An important first in many students’ lives is the first time they drive themselves to school. However, the excitement can then turn to disapointment and frustration with the need to purchase a parking pass.

“In the morning, parents park in the spots next to mine, so the students who have to park there wait in my spot then I have no where to park so I have to wait in someone’s else’s spot,” senior Cheyenne Sanborn. “Then when it is the end of the day, the fact that there is one entrance/exit to the senior lot makes everything so difficult, it takes 20 minutes to get to the exit.”

While students may not like the parking situation, the administration focuses on security when they are deciding what is best for the students.

“Parking spots are assigned for security reasons,” Principal Mark Suchowski said. “By assigning parking spots we can know who is parking where.”

However, Lake Fenton and Holly High Schools have switched to first come first serve parking and have seen good results.

“This is the first year we are not doing assigned parking; it is first come first serve,” secretary for Lake Fenton High School Kathy Wilkinson said. “It seems to be working out a lot better. We had daily issues with students’ parking in other students’ spots. Also, we had so much snow last year that it obstructed some parking spots causing a domino effect in parking.”

The students of Lake Fenton still have to pay for parking despite not having an assigned parking spot.

“The cost to park is $25 per vehicle and $10 for each additional vehicle,” Wilkinson said. “I think the students like the first come first serve better. I haven’t heard many complaints.”

While students dislike paying for parking, the money goes toward security and ensuring safety.

“Some of the money that students pay to park in the parking lot goes toward the decals that are put on the cars,” Suchowski said. “What the leftover money goes toward depends on what the school needs. One year we bought paint to repaint the lines with money, another year the money helped pay for stencils to redo the numbers, and one year they money went toward walkie talkies. The main purpose of the money students pay for parking is security.”

With security on the mind, the administration is willing to revoke students privileges who do not abide by the rules in place.

“When students are not in their spot, their car could be towed at their expense,” Suchowski said. “Most likely, we would just remind the student not to do it again.”
To obtain a parking pass or to ask questions about parking, talk to Suchowski or go to the main office.