Pius X will be using a shortened noon dismissal schedule from Thursday, Jan. 13 to Friday, Jan. 21 because of the new omicron variant of COVID-19.

While not as harmful as the original strains of COVID-19 or its delta variant, it is far more contagious and harder to detect.

“I think the shortened schedules will be effective, less school means less time to get sick,” freshman Kaiser Sinica said.

The days will alternate between periods 1-4 and 5-8, with the periods being ten minutes longer than usual, and the school day will end at noon.

“I think that it will make it easier for the kids that are gone because instead of making up two days they’ll be making up one day,” Spanish teacher Gracie Martinez said.

Some students have mixed feelings about the half days.

“I hope that it stays as half days [after its January 21st deadline] because I like having little school,” freshman Gus McKane said. “But I don’t hope that people stay sick, so I hope we’ll go back to normal.”

While there will not be a full lunch period, at the end of the day, the school will offer a grab and go lunch to any students who want one while supervising students in the commons who need to wait for a ride.