8 April 2024
Greetings, Grizzlies!
We are so excited to share this rare opportunity with your student as the moon moves into the path of the sun creating a total solar eclipse on Monday April 8th, 2024.
Naturally, there is a lot of planning behind the scenes to make the event as memorable and safe as possible. The information shared below is intended to paint a vivid picture of what the day will look like at GHS, how we plan to keep our students and staff safe while viewing the eclipse, and answer any lingering questions you may have about how we will facilitate this exciting opportunity for our students.
GHS Solar Eclipse Plan Commonly Asked Questions
What are Leander ISD's official resources regarding the eclipse?
Leander ISD has made multiple resources available through their website here.
What will my student's day look like at GHS on April 8th?
We will be using a modified bell schedule on this day to accommodate for the timeline of the eclipse. Students will still attend all regular A Day classes and their assigned lunch periods, with some adjustments. Please see the modified bell schedule below and utilize the information provided to plan for pick up/drop off if your student will be present for only part of the day on campus:
1st Period : 8:15A - 9:35A
2nd Period : 9:40A - 11:00A
3rd Period with A Lunch
A Lunch : 11:00A - 11:30A
Class : 11:35A - 12:55P
3rd Period with B Lunch
Class : 11:05A - 12:15P
B Lunch : 11:45A - 12:15P
Class : 12:25P - 12:55P
3rd Period with C Lunch
Class : 11:05A - 12:25P
C Lunch : 12:25P - 12:55P
4th Period : 1:00P - Students will be read the Safety Script before moving to their outside viewing areas by assigned groups
Eclipse Event : 1:35P - 1:39P
Recall to Building : 1:50P
Students Back in 4th Period Class : 2:00P
Please be aware that we strongly advise no student pickup or drop-off during this time. It will take an extended amount of time to locate and bring a student back to the building to be checked out and may delay your departure from the school. We suggest picking up your student during their 3rd period class time if trying to meet a time constraint in your day.
What is the Safety Script my student will hear prior to viewing the eclipse?
This Safety Script comes directly from NASA.gov. We have shortened and removed unrelated information to our viewing plan at GHS. The full page and related safety information can be accessed here.
The script provided to all GHS teachers to be read prior to students leaving the building is as follows:
Please listen carefully to these solar eclipse safety guidelines provided by NASA.
Viewing any part of the bright Sun 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 solar eclipse directly with your eyes, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers like those we will provide are thousands of times darker.
Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses— the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.
You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses.)
As soon as you see even a little bit of the bright Sun reappear after totality, immediately put your eclipse glasses back on to look at the Sun.
What safety equipment will be provided to my student to view the eclipse?
Every student will be provided with a pair of FREY Scientific Solar Eclipse Glasses.
These will be provided as students walk into their assigned viewing area.
Where on campus will my student be viewing the eclipse?
In order to accommodate 2,100+ students and staff, and to ensure everyone has an equitable, memorable experience, we will be utlizing our astroturn fields to view the eclipse. Students will be split into 4 groups determined by who their 4th period teacher is. The groups will be called over the intercom to report to their viewing areas. The areas are:
Group 1 : The Main Field
Group 2 : The Softball Field
Group 3 : The Baseball Field
Group 4 : The Practice Field
All fields are lined with AstroTurf and have equal access to restrooms and water fountains. Each viewing area will be monitored by staff throughout the duration of the event. This will give everyone the both the best possible views of the eclipse as well as safe and secure areas from which to participate in the event.
How can I opt my student out of viewing the eclipse and what will they do instead during this time?
Please note, the form below is an Opt Out form ONLY. You do not need to fill this form out if you want your student to participate in the planned viewing of the total solar eclipse at GHS.
During the time scheduled for students to be outside viewing the eclipse, those who have completed the Opt Out form will report to the MAC (our library area) where a live stream of the eclipse will be displayed on a projector as an alternative viewing option.
What if the eclipse is obscured by clouds or it is raining?
If viewing the eclipse is not possible during the period of totality, then students will remain inside during their 4th period block. As quickly as the weather changes in Texas, we are planning to run the alternate bell schedule on Monday, April 8th, 2024 regardless of how the sky appears in the morning.
While inside their 4th period class, a viewing link from NASA.gov has been provided for teachers to stream between 1:30P and 1:45P. The streaming link can be accessed here.