A Message from the Superintendent Regarding Safety During the Solar Eclipse

Dear Hacienda La Puente Unified Families, 

We hope you all had a fantastic spring break! We look forward to welcoming our students back to school tomorrow, Monday, April 8. As many of you know, on Monday morning at approximately 10:06 a.m., Los Angeles County residents are expected to witness a partial eclipse. 

Rest assured, our school leadership teams and educators have been fully briefed on the potential safety concerns surrounding the eclipse. School sites will make announcements at the start of the day to remind students to avoid looking directly into the sun.

As the event will occur during classroom instruction time, many of our school sites have chosen to create unique learning experiences for students by providing fun and informational activities or livestreaming. A few schools that are choosing to view the eclipse outside will have on-hand the appropriate glasses and/or pinhole viewers recommended by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

To ensure our community members are also enjoying the eclipse safely, please review the following guidelines:
 

·        Do not look directly into the sun

·        Wear eclipse glasses, or solar viewers, with certified solar filters and ensure lenses are in good condition. To learn more about proper eye protection and find suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters, visit the American Astronomical Society. 

·        Do not use sunglasses, binoculars, or telescopes

·        Always supervise children using solar viewers

·        Use a pinhole viewer to view the eclipse indirectly without looking at the sun. Instructions on how to do this are available here.

Monday is projected to be a sunny day in Los Angeles County. If students or community members are outside to view the eclipse, Public Health advises them to wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing to protect their skin.

Residents can also view a livestream of the eclipse on NASA’s and Griffith Observatory’s websites.

Thank you all in advance for your support as we work to ensure that this spectacle is safe and fun for our District community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Alfonso Jiménez

Superintendent of Schools