With a recent recall notice issued by Amazon for some solar eclipse glasses sold online, the Monroe-Randolph Regional Office of Education assured parents that glasses provided to local schools for student and staff use on Aug. 21 are NASA-approved and were manufactured in the United States by Rainbow Symphony.

“We were able to get great pricing by piggy-backing on the order that SIU-C made with their massive quantities and wanted to be assured our students would have fully certified glasses safe for viewing the sun,” regional superintendent Kelton Davis said.

As reported last week, the Monroe-Randolph ROE partnered with First National Bank of Waterloo to provide eclipse glasses to every student and staff member in the public and private schools of Monroe County.

In issuing its recall, Amazon said it was unable to confirm whether some of the protective ware was made by a recommended manufacturer.

NASA has urged solar eclipse gazers to use glasses carrying the international safety standard number ISO 12312-2. A helpful link listing all brands whose glasses meet the safety standard, click here.

Glasses handed out by the cities of Waterloo and Columbia in preparation for the eclipse have been confirmed as meeting this safety standard.

The NASA website, https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety, provides helpful instructions and resources for viewing the solar eclipse.

The eclipse phases will begin in Monroe County as early as 11:49 a.m., with the period of totality — or total darkness — expected at 1:17 p.m.

For details on local events taking place on Aug. 21, click here.