More than 550 students were absent on Oct. 11, which was a half day to end the first quarter. 

“I think showing up to school on a half-day is a waste of time. Most teachers don’t even assign anything,” sophomore Caleb McEachern said.

But a lazy day in school isn’t all that bad. 

“It’s fun to hang out with friends and do literally nothing,” McEachern said. 

Half-day attendance is notoriously low, so teachers often are unsure how to schedule their classes. 

“I was missing 40% of my kids on (Oct. 11). I also know that most kids don’t want to do work on half days, so I just had a free day,” reality teacher Eric Mancilla said. 

Attendance clerk Tonya Johnston added: “They have to want to attend school themselves.”