the early dismissal time.”

Warren Local Schools will release two hours early on April 8 due to the eclipse.

No information was available for Frontier Local Schools or the Washington County Career Center regarding April 8.

Schools across the river in Wood County will not be closing early, according to Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis.

Willis said the district will operate on a normal schedule April 8, with additional precautions to ensure student safety.

She said students waiting to board buses will remain in buildings rather than waiting outside. She also said some classes throughout the district will be viewing the solar eclipse as part of a science lesson with eyewear designed for safe viewing or they may create viewing boxes for indirect viewing of the eclipse, but that all students in the district will receive eclipse glasses to view the event.

She said after school practices will remain indoors until 4 p.m. on April 8 and if parents would like to pick up their child early due to the eclipse it will be an excused absence.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com