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Family Email 4.5.24

FCS Families and Staff,

We hope everyone has had a restful and enjoyable spring break. 

On Monday, April 8, a solar eclipse will be visible across North America. 

FCS will experience only a partial solar eclipse, which coincides with afternoon dismissal for all our schools. The partial eclipse will begin around 1:58 p.m. More details about the timeline can be found here.

Please take time to review these safety tips from Prevent Blindness  and the American Astronomical Society with your child to protect everyone’s eyes from the Sun:

  • Looking directly at the Sun is unsafe during any phase of a solar eclipse, even when the Moon entirely blocks the Sun’s bright face. Do not look directly at the Sun! 
  • Doing so, even for repeated short periods throughout the eclipse, can lead to damage to the cells of the retina (the back of the eye).
  • The only safe way to look directly at the Sun is through “eclipse glasses” or devices specifically designed and labeled for this purpose. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are unsafe.
  • Do not look at the Sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device. Also, do not look at the Sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewer— the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s).
  •  Remember—do not look directly at the Sun through a pinhole or without special eclipse glasses for any reason.

To ensure that the solar eclipse is safe and enriching for everyone, please speak to your child about how to be safe during this event.

Also, please note that on Monday, April 8, 2024, the school day will end at its normal dismissal time for all Franklin County Schools.

While under the care of faculty and staff, students will be reminded of the dangers while outdoors or on a school bus. Please reinforce safety measures at home with your child, such as not looking at the Sun on the walk home from the bus, etc. If you notice symptoms after viewing a solar eclipse, seek treatment from an eye care professional.

Thank you for being a valuable part of FCS, and we look forward to seeing students on Monday.