Starting the 2022-2023 school year, the current senior lot by the tennis courts is officially turning into the staff lot. Next year’s seniors will have to park in the front lot facing Hanna Road.

Lucretia Penn, secretary to Assistant Principal Michelle Thompson, who is in charge of parking, said the main reason for the change is safety. Many students have different schedules but also come in late and because the gym doors don’t have a buzzer to sign in, they would have to walk all the way to the front.

“It’s because of safety reasons. If seniors come late, they have to walk all the way around to buzz in or even kids from Spark!, they have to do that same thing,” Penn said.

Penn did also say that the number of parking spots won’t be an issue.

“There will be enough spots and there are already teachers parked in the senior lot. In the senior lot, there are about 154 spaces. 111 are designated for students and 40 are staff. In the front lot, there are 103 parking spaces designated just for staff,” said Penn.

Thompson said that these parking spaces will be assigned to students mainly on a random basis.

“Normally we make accommodations if there is a need but most of the time it is random,” said Thompson.

For the teacher parking spots, Thompson said they will try to take requests for certain spots if a teacher thinks it’s necessary..

“We will try to give them spots closer to their rooms but some teachers do prefer the gym lot because they coach,” she said.

However, business teacher Robert Bock has grown fond of his parking spot in the front lot, and doesn’t like this change. 

“I am upset about this parking spot change because I will be retiring next year and I’ve been in that same spot for 22 years,” said Bock. 

According to Bock, he has the best spot in the front parking lot. 

“I had spot number one for 13 years before I switched to spot number two because of maintenance,” said Bock. 

Bock said that next year, he will have to walk farther.

“I really like my spot because it’s close to my room. If I have to park out in the senior lot, I would have to walk farther,” he said. 

Junior Maya Serafimov didn’t even know about the change.

“I didn’t know and it’s weird because that lot has always been for seniors,” said Serafimov. 

Serafimov also said she was hoping to park in the senior lot because she didn’t like her current parking spot.

“I was hoping to park in the senior lot because I park on the hill,” she said.

For now, there is no certainty that the front lot is going to be just for seniors. 

“I just hope there is enough room in the front lot because I don’t want to park on the hill again,” said Serafimov.