Total Solar Eclipse
Dear AIS Community,
We're thrilled to announce that on Monday, April 8th, Central Texas will witness a Total Solar Eclipse, providing an exciting learning opportunity for our students and staff. Ensuring everyone's safety during this event is our top priority at Austin International School (AIS). Here are the details:
- Safety Measures
- All students from CP (Cycle Primaire) and up will view the eclipse outdoors wearing safety glasses.
- AIS Administration has developed a comprehensive plan to supervise students and ensure their safety during the viewing.
- Parent volunteers are welcome to assist in supervising younger students and ensuring they keep their safety glasses on throughout the event. If you're available to volunteer on April 8th starting at 1:00 PM, please contact Ms. Hasha, our PTO President. - Student Participation
- GS students will remain in the foyer with the door open.
- PS and MS students will only participate if a parent agrees to accompany them outside. - Opt-Out Option
- If you prefer your child not to go outside during the eclipse, please fill out the opt-out form by Friday, April 5th, at 10:00 AM.
- Parents of PS, MS, or GS students who wish to personally accompany their child outside to view the eclipse should complete this form.
We're looking forward to this unique experience and appreciate your cooperation in ensuring a safe and enjoyable event for all.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Nathan Morgan, a CM2 parent and member of the Austin Astronomy Association, who will be bringing his solar telescopes and sharing his expertise during the event.
Nasa link - To learn more about this uniqure experience.
Schedule of Activities (April 8)
- Eclipse viewing: 1:32 to 1:41 PM
- Additional activities to be announced.
Regular schedule in the morning
- Lunch and Lunch recess outside
- GS lunch recess will take place inside
- PS and MS students will nap as usual from 12:30pm-2:00pm.
- 12.00pm: Mr. Nathan Morgan will set up the Solar Telescope
Session to observe the beginning of the Solar eclipse CE2/CM1/CM2
- 12.30pm: CE2 students (28 students)
- 12.40pm: CM1 students (28 students)
- 12.50pm: CM2 students (23 students)
- 1:00pm: Volunteers will arrive to campus
- 1:00pm: All students (except PS and MS students) will meet in the auditorium.
- Video, explanations of what will happen, safety rules reminders, answers/questions
- Video, explanations of what will happen, safety rules reminders, answers/questions
- 1.25pm: Each class will go outside from the foyer except GS students (CP?) who will stay in the foyer with the door open
1:25: All other students will stay with their class and go to their designated cone (near the garden beds) - Live broadcast of the Solar Eclipse on the screen for students who aren’t allowed to go outside.
- 1.36pm: FULL TOTAL ECLIPSE STARTS FOR 1 min 45 sec
- 1st signal : Students can remove their glasses and look around (we expect a lot of noise and excitement)
- 2nd signal: 30/40 sec after: We ask students to stop talking, making noise to experience the silence, the special feeling of being at night in the middle of the day.
- 3rd signal: VERY IMPORTANT students put back their glasses before the end of the full total eclipse.
- 1.45pm : Elementary school students go back inside
- Session to observe the post-solar eclipse for Middle School students.
- Middle School will stay outside to observe the Eclipse through Nathan Morgan’s telescopes.
In 2017, our first AIS 6th graders led activities around the partial eclipse, and we have invited them to join us on April 8!
