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Taft Principal Says New 9 A.M. Start Time Better for 'Teenage Brains'

 Taft High School
Taft High School
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DNAinfo/Josh McGhee

NORWOOD PARK — Taft High School Principal Mark Grishaber said the school's new start time of 9 a.m. will benefit students — even though some are less than thrilled.

Taft, 6530 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., was one of 82 Chicago Public Schools to have its start time shifted from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. as part of a city-wide effort to save $13.5 million on transportation services and bridge a massive budget gap.

"The teenage brain does not wake up until 9 a.m.," Grishaber said. "I think it will be a good thing."

The later start will allow sports teams to practice in the morning and give students an opportunity for test prep and tutoring before school, Grishaber said.

It also will ease Grishaber's push — immortalized in a series of humorous videos including one where he pretended to do BMX bike tricks — to get students to class on time in the morning, Grishaber said.

School will also start at 9 a.m. at Schurz High School in Old Irving Park, Steinmetz College Prep High School in Belmont Cragin and Foreman High School in Portage Park.

Students have not been quite so thrilled, with many taking to social media to express their displeasure with the change, which will see classes end at 4:15 p.m. — complicating their schedules for afterschool activities as well as work and family obligations.

Other high school principals shared students' concerns, with Lane Tech High School and Whitney Young High School objecting to the change in the start time and asking CPS officials to reconsider the move.

In addition, others have objected to the district's plan to reduce the number of bus stops to 180 from 450 for magnet and selective-enrollment students.

The change in start and end times for high schools could also crowd CTA buses and trains, although transit agency officials said they are not concerned about the shift in riders.

No other schools on the Far Northwest Side will see their schedules change, district officials said.

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