Eclipse Decision Made By Arlington Public Schools For Students' Safety

ARLINGTON, VA — All students in Arlington Public Schools will receive protective solar-viewing glasses for the partial solar eclipse that will take place Monday afternoon, according to an update that Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán sent APS families on Wednesday.

"There is a lot of excitement around the solar eclipse that will take place on Monday, April 8, as it provides a rare opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary natural phenomenon," Durán said. "In our area, the eclipse will occur between 2-4:30 p.m."

Since APS students would be in school or dismissing around that time, the decision was to provide them with protective solar-viewing glasses in order to help them understand the importance of safe viewing practices, according to the superintendent's update.

Durán encouraged families to visit Eclipse Resources and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) website to find free resources to address any concerns they may have about viewing the eclipse safely.

In the U.S., the path of totality extends from Texas to Maine, but each of the 48 continental states will see some of the solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon slips between our bright star and Earth. In Arlington, the moon will cover about 87.7 percent of the sun at the peak of the eclipse, according to a NASA map that is searchable by ZIP code.

Here are the details:

• Partial eclipse begins: 2:04 p.m
• Maximum: 3:20 p.m.
• Partial ends: 4:32 p.m.

The eclipse will last 2 hours and 28 minutes from beginning to end in Arlington.

Rosslyn BID is hosting a solar eclipse viewing event from 2-4 p.m. at Gateway Park, which is located at 1300 Langston Blvd. The viewing is courtesy of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club.

APS appears to be one of the few school systems. in the area to have released a strategy around Monday's eclipse. Schools in Loudoun and Prince William counties haven't announced any eclipse-related changes.

"We do have safety protocols in place to ensure students are protected while viewing the eclipse," a spokesman for Fairfax County Public Schools said.

If you know of any other eclipse-related events happening Monday in Arlington, please email Patch editor Michael O'Connell at [email protected] so we can include it in our eclipse coverage.