One of the biggest concerns of high school seniors here on campus, aside from college applications, is how to get to school every morning.
For seniors, the long awaited privilege of parking on campus has finally arrived, but not without drawbacks. With alternating A and B day parking passes, students are only able to park every other day, leaving a method of transportation for half the year up in the air. What is the reason for this?
“It’s space. It’s not that we don’t want you to park,” said Principal Cohen at the kick-off senior assembly. He encourages carpooling with friends.
Nonetheless, students see it a different way.
“The lot is always half empty,” says senior Elizabeth Hargraves.
Despite parking availability, many students have faced violations and subsequent fines for parking opposite their designated day or without a pass at all. Ms.Orlando routinely checked the lot for pass-equipped cars in the early weeks of school, citing the students without passes. The initial fee is $25, $50 for the second strike, and loss of parking privileges on the third. This high fine comes as a surprise to many, being above the cost of a real officer-issued parking ticket.
“We have waited since freshman year to park in the senior lot,” says senior Jacob Egloff. “The fact that we get ticketed is simply outrageous. As long as everyone has a spot, which everyone does, then we should be allowed to park every day or at least have somewhere else to park on the days we can’t”.
Another fact to consider is that an entire row of parking spaces is designated for staff.
“There’s a senior lot? Really a senior lot? Let me know because I can’t find it,” says senior Haley Passov with a laugh.
There has been talk of relocating the tiny house that sits at the far end of the lot for more space or of having students simply park closer together to make more room. With the looming cost of a parking ticket and nearby Fieldpoint cracking down on non-residential student parking, many are out of options.
