Sometimes change is something that needs to happen whether it’s for the better or the worse. Here at Grayslake North, some students have undergone a major change in their schedule. The change has left them shocked and wondering why would we change something that was once so simple to something much more complicated?

At school, juniors and seniors are offered to take certain classes off campus in a different building that is called Tech Campus. Tech Campus can offer many opportunities and open many doors for students that wouldn’t be offered just anywhere. 

During the 2024-2025 school year, students who attended Tech Campus for the morning session would show up to school and get straight on the bus, which left at 8:10am. Following that, around 10:30am, students would come back and be able to spend their free time anyway they would like. 

However, the 2025-2026 school year has had quite a few changes.

This current school year Tech Campus students must be at school at 7:55am to sit at their assigned table. They are checked in a few minutes later and students go onto their assigned bus that leaves at around 8:10am daily. Hours later, after tech they have to get onto their assigned bus, but quite a few students have been struggling.

“A bunch of people can’t find their buses and get left behind,” GNHS senior Maythe Flores explained.

Flores isn’t the only one who is struggling to find their bus. Searching through numerous buses that all look the same makes it difficult to find one specific bus. Once students arrive back at school they are supposed to attend their knights block. After some time, they are allowed to leave and spend the time left however they would like.

For some students, the short time frame is not enough for them if they need academic help, which could be a major setback. They deal with so much just to go to the tech campus and aren’t able to get time to get the help they need.  

“This was a building level decision,” stated GNHS teacher Jill Tomasello. “We are better trying to support students because in previous years they did not have a knight’s block, so they missed out on many of our special programming and announcements. So this is in hopes of making our students feel more connected to our north community,” 

While many students were upset by all of the rule changes, staff wants the students to feel more connected to the school’s community since the students spend almost half their day away from Grayslake North. And while for students all of this doesn’t feel as if it’s going perfect, staff also have similar feelings.

“We have had a few bumps in the road, but for the most part I do think it’s going well,” said Tomasello. “I do think it’s helpful for students. So, overall we are learning as we go and I think it will be great by the end of the year.”. 

For everyone, it has been a rocky start. However, staff is staying optimistic and is still working out any issues that have shown up in hopes of by the end of the year everything works out as planned. The whole intent is so students may feel included and get all the help they need and staff doesn’t want to leave any students behind. While things are not perfect, they are still working at it with the hopes of getting it right for everyone involved.