After being on a half-day schedule for six months this school year, students and staff will now resume classes on a full day schedule starting Feb. 19. Classes will start at 7:15 a.m. and end at 2:10 p.m.

Periods one through eight will be 40 minutes long, and lunch will be one hour starting at 10:10 a.m. after fourth period is over. Fifth through eighth periods will now be flipped, meaning fifth period will be eighth period and so on. New schedules will be handed out to all students during third period next Monday.

“The schedule was decided on by looking at the parameters we were given,” principal Todd Loupe said. “We knew that the high school needed to start at 7:15 a.m. and end by 2:15 p.m. A few schedules were created and shared among the departments for feedback. We made a decision on which schedule we felt was best for our students.”

During Mega Lunch, students will have the opportunity to go to tutorials and/or attend club activities and can choose when they want to eat during that hour. There will be areas that students can use besides the cafeteria, and some areas will be off limits. Lunch will not be an open campus for students.

“Mega Lunch is intended to help students with tutorials and clubs, as well as having the flexibility for them to get more involved,” Loupe said.

The full day schedule will give students more chances to get involved and take care of responsibilities. Since before-school activities will be difficult to have, Mega Lunch was the alternative. If the new lunch plan is a success, it is likely to be continued for next year.

“I think one of the benefits is that students will get out of school earlier and give them the opportunity to work more hours,” Loupe said. “Students will not miss as much school for traveling to go out of town for games as well. We also think that the Mega Lunch will give students the opportunity to attend tutorials and club activities because they are so busy at the end of the day.”