Dear Pike Families,
A total solar eclipse will be visible from many parts of the country on Monday, April 8. While no location in Massachusetts will experience totality, many parts of the state will see up to 95% coverage of the sun, weather permitting. Peak solar eclipse for the Andover area will take place at approximately 3:26 p.m. This is an exciting scientific event -- the next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States won’t occur until 2044.
In addition to this being an important and exciting scientific event, there are also eye safety considerations to take into account during a solar eclipse. To ensure the safety and supervision of our students during this period, we have made some schedule adjustments. Please review the following updates regarding dismissal times, sports schedules, and after-school programming details.
We will have a special dismissal time of 3:40 p.m. for all students on Monday, April 8.
- Families who wish to view the eclipse event with their child(ren), or need to pick-up their child for any reason during the school day, should plan to pick them up from school before 3:00 p.m.
- We will not be able to facilitate any pick-ups between 3:00 - 3:40 p.m. while students are outside for the viewing.
- Unfortunately, families will not be able to join classes at school for the viewing. Thank you for your understanding.
Information on our solar eclipse safe viewing plan during the school day:
- Students will have a regular school day on Monday, April 8.
- Classes will be advised to not go outside for free play after 2:00 p.m., to ensure students are following eye safety precautions.
- Students will have a chance to learn about solar eclipses and eye safety in their homerooms.
- Each student will receive safe-viewing glasses from Pike for use during viewing and to take home.
- Homerooms will go outside with their teachers between 3:00 - 3:35 p.m. for safe viewing of the solar eclipse.
- Students and teachers will return to the building, and students will then be dismissed from indoors to ensure that they are not waiting outside viewing the eclipse unsupervised.
- Please review NASA’s eclipse viewing safety guidance.
Information about after-school programming:
- No sports games or practices will be held after school on Monday, April 8. All students in sports should be picked up at 3:40 p.m. unless registered for Pike Plus.
- Students remaining at school for Enrichment, Chorus, Pikeapella, or Pike Plus will be dismissed to the dining room at 3:35 p.m.
- Enrichment classes and Pike Plus will take place indoors from 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Please note, that these classes will end at their usual time of 4:30 p.m.
- Chorus and Pikeapella will take place indoors from 3:35 - 4:30 p.m. Please note, that these programs will end at their usual time of 4:30 p.m.
We are excited for this special, once-in-a-generation learning opportunity and we appreciate everyone’s partnership to help ensure student safety throughout the eclipse event. Please reach out to your child’s Division Head, Marybeth Heyd or Gina Moran, our Director of Academics, Uzma Bogwani, or me if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Will Powers
Interim Head of School
The Pike School