Local schools to maintain normal schedules during partial solar eclipse on Monday

Published 5:00 pm Thursday, April 4, 2024

Students in the Whitfield County Schools, Murray County Schools and Dalton Public Schools systems can experience history and a valuable learning experience on Monday with the partial solar eclipse.

According to NASA, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the sun for viewers during a short period of time and causing the sky to dim during the daytime.

While a total solar eclipse will not be visible for locals, they will have the opportunity to see a partial eclipse during the afternoon. In the Whitfield County Schools area, the partial phase of the eclipse is set to begin at 1:43 p.m., while individuals in the Dalton Public Schools area will be able to witness the beginning phase at 1:45 p.m. Murray County residents will see the partial phase begin at 1:46 p.m.

The partial eclipse is set to be visible throughout all three areas until around 4:20 p.m., with the peak occurring at 3:05 p.m.

Schools in all three systems are scheduled to maintain regular hours on Monday, meaning the eclipse will coincide with dismissal times, after-school programs and athletic activities for several schools. To prioritize safety, school officials have detailed student and faculty procedures during the event.

For Dalton Public Schools, all elementary and Hammond Creek Middle School students and staff “will be provided with solar eclipse glasses with the ISO filter recommended by NASA,” a release from the school system reads. “These glasses have been safety certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and labeled ISO 12312-2 compliant.”

The release states that students waiting outside or riding a bus after school will be advised to wear the provided safety glasses.

In a release provided by Murray County Schools, Superintendent Steve Loughridge urges parents to speak with their children about how to safely view the eclipse.

“Parents who wish to check their child out of school early to view the eclipse may do so,” Loughridge said. “Students must be checked out after 11:30 a.m. to be counted present for the day and the checkout for this event will be excused.”

Loughridge asked parents to adhere to early checkout procedures established by each school within Murray County Schools.

According to NASA’s website, viewing the sun at any point “through a camera lens, binoculars or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”

“When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times,” NASA’s website states.

Whitfield County Schools Communications Director Kristina Horsley said it is important for students in the school system to wear safe, certified eclipse glasses, citing reports of noncertified glasses being sold.

“We have instructed all (Whitfield County) schools to purchase glasses from the approved manufacturers,” Horsley said.

Approved suppliers of solar viewing glasses can be found by visiting www.eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters.

As stated in the release provided by Dalton Public Schools, students in the system will participate in “literacy-based eclipse activities” before viewing the partial eclipse outside.

“If you do not want your child to participate in the outside solar eclipse viewing activities, an opt-out form was shared with your students,” the Dalton Public Schools release states. “Please return it, and your child can participate in an alternative instructional activity.”

The total solar eclipse on Monday will be the first visible in America since August 2017. The next total eclipse viewable from the contiguous United States will occur in August 2044.