Dear Lamphere Community,
I am excited to share that on April 8th we will all be able to experience the awe and wonder of a natural phenomenon - a total solar eclipse! This happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun, turning daylight into darkness for a short period of time. It will begin at 1:58 p.m. and end at 4:27 p.m. The maximum point of the eclipse will be at 3:14 p.m.
During professional development meetings our staff spent time learning about the solar eclipse so that they are prepared for this event. Our students will also be provided an opportunity to learn about this incredible event while at school prior to the eclipse happening on Monday. This is a wonderful educational opportunity for our students, and it connects to the Michigan Science Standards that we are required to teach about Earth and Space Science at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
We are committed to ensuring a safe educational experience for our staff and students while the solar eclipse is occurring during the school day. We have purchased ISO-compliant solar viewers from a certified distributor for all of our staff and students to be able to wear during the eclipse if they are outside. There will also be a live stream video of the eclipse that will be available to watch while inside as well using the following link: Live Stream Video Link for the Solar Eclipse. Please remind your student not to look directly at the sun while the solar eclipse is occurring without protection from ISO-compliant solar viewers. Regular sunglasses will not provide enough protection for our eyes during this event.
The next solar eclipse that we will experience in Michigan won’t be until 2045! Below you will find a link to a resource that provides some additional information about the solar eclipse. We are excited for this unique learning opportunity for all of our staff and students.
Information Sheet: A North American Total Eclipse of the Sun
Educationally yours,
Jen Cumiskey
Assistant Superintendent of K-12 Curriculum and Instruction