To safely experience the Great American solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017, LEUSD recommends the following safety precautions during school...

BACKGROUND
On August 21, 2017, a global solar eclipse of the Sun will visibly traverse a narrow corridor across the USA from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, So. Carolina. This event will appear as a partial eclipse when viewed from southwest Riverside County. The eclipse begins after 9:00 a.m. locally and ends before noon. A total solar eclipse last occurred in the USA in 1979.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

For Monday August 21st we are recommending for all grade levels the use of the "hot day/rainy day schedule" for indoor activities between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. 

Looking directly at the Sun is unsafe, even during a solar eclipse. According to the American Astronomical Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the Sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.

The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, or “eclipse glasses,” obtained from a reputable supplier and compliant with the ISO12312-2 international safety standard for such products.

Here are viewing safety precautions for experiencing the solar eclipse event on August 21:

• Do not look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun, or through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
• Similarly, do not look at the Sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
• Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device; note that solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or other optics.
• Use solar filter or eclipse glasses from a reputable source only, and use as directed by the manufacturer, including disposal of expired or used material.
• Children should always be under adult supervision when using eclipse glasses.
• When at school, students may not use any eclipse viewing apparatus that is not compliant with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for such products (e.g., “homemade” or improvised eclipse viewing gear). Note: pinhole projection excluded.

RESOURCES
NASA's Eclipse 2017 and other web sites are linked below for important safety information about viewing a solar eclipse, illustrations, and eclipse tracking updates. Printer-friendly eye safety flyers are also linked below  (English and Spanish).

NASA'S ECLIPSE LIVE WEB LINK
ECLIPSE ACROSS AMERICA WEB SITE (NASA)
SIMPLYKINDER.COM_ECLIPSE VIDEOS FOR KIDS LINK
AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY_EYE-SAFETY