What's the over under on MCPS closing school due to the eclipse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps " we will be releasing your child into the solar eclipse without eye protection as usual. Deal with it. "
https://mocoshow.com/2024/04/03/mcps-comments-on-upcoming-solar-eclipse/

Do most kids stare straight into the sun on a normal day? My understanding is that at 80% or so, we’ll basically not see much of anything.

Were you here in 2017? The partial eclipse is still cool. But you need eye protection to view it safely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps " we will be releasing your child into the solar eclipse without eye protection as usual. Deal with it. "
https://mocoshow.com/2024/04/03/mcps-comments-on-upcoming-solar-eclipse/

Do most kids stare straight into the sun on a normal day? My understanding is that at 80% or so, we’ll basically not see much of anything.

Were you here in 2017? The partial eclipse is still cool. But you need eye protection to view it safely.

What was the policy in 2017? Did they just keep kids inside?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it would be crazy to close early. Kids will be unsupervised on buses and walking home and may not have eclipse glasses.

When does it become the parent's responsibility to protect their child from harm by 1) providing the viewing glasses for their children to walk home or ride the bus home wearing? 2) pick their child up early to watch the event at home with them?

Some staff at my school are not happy that the principal didn't use school funds to purchase the glasses for hundreds of kids. That makes no sense.

I am the commenter above who’s picking up their kids early. I know I am very fortunate that I can. My parents could’ve never picked me up early so I sympathize and understand parents who can’t pick up their kids early. However, regarding the glasses, this is where the PTA can come in and buy glasses for all of the students so they can safely walk home.

I was reading on Facebook that some principlas even scheduled staff meetings for this time so even the teachers can’t takeoff early and pick their kids up or even view the eclipse themselves.

Our PTA offered to buy glasses and reportedly it’s been radio silence from the admin. As a parent, it would just be nice to know what the plan is. If they want parents to pick up kids early rather than view the eclipse at school, I’m fine with that. But it also seems really distruptive if a lot of parents plan to do this, so if they plan to let kids view the eclipse at school I’d just as soon leave them there. But I have a pair of eclipse glasses for my 3rd grader and trust them to wear them properly. I understand that’s not the case for all kids.

That's not equitable. If one of us goes blind, we all go blind!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mcps " we will be releasing your child into the solar eclipse without eye protection as usual. Deal with it. "
https://mocoshow.com/2024/04/03/mcps-comments-on-upcoming-solar-eclipse/

Do most kids stare straight into the sun on a normal day? My understanding is that at 80% or so, we’ll basically not see much of anything.

Were you here in 2017? The partial eclipse is still cool. But you need eye protection to view it safely.

What was the policy in 2017? Did they just keep kids inside?

The 2017 eclipse was in August before school started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it would be crazy to close early. Kids will be unsupervised on buses and walking home and may not have eclipse glasses.

When does it become the parent's responsibility to protect their child from harm by 1) providing the viewing glasses for their children to walk home or ride the bus home wearing? 2) pick their child up early to watch the event at home with them?

Some staff at my school are not happy that the principal didn't use school funds to purchase the glasses for hundreds of kids. That makes no sense.

I am the commenter above who’s picking up their kids early. I know I am very fortunate that I can. My parents could’ve never picked me up early so I sympathize and understand parents who can’t pick up their kids early. However, regarding the glasses, this is where the PTA can come in and buy glasses for all of the students so they can safely walk home.

I was reading on Facebook that some principlas even scheduled staff meetings for this time so even the teachers can’t takeoff early and pick their kids up or even view the eclipse themselves.

Our PTA offered to buy glasses and reportedly it’s been radio silence from the admin. As a parent, it would just be nice to know what the plan is. If they want parents to pick up kids early rather than view the eclipse at school, I’m fine with that. But it also seems really distruptive if a lot of parents plan to do this, so if they plan to let kids view the eclipse at school I’d just as soon leave them there. But I have a pair of eclipse glasses for my 3rd grader and trust them to wear them properly. I understand that’s not the case for all kids.

I would just ask. Our school principal sent a message that you could pick up early and it would be considered an excused absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you close school for the eclipse?

Mcps should start asap by properly warning the community about the dangers of looking directly at the sun. Eclipse safety videos in classrooms.

Why not close on the 8th instead of the 10th? Poor planning.

Seriously. So now when MCPS is planning their school calendar they should consult NASA? 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you close school for the eclipse?

Mcps should start asap by properly warning the community about the dangers of looking directly at the sun. Eclipse safety videos in classrooms.

Why not close on the 8th instead of the 10th? Poor planning.

Seriously. So now when MCPS is planning their school calendar they should consult NASA? 🙄

Good thing the next two are in August (of 2044 and 2045).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it would be crazy to close early. Kids will be unsupervised on buses and walking home and may not have eclipse glasses.

When does it become the parent's responsibility to protect their child from harm by 1) providing the viewing glasses for their children to walk home or ride the bus home wearing? 2) pick their child up early to watch the event at home with them?

Some staff at my school are not happy that the principal didn't use school funds to purchase the glasses for hundreds of kids. That makes no sense.

