With the start of the new school year, many seniors were excited to secure their parking permits while newly licensed juniors were eager to drive to school. However, student parking challenges have recently resurfaced – a trend school administration considers a routine part of each school year.
Because of the limited space on campus, there are not enough parking spots to accommodate all of the student drivers. And due to an increase in teachers, SHS expanded on faculty parking spots two years ago, further limiting on-campus student parking.
Only seniors can park on the lots on campus, which includes the gravel, Harcourt, and athletic lots. Seniors need to obtain parking permits to be eligible for parking on any campus lot. But even with permits, the number of spots is still insufficient to accommodate every senior who drives, and therefore the lots operate on a first come, first serve basis.
For juniors, driving to school signifies freedom and is convenient. However, this convenience does require them to make additional sacrifices. To get a good spot near campus, they need to get up earlier before it gets too full.
Ajene Choe ‘27, who has been driving to school as soon as she got her license, leaves for school around 7:30AM for a spot on Brewster Rd — one of the closest spots school juniors can park in as it is beyond school property. “I always get a spot on Brewster because I come early,” Choe said.
On average, assistant principal Dr. Christopher Griffin manages around three to four parking issues everyday. “Some parked without a permit, someone parked illegally, someone parked in a private space,” Dr. Griffin specified. The private spaces that students park in often include the lots of the Scarsdale Public Library, Girl Scouts, and Church of Latter-day Saints.
However, looking at trends from previous years, this problem is not expected to get better throughout the course of the year. “As the number of juniors with licenses increases, the number of parking issues also increases,” Dr. Griffin explained.
Students planning to drive to school should do their part and park legally. Perhaps setting their alarms a little earlier than usual will ensure that every student can find a convenient spot.
