Dear Parents and Guardians,
On April 8, portions of Pennsylvania will be along the path of a solar eclipse. I wanted to let families know far enough in advance regarding our schedule for the day to allow you to plan accordingly by letting you know that there will be no changes to the regularly scheduled instructional day. It is my understanding that this will be experienced as a partial eclipse locally, occurring during our regular elementary school dismissal time.
While I am sure many of you are excited about this upcoming phenomenon, it does present a risk of eye injury to everyone, especially children who may not understand the dangers of looking directly in the direction of the sun. I would ask that you speak to your child about this upcoming event and to use proper precautions. Furthermore, you can visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website for additional information regarding the eclipse.
The timing of the eclipse is most likely to occur when children are transitioning to their homes, after-school activities, and/or after-school care. As you can imagine, this presents a challenge to provide sufficient adult supervision. Please understand that at no time will it be safe to look at the sun without the protection of authentic and properly certified eclipse viewing glasses.
For those who want to share the experience with their children, we are offering parents and guardians the option to pick up their elementary-aged students early on April 8 so they may directly supervise them. Early pick-up is also available for those who want to experience this rare occurrence alongside their children. Mr. Beckley will be sending out specific information and instructions to families as we get closer to the eclipse.
NASA’s safety page is directing people to the American Astronomical Society and its Solar Eclipse Task Force. The Solar Eclipse Task Force has created a list of what they consider to be reputable retailers offering solar eclipse viewers and filters.
Although the district will not be purchasing glasses and does not endorse any retailer, it’s worth noting that the American Astronomical Society recommends against searching mass marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Temu to make this important purchase. There is a concern that unscrupulous sellers will make unverified claims about safety, potentially putting people at risk of eye injury.
Thank you for your time and attention.
All the best,
Mr. Michael J. Vuckovich
Superintendent of Schools