I am the commenter above who’s picking up their kids early. I know I am very fortunate that I can. My parents could’ve never picked me up early so I sympathize and understand parents who can’t pick up their kids early. However, regarding the glasses, this is where the PTA can come in and buy glasses for all of the students so they can safely walk home.

I was reading on Facebook that some principlas even scheduled staff meetings for this time so even the teachers can’t takeoff early and pick their kids up or even view the eclipse themselves.

They shouldn't have staff meetings on this day, IMO. Of course they will though. Those Monday meetings. So important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would you close school for the eclipse?

Mcps should start asap by properly warning the community about the dangers of looking directly at the sun. Eclipse safety videos in classrooms.

Why not close on the 8th instead of the 10th? Poor planning.

The 10th is Eid.

[Anonymous]

Our ES is saying that kids who are not being picked up early should stay inside until 3:25pm, so they will be delaying the release time. Kind of sad but I understand it especially since they won't be able to prevent kids from staring up at the sun during but if I were the principal, I'd turn it into an educational event and say all kids are welcome to come out on the blacktop, wear glasses, and stare up at the sun. Anyway, I'm picking my kid up at 2 to avoid all the hassle and we'll just view from the field by our house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our ES is saying that kids who are not being picked up early should stay inside until 3:25pm, so they will be delaying the release time. Kind of sad but I understand it especially since they won't be able to prevent kids from staring up at the sun during but if I were the principal, I'd turn it into an educational event and say all kids are welcome to come out on the blacktop, wear glasses, and stare up at the sun. Anyway, I'm picking my kid up at 2 to avoid all the hassle and we'll just view from the field by our house.

So you expect the principal/school to pay for 500+ pairs of viewing glasses so the kids can watch a 4 minute eclipse? That's too much to expect!' Each family should buy their own and pick up their child if they want to view as a family. Most schools are teaching kids about the eclipse but do educators have to do everything? 😕

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oeak is 3:20. Thats right at dismissal for many. Kids will stare at the sun and burn their retinas. Im taking my kid out at 3 and have glasses so we will enjoy it together.

Darwin award winners. Can't help stupid

A six year old is not “stupid” or deserving of blindness when they make a mistake like that. Have some empathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES is saying that kids who are not being picked up early should stay inside until 3:25pm, so they will be delaying the release time. Kind of sad but I understand it especially since they won't be able to prevent kids from staring up at the sun during but if I were the principal, I'd turn it into an educational event and say all kids are welcome to come out on the blacktop, wear glasses, and stare up at the sun. Anyway, I'm picking my kid up at 2 to avoid all the hassle and we'll just view from the field by our house.

So you expect the principal/school to pay for 500+ pairs of viewing glasses so the kids can watch a 4 minute eclipse? That's too much to expect!' Each family should buy their own and pick up their child if they want to view as a family. Most schools are teaching kids about the eclipse but do educators have to do everything? 😕

4 minute partial eclipse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it would be crazy to close early. Kids will be unsupervised on buses and walking home and may not have eclipse glasses.

When does it become the parent's responsibility to protect their child from harm by 1) providing the viewing glasses for their children to walk home or ride the bus home wearing? 2) pick their child up early to watch the event at home with them?

Some staff at my school are not happy that the principal didn't use school funds to purchase the glasses for hundreds of kids. That makes no sense.

I am the commenter above who’s picking up their kids early. I know I am very fortunate that I can. My parents could’ve never picked me up early so I sympathize and understand parents who can’t pick up their kids early. However, regarding the glasses, this is where the PTA can come in and buy glasses for all of the students so they can safely walk home.

I was reading on Facebook that some principlas even scheduled staff meetings for this time so even the teachers can’t takeoff early and pick their kids up or even view the eclipse themselves.

They shouldn't have staff meetings on this day, IMO. Of course they will though. Those Monday meetings. So important.

Nope. They are just forcing us to miss another planning period during the day for a rolling staff meeting AND then babysit kids after school to watch the eclipse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it would be crazy to close early. Kids will be unsupervised on buses and walking home and may not have eclipse glasses.

When does it become the parent's responsibility to protect their child from harm by 1) providing the viewing glasses for their children to walk home or ride the bus home wearing? 2) pick their child up early to watch the event at home with them?

Some staff at my school are not happy that the principal didn't use school funds to purchase the glasses for hundreds of kids. That makes no sense.

I am the commenter above who’s picking up their kids early. I know I am very fortunate that I can. My parents could’ve never picked me up early so I sympathize and understand parents who can’t pick up their kids early. However, regarding the glasses, this is where the PTA can come in and buy glasses for all of the students so they can safely walk home.

I was reading on Facebook that some principlas even scheduled staff meetings for this time so even the teachers can’t takeoff early and pick their kids up or even view the eclipse themselves.

They shouldn't have staff meetings on this day, IMO. Of course they will though. Those Monday meetings. So important.

Nope. They are just forcing us to miss another planning period during the day for a rolling staff meeting AND then babysit kids after school to watch the eclipse

More reasons for an early release.