Polk County Public Schools is taking a cautious approach toward Monday’s partial solar eclipse.
The district sent out emails and made phone calls to parents on Thursday offering details about its plans for Monday and also posted them on its website.
The school district will offer excused absences on Monday, in case families want to take time off to view the eclipse. PCPS will also move all outdoor activities, such as athletic practices, band rehearsals and afterschool care programs, indoors between 1:15 and 4:30 p.m.
A child watches a solar eclipse in North Carolina in 2017. This year’s eclipse will be partially viewable in Polk County in the afternoon Monday, with its peak around the time children are getting out of school. The Polk County district has said all absences Monday will be excused.
The eclipse is expected to be most notable in Polk County from 1:44 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. School dismissal times will remain unchanged.
In its message, the district emphasized the danger of looking directly at the sun without proper eye protection during the partial eclipse. Doing so even for a short period can cause permanent vision damage, and standard sunglasses do not provide adequate protection.
Schools “will take necessary precautions to protect students while on campus,” the statement said.
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The district urged parents and guardians to use caution while driving during the period of the eclipse.
Though the moon’s passage in front of the sun will yield a total eclipse in parts of the country, the eclipse will cover about 57% of the sun at its peak in Polk County.
A message on the school district’s Facebook page had drawn more than 270 comments by Friday morning. Some commenters praised the district for excusing absences, while others questioned the policy or suggested that schools should provide glasses so that students can safely watch the eclipse.