DCDSB Professional Activity Day Rescheduled to Monday, April 8, 2024

Posted On Tuesday February 06, 2024

The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) trustees have voted in favour of moving the Professional Activity (PA) Day previously scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2024, to Monday, April 8, 2024. The new PA Day of Monday, April 8, 2024, is in effect for elementary and secondary schools across the board.

This change is due to a total solar eclipse taking place on Monday, April 8. In Durham Region, the eclipse is expected to begin at 2:05 p.m. and end at 4:32 p.m., which coincides with student dismissal at the end of the school day. 

To ensure student and staff safety, we are rescheduling the PA Day to coincide with the eclipse. This will help mitigate supervision and transportation safety concerns that could arise as a result of the darkness that would be experienced while students are being dismissed from school. As noted on the Government of Canada’s website, there are significant risks associated with viewing a solar eclipse. Directly looking at the sun, even during an eclipse, without appropriate protection can lead to severe eye damage or loss of eyesight. 

Additional resources on Solar Eclipse Safety can be found at the following links:

As is our practice, the agenda of staff professional development scheduled for the PA Day on April 8 will be posted to our website in advance. Please note that Friday, April 19 will be a regular school day for all DCDSB elementary and secondary schools.

For further information on the 2023-2024 DCDSB school year calendar, please visit our website.