We are at about 91% here and it will be at 1:18 pm.
Elementary school has glasses and sent a note about the eclipse. Crickets from middle school and high school. High school DD says she really wants to see the eclipse and the only way to do it is if your parents can come pull you out of school for an hour. So I'm considering doing that for her if it's clear enough. Several other kids are apparently doing this. But then what about DS?? Are they seriously just going to have them sit in class?
What are your schools doing? Was there communication about the plan or options??
Ours decided to extend spring break an extra day so they're off tomorrow. Each student got a pair of solar eclipse glasses sent home. The city and schools are putting on an event at the high school stadium with food trucks, bounce houses and music (though we're hanging at home. We're in the path of totality.
I’m in an area of totality. It’s been incessantly talked about here. All the schools in our county have the day off. There was one school that had a half day that recently changed to full day from the pressure lol. I think surrounding areas also have the day off. It comes at the tail end of spring break so it’s an added day onto that. Mainly the issue is traffic here. They have been warning about how many people supposedly will be here for it and how bad traffic will be. So the county officials really pushed for schools to close. And our day has been on the calendar since before the school year started so it’s been known well in advance. They gave every student a pair of eclipse glasses in our district before they went out on spring break.
we had a partial eclipse here back in 2017 and it was nowhere near as big of a deal. My kid had school and I don’t think they did anything for it/had kids go outside or anything. Nobody really cared last time. I didn’t even get a pair of eclipse glasses. Being totality this time is completely different.
Post by chilerellanos on Apr 7, 2024 21:34:44 GMT -5
We were in totality in 2017, and they didnt let the schools out, but the schools definitely participated. Two of my kids watched it at school, and my oldest was in HS and her schedule was open, and was home and we watched it together.
Post by ilikedonuts on Apr 7, 2024 21:51:05 GMT -5
We are in 100% totality. We don’t have school. Initially they were going to extend dismissal and invite parents to come and have a big party. Then they just decided to cancel school and sent home glasses for the kids.
The pto bought glasses for all the kids and they are doing a lesson on it. We will be 99% at the peak, which is at 3:09 and dismissal is 3:15. I’m going to pick my kids up around 2 to watch with them and avoid dismissal altogether.
4th grader’s class had glasses donated, so they’ll be going outside to watch. Middle schooler’s teachers have said nothing, so I’m pulling him from school to go watch at an observatory. Both schools will also be watching a live broadcast from somewhere.
I’m so bummed that my 13 year old waited until today to mention that he thought it would be really cool to see totality. My parents live at 99.5% and are less than an hour in a really rural area from totality. It would have been so easy to go. Darn kid trying to “not ask too much.”
Post by UMaineTeach on Apr 7, 2024 22:53:08 GMT -5
We are getting out an hour early to get people home before it gets dark. Sending everyone home with glasses. A letter went home a couple weeks ago explaining the dismissal and reiterating safety precautions and a reminder call came today.
Spending the day mostly doing eclipse fun activities. This coming week is going to be fairly useless. Only Tuesday and Thursday are going to be full, regular day.
Post by thebreakfastclub on Apr 8, 2024 5:50:48 GMT -5
We are in totality, and basically all school districts made the call months ago to have today be a teacher in-service day. The schools gave glasses to all of the kids.
Today is the last day of spring break and is a teacher workday. I don’t think there has been any kind of special programming or unit studies, at least not at C’s school. But we’re only going to be about 80%.
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Apr 8, 2024 6:36:05 GMT -5
We are at 97% totality, and the peak eclipse time for us is around 3:15, which is right around elementary and middle school dismissal time. I posted last week about how annoyed I was that my kids' schools, as well as many others in our area, waited UNTIL LAST WEEK to decide to do something about the fact that the eclipse is during dismissal time. Our schools are having a 1/2 day today, and the middle school kids are coming home with glasses because apparently THEY were going to go out right before dismissal to see it, but none of the other kids had anything planned for them.
