93-3-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news update with Kathy Romano.

Today is Friday. It is March 18th. Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning in the news this morning. High schools in the Philadelphia School District will start at 9 a.m. this fall as the next wave of changes that officials hope will improve transportation and education.

We were just talking about that.

Yes. Spokesperson Monica Lewis said the district's plan to phase to a three-tier bell schedule started last fall impacting kindergarten through eighth grade.

The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that a later start time for high school students would help them arrive to school more alert and prepared to learn, Lewis said.

In a letter to families, the district said the plan also promotes safer travel in the morning since most high school students are responsible for their own commute to school.

Philadelphia isn't the first local district to push the start time back for high school students.

Upper Darby High School pushed back its start time to 945 last fall.

That's pretty late.

Yes.

The district will hold four virtual forums.

That's rock start time.

Yeah.

They'll hold virtual forums to discuss the changes and hopefully make the transition easier for families.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia

Federation of Teachers issued a stern response to the schedule change and said that they have shared

their opposition to the change with the district. Two suspects have been arrested in connection

with a violent carjacking and kidnapping Tuesday afternoon at the Philadelphia Mills Mall.

Victim Marissa Briggs spoke to 6ABC about the incident and said both suspects had guns and both were being held to her head. She snuck up, she said they snuck up behind her when she was opening her driver's side door. She says that they then forced her into the passenger seat while the male suspect drove the car and the female suspect sat behind her with a gun. They took out my debit and credit cards and

saw that I was with PNC. Briggs said so they drove me to Wawa's. The suspect drove Briggs to different

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