The original plan of issuing parking passes to juniors and seniors and conducting a lottery for the sophomore class will be postponed to fall of 2016, while freshmen will remain unable to park in the parking lot.

These changes were outlined in an email sent by principal Tobie Waldeck on Tuesday, Dec. 8 along with the information that an additional 80-90 parking spaces will be added to the land in front of the building facing Monticello Road for staff while removing the current staff spots from the parking lot in order to create more student parking.  

School resource officer Mo Loridon said the soon to be added parking spaces are what initiated the change.

“[Getting] a new parking lot changes what we were going to do,” Loridon said. “It changes the numbers, it changes who parks where [and] it opens a lot more spots.”

The original parking plan being postponed, due to added spaces disappointed senior Hannah Schrepfer.

“I was really looking forward to it and holding out for the seniors [and] juniors [getting] it and then the drawing for sophomores,” Schrepfer said. “At times, I’ve been having to park at [Monticello Trails] at 7:40 when the traffic gets backed up, so it’s going to be harder to keep up with that.”

Junior Ally Saab also wished to see the original parking plan occur during second semester.

“I think that the policy that they almost implemented [this year] would have worked,” Saab said. “Underclassmen just shouldn’t be able to drive and that would leave enough available spots for the upperclassmen.”

Even though the new parking policy will not take place, sophomore Tyler Orbin believes the current parking situation is manageable.

“I don’t think there’s a problem with the parking lot,” Orbin said. “There are definitely enough spots in my mind, and it’s all about your responsibility. As long as you get here on time, then you’ll be able to find a spot.”

Schrepfer, however, anticipates the parking lot becoming inefficient during second semester due to some seniors having shortened schedules.

“It’s going to be the same or even worse [second semester],” Schrepfer said. “[Shortened day] seniors are going to be coming [later] and underclassmen will fill up the parking spots first.”

Loridon agrees with Schrepfer and said students are going to have to adjust second semester in order to get a parking spot.

“It will get more crowded, there’s nothing we can do about it. I hate to say it, but if you don’t want to be late, get here earlier and get a parking spot,” Loridon said. “I get here [at] about 7:30 and there is still parking in the parking lot. If you’re here at 7:40, there’s probably not going to be.”

Ultimately, Loridon said he is doing his best to solve the parking lot issues.

“The biggest challenge is trying to make everybody happy [the] best you can,” Loridon said. “We don’t want to be unfair to anyone if we don’t have to.”