Plainfield Students Can Get Excused Absence To View Solar Eclipse

PLAINFIELD, IL — The highly anticipated total solar eclipse will happen on Monday, a day when most of Plainfield's youth will be in school.

In the United States, the path of totality extends from Texas to Maine, but each of the 48 continental states will see some of the solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon slips between our bright star and Earth. In Plainfield, the moon will cover about 93.6 percent of the sun at the peak of the eclipse, according to a NASA map.

In a letter sent to families Thursday, district officials said the eclipse will present a unique learning opportunity for students. Kids in kindergarten through eighth grade will engage in various educational activities to ensure "each student gains valuable insights and knowledge about this natural phenomenon."

Students will be provided with eye protection certified for solar eclipse viewing, officials said.

High schoolers will be dismissed from school shortly after the maximum eclipse and will not be participating in elementary and junior high students' activities.

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