How Long Island schools are handling Monday's solar eclipse

With Monday's solar eclipse providing such a rare educational opportunity for children, schools and libraries across Long Island have scheduled programs to make the most of the event.

"Nature is going to put on a spectacular show … and we want to use it as a teachable moment," said Vincent Pereira, director of science for the Freeport school district.

Some schools are dismissing students early, and at least one district has extended the school day so classmates can watch it together. Much of the eclipse is expected to occur after school hours. 

Some districts are distributing free glasses for students so they can view the eclipse safely. A library in Middle Country has scheduled events, including a program with the Vanderbilt Museum. Two educators from the Plainview-Old Bethpage district are traveling upstate to conduct experiments. Students in Freeport will investigate the impact the eclipse has on weather.

Officials in the Middle Country district have extended the day for all elementary students to view the eclipse outside with their classmates and teachers. There also will be an option for those to watch inside school buildings on a livestream.

"We wanted to make sure first and foremost that students knew about eye safety and how they can safely engage, and secondly we really wanted to celebrate this exciting phenomenon," said Rachel Ndembera, coordinator of science/research for the district.

The Middle Country Public Library has had a longtime interest in the study of space. The library is a member of the STAR Library Network, a hands-on learning network for libraries nationwide led by the Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning.

Local eclipse activities include offering viewing glasses for families, instructions on how to make a safe pinhole viewer, and a lesson with experts from the Vanderbilt Museum. There are planned events for the day of the eclipse with a viewing in the Centereach branch parking lot.

"Something like this only comes by every so often, and it really sparks that deeper interest in STEM concepts," said Kristine Tanzi, the library's coordinator for teen services who also serves as the point person for the space programs.

Two Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School teachers will be headed just south of Rochester — where eclipse coverage will be 100% — to conduct experiments on weather patterns and temperature Monday that will be shared with students upon their return.

"Everyone who has seen [an eclipse] said it is such an amazing experience to observe, and you feel such a connection with the universe. It makes kids feel like they are part of a bigger world," said Jordan Pekor, who teaches physics at the high school. He will be traveling upstate with another teacher, Stephen Hassard, who teaches physics and Earth science.

At the Plainview-Old Bethpage and Mattlin middle schools, Earth science teachers will remain after school to host viewing parties with students.

Freeport educators are going to show students how the science they learned in the classroom has a practical application, Pereira said. They have designed an experiment to assess the effects of the solar eclipse on the weather patterns across the state.

Students will measure temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction in 15-minute time intervals throughout the duration of the eclipse. Freeport’s goal is to analyze the data collected and compare the results with those obtained by schools in Great Britain during its solar eclipse in 2015. 

"A lot of things happen with the weather pattern. The temperatures drop. The wind changes, and all of those changes and those memories stay with people," Pereira said.

In addition, Freeport will be launching a high-altitude balloon to take similar measurements and photographs of the eclipse.

Some districts, such as Wantagh and Franklin Square, are issuing viewing glasses to students. Uniondale High School is hosting a viewing for students who have permission slips and will provide them glasses. And Valley Stream South High School is hosting an eclipse watch festival for students after school.

The eclipse begins at 2:12 p.m., hitting 85-90% totality from Long Island at approximately 3:27 p.m. and ending at 4:37 p.m.

The organizations that oversee athletics at Long Island schools have moved all games to later in the day Monday.

“We’re moving all of the games and making them 4:30 starts to avoid the solar eclipse,” said Tom Combs, executive director of Section XI, which governs Suffolk sports. “The athletic directors in each school district have also formed a plan for practices on Monday.

“Some districts are giving the students off and treating it as a snow day. Other districts are having viewing parties on their turf fields at places like Center Moriches and Deer Park,” he said. Some school districts adjusted dismissal time to accommodate students during the eclipse.

Pat Pizzarelli, executive director for Section VIII, which governs Nassau sports, said a directive has been sent that schools cannot start any events before 5 p.m.

“Some districts are sending middle school students home early. And one district is sending home students at 11 a.m., but the athletes need to come back for their events in the afternoon,” Pizzarelli said

Events have been scheduled for Long Island college students as well. At Hofstra University, the chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy has organized a viewing for students. Farmingdale State College will host an event with music, telescopes and moon pies hosted by a faculty astronomer; it will be open to the public.

SUNY Old Westbury is inviting students and staff, prospective students and their families and some of the K-12 schools the university partners with to a viewing event outside the campus center atrium.

With Gregg Sarra

By Joie Tyrrell

joie.tyrrell@newsday.com@JoieTyrrell

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.