School To Experience Solar Eclipse

The School Prepares for Solar Eclipse Celebration

By Mrs. TuanetteHulet (JH/HS Science Teacher)

The Total Coast-to-Coast Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017 is fast approaching and I am excited to share with you what our school is planning to celebrate this once in a lifetime event! In fact, I am not sure who is more excited about this, the students or myself, since I have been teaching about this longer than most of them have been alive and only had the path posted outside my classroom door for the last three years!

I would like to thank our administration, Mr. Ireland, Mr. Harding, and Mr. McCrary for going not only the figurative, but literal, extra mile to ensure that all of our students in grades k-12 get to see this celestial event in full. Our school building will not experience true totality: however, if we go south into Old Town, our students can experience the phenomenon in full.  Outside of the zone of totality, our students would not get to experience that singular moment when the moon fully blocks the sun to the viewers below, nor would at any point would it be safe for them to remove their viewing goggles.  Assuming clear skies, students will now witness 28 seconds of true totality, at approximately 1:08pm for our specific viewing location. I want to extend a huge thank-you to both MFA and the Christian Church for allowing us to use their facilities and give us a safe viewing area. All students will need signed field trip forms in order to attend.

I have been in discussions with Mr. Ireland since last August, and we have been very safety conscious with this.  Our glasses are NASA (and AAS) approved, straight from the manufacturer. They meet ISO 12312-2 International standards for safe viewing and as such are ISO certified.  Several staff members, myself, my advanced level science students, Mr. Dreesen, and his Student Council Members, will be available to any elementary teachers requesting extra assistance to ensure their students have their glasses on properly and are safely viewing the event. Parents are welcome to join us but will need to purchase their own glasses.  We will be limiting our students to the ones purchased by us this spring.

Finally, the last time that Missouri had a total solar eclipse was before it was a state, and the last time our country had a total solar eclipse that went from coast to coast at this angle through these states, was before we were a country.  All teachers will be using this teachable moment in a variety of ways.I have heard some really great ideas out there that I know the kids are really going to enjoy. I personally feel incredibly thankful that my children will get to experience this historic event with their closest friends and classmates, and I hope you are as excited about yours doing the same! Now, let’ just all hope for a clear sky!

THANK YOU!!