I teach middle school. We got glasses for all the kids and are planning to take the kids out. Peak hits here around dismissal time but they should see some of it. Crickets from the high school here too. I don’t know what the elementary school is doing but they are doing a indoor dismissal.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
We are in totality. They added an extra day to spring break so no school today. I’m glad they are home because I’d be worried about everyone getting home safely.
We're in like 97% I think. Our schools are dismissing early - 11:45am for HS and 12:45PM for elementary. This was communicated about a week ago, I think.
Even the cyber school I work at is dismissing early lol.
No school here. We were on spring break last week, so it's our final day off. We are at 95% around dismissal time, so I get it. They canceled school at the last minute during the 2017 eclipse, so at least we got ample notice this time.
We are like 80% totality I think. School is going to let them watch it on TV, or something like that. No glasses and no going outside for it during school, since they don't want kids trying to look at it. DS will be getting off the bus right after peak, so we'll have glasses ready for him so he can still see it a bit.
Seemed like half of the school was out today (we're at ~93%, but so many people are headed to VT to see totality). They're giving out viewing cards to all the kids, but I don't trust mine (4.5 & 7) so I'm going to go down to afterschool to watch with them. Or potentially dismiss them and go to a viewing party at the library.
So our viewing time is right at my kid's dismissal, along with other elementary schools and the county is doing nothing. I thought for sure a half day, but nope.
I bought a pack of 25 and sent them with my kid. Her teacher did have to coordinate permission from parents over spring break, which I felt really bad about. The county had a 4 slide ppt and that was it.
I mean, we're down in VA, but people are still interested. I feel like the whole thing is being handled very poorly by the county.
Post by timorousbeastie on Apr 8, 2024 8:24:32 GMT -5
We are at 98%. The schools are cancelling the normal recess that happens at some point during the eclipse, and having everyone go out when the eclipse is at its max with glasses they are providing. I think the younger grades had to have a permission slip to go out.
I’m pulling DD instead so we can drive to see totality.
My 6th grader had a permission slip sent home for it. So he will be doing something at school.
My 9th grader did not have a permission slip, but the school mentioned that some classes had sent them home. She has lunch during it and we have glasses that she can take to look at it if she wants.
My college kid has a therapy appointment during it, but I sent her back to the dorms with an eclipse kit with capri suns, star crunch, cosmic brownies, moon pies, and sun chips and eclipse glasses and cheeze its for viewing fun for before or after her therapy appointment.
We are only at around 65% totality but the school district got glasses for everyone and the elementary and middle schools my kids go to are going outside to check it out. The middle school schedule allows for half an hour today.
We are at 94% totality. Schools had glasses donated and 7th grader will go outside to view IF there is anything to see. It’s cloudy and rainy and gross. So disappointing. The alternate plan is to watch the NASA feed which is better than nothing I guess.
I’m not sure what our percentage is but the school said they can’t take the kids outside because it’s a liability. We’re allowed to pull our kids early but we don’t have glasses and my youngest will be napping. *shrugs* Hopefully we’re around to observe it with our adult children for the next big one in 2045.
Peak here is 3:30 and school gets out at 1:45 so we don't have any issues, but my parents in CT said their schools get out early.
We did get an email that the aftercare program at school would not be taking the kids out to see the eclipse because they couldn't ensure all the kids would keep their glasses on. I get it, but that stinks for the kids who aren't able to be picked up earlier.
Oh, I would, for sure keep them out if we were in the path of totality. But we’re like 90% so it’s kind of weird, but since there won’t be another eclipse in this area for so long, my daughter really wants to see it. We have a plan now and I’m going to go pick her up for the last part of the school day so she can see the peak of the clips. I sent messages to my son and I will pick him up from middle school only if he contacts me. He may or may not be able to participate at school. I’m still super annoyed that the school district didn’t have any plans or communication shared about this. Our specific elementary school did have a plan, for which I am very grateful!