2024 Solar Eclipse

We’ll all soon be able to take part in a truly stellar event. On April 8, Central Texas will be in the path of totality for a full solar eclipse. This means that our students, families, and staff can see the entirety of the eclipse. This is an exciting opportunity for our entire Round Rock ISD community!

Beyond just the academic opportunity our students have, the eclipse is something they’ll share with their friends and teachers, and something they can talk about for years to come. We’ve worked hard to create a plan so that all students who want to participate will be able to do so safely.

• Schools will have designated areas where students and staff can safely view the eclipse.
• Campuses will amend schedules to ensure that children and teachers have plenty of time to safely get outside in time for the big event.
• Staff will share safety guidelines with students, including how to properly use and wear eclipse-viewing glasses.
• All students must have permission from their family to participate; campuses will send out those permission slips soon.

We’re thankful for our amazing PTAs and other organizations that have already provided free glasses to so many of our students. For any campus that requests glasses, the district will provide those.

We’ve heard from concerns from a few families and staff about traffic and the expected influx of visitors to our area. We are in constant contact with city and county safety officials, as well as with other school districts in the area.

• One of the best places for our children to be during the school day is safely on campus with their friends, teachers, and other trusted adults.
• We’ve planned and prepared with our bus drivers, routing technicians and supervisors, including all special education routes—bus routes will run as normal.
• If heavy traffic causes delays, families will be kept informed of their students’ expected drop-off time by our SmartTag® system. The SmartTag system is powered by cellular service. Increased or taxed cellular usage could cause message delays.

As with school districts throughout Central Texas, Round Rock ISD will remain open on April 8 as we come together for this cosmic event. We hope you’re able to take a few moments from your day and safely enjoy the sight, too!