The lot formerly reserved for staff behind the B and C buildings will now be designated to student drivers, effective at the start of next school year.

The change comes as a result of expected growth in student population next year. With larger numbers of students on campus and a limited number of parking spaces, the school faces the dilemma of how to divvy out the spots on campus between student drivers and staff.

Currently, student parking is mainly located in the lower lot, consisting of about 400+ spots, with overflow parking in the lot near the tennis courts. Teacher parking is mainly in the lot behind the B and C buildings, with overflow in some student lots and near the baseball fields.

Next year, the layout of student and staff parking needs to change in order to accommodate the additional student drivers.

Student parking and drop off will now be all on the lower side of campus. The lower lot will continue to be student parking with the additional lot behind the B and C buildings.

“The idea of how it’s going to look next year is: staff parking will be on the tennis court side of the school with the overflow as the baseball field. All the way up to the baseball field is all staff parking. No students. No drop offs. Nothing like that,” said Darrin Jindra, assistant principal.

“This way if there are any students on that side [of campus], we know they should not be there,” said Jindra.

With this expansion of student parking, there will be approximately 600 spaces for student drivers next year. Senior drivers will get priority over any spaces on campus and the additional spots not filled will be randomly sold through a lottery system.

“Next years’ senior class is about 594. So if every senior drove, parking’