Pittsburgh-area schools getting ready for solar eclipse

PITTSBURGH — The sun, moon and solar eclipse are the big learning elements this week at Montour’s Middle School.

>> Pittsburgh-area schools adjusting schedules for upcoming solar eclipse

“I think the excitement has been building,” said Sherri Jak, who teaches eighth grade at Montour.

There are a lot of questions about this rare experience the students will get to see.

“I think the big thing is why there is such a big difference between what Erie gets to see and what we get to see. Some are a little disappointed, like why we are only getting 97%. I don’t think they know the magnitude or power of the sun,” Jak said.

In the elementary school, it’s conversations about safety as the students will still be in the classroom when our area reaches 97% totality.

>> Solar eclipse 2024: How to watch safely, where to get solar viewers

“This is a way for them to view it without looking directly looking into the sun, they actually have their backs turned towards the sun and the light comes through this pinhole and the eclipse gets projected onto the back of the box,” said Linda Ewonce, who teaches 4th Grade at Montour.

The district is pushing back the elementary dismissal by less than ten minutes to make sure no students or drivers are impacted by the solar eclipse. It’s those concerns that have even more schools in our area implementing an early dismissal on Monday or just cancelling class for a flexible instruction day.

“I think the major concern was what’s the atmosphere going to be like when our elementary school students are leaving to get on the buses at 4 or 4:05pm, I think that’s where a lot of the board members were concerned,” said Dr. Daniel Castagna, who’s the Woodland Hills Superintendent.

Even though Woodland Hills won’t be physically in the classroom, the curriculum is still heavily focusing on this rare event.

“We are guiding some students are what they should be doing at home and trying to make it a teachable lesson and embed it into their lessons,” Castagna said.

We will see a variety of learning situations come Monday with one district even sending some students and faculty to Erie on a field trip.

>> Solar eclipse 2024: Your guide to watching the total solar eclipse in Erie

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