A new parking policy was enacted limiting who can park in the back parking lots as of January 12th, 2026.
Under this rule, students will no longer be allowed to park in the lot next to the tennis courts or the circle by the field. Only students with parking permits will be allowed to park in the lot in front of the tennis courts, leaving the line of parking spaces along the hill as the only area available for all students.
Many music students have been using parking spots in the now restricted lots in order to bring in heavy equipment in the mornings.
School officials said the decision was made after considering several factors relating to parking availability and staff access to designated areas.
According to school leadership, the back parking lot is intended to be used primarily by staff members. The use of this lot is especially important to travelling teachers coming to or leaving the school in the middle of the day.
“The entire staff lot was getting overrun by students,” Assistant Principal Emily Christensen said.
Before this rule was enacted, teachers found it difficult to find space to park in the back of the school, despite there being a designated lot for staff members.
“If you are getting to the school later than 8:00 it is really hard to find a spot, and after 8:10 there weren’t any spots available in any of the lots,” English teacher Colton Schneider said.
Some students have expressed concerns about access to parking under the new policy, especially those involved in extracurriculars such as music.
Students in these programs are often transporting large instruments daily, which makes closer parking very important. While parking spots will still be available to some of these students, these spots will only be accessible to those with a permit.
Music students were able to apply for a permit through a lottery system, but this means students that are not randomly selected won’t have guaranteed access to close parking.
“We are all really hoping and worried that we will get selected for the lottery,” sophomore band member Lauren Jardine said.
Despite the concerns from some students, others said they understand the school’s reasoning and are waiting to see how the new rule affects parking availability.
Students with any questions about this new parking policy or permits are encouraged to contact the main office for more information.
