Walker County Schools-Solar Eclipse Plan Monday, August 21, 2017

Welcome back to school! I hope you and your family had a wonderful summer break and have returned excited about the beginning of another school year. We have some amazing things planned again this year for your student as we are focusing on “engagement encounters” throughout the school year. Our goal is to provide a classroom environment that is filled with challenging teaching and engaging activities that connect learning to real-world applications. We will continue to find exciting opportunities and ways to enhance the learning each day. One of those amazing experiences will be the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21. Walker County Schools will be extending the normal school day by 30 minutes to take full educational advantage of this once in a lifetime event.

Important Information for Parents:

  • We are currently planning activities at each grade level to compliment and enhance standards across the curriculum (more information coming)
  • We will be live streaming the events of the day in every classroom to assure all students have the opportunity to participate
  • Teachers will detail and review proper safety when viewing a solar eclipse (more information coming)
  • We have purchased NASA recommended and ISO 12312-2 approved solar eclipse glasses for every student and teacher to wear while outside viewing the eclipse
  • Students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade will not go outside to view the eclipse; they will do simulations in their classrooms so they do not miss out on this experience (they will all receive the eclipse glasses)
  • Dismissal times:
  • Elementary 2:45 p.m. bus and car riders
  • Middle/High 3:45 p.m. bus riders only
  • Middle/High 3:15 p.m. car riders and high school student drivers

As an additional bonus, we will be offering an eclipse show to the general public at our James A. Smith Planetarium throughout the weeks prior to the event and on the day of the event. Information regarding show times and pricing is available at

If families are planning to travel that day to an area with greater coverage during this amazing event and choose to keep their child at home or check them out early, this will not be held against them and will be counted as an excused absence. We understand, appreciate, and support our parents as the first teacher for their child; your personal enhancement of this experience and the memory you create is invaluable to their development and educational experience.

If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at our central offices in LaFayette. I hope you have a wonderful school year and thank you for choosing Walker County Schools.