Submitted by Mr. Michael Mountz
On August 21, thousands of York Suburban students gathered outside of their schools and watched the sky as the most significant solar eclipse to impact York County in decades appeared into view. While the astronomical event that motivated this gathering was naturally occurring, the many steps that allowed students to experience it were not. Teachers and administrators had engaged in months of districtwide planning to make this moment a reality.
The process began in October of 2016 when Assistant Superintendent Patricia Maloney attended a workshop that suggested the idea. Using the district’s Curriculum Advisory Council as a conduit, Dr. Maloney worked with science teachers in order to develop a districtwide plan for elementary, middle, and high school students to learn about and ultimately experience the solar eclipse. The teachers designed lessons about the eclipse that were eventually implemented in science classrooms across the district.
“I’m glad we decided to e
mbrace the opportunity,” said Leslie Gentzyel, who chairs the high school’s science department.
Elementary schools began promoting the eclipse in science classes during last school year in order to build student excitement for the event. At the secondary level, teachers incorporated information about the solar eclipse into existing curriculum when possible. All York Suburban students had received at least one day of dedicated science instruction about the eclipse by the time they watched it unfold.
Given the danger that the eclipse posed to the human eye, the district ordered NASA-certified eclipse viewing glasses for every York Suburban student and teacher. These specialized glasses were distributed on August 21, allowing students and teachers across the district to end the school day by exiting their buildings a little earlier than usual and watching the eclipse.
York Suburban students were afforded a similar opportunity in 1994, the last time a solar eclipse of this magnitude was visible from York County. The next locally visible solar eclipse is expected to occur in 2024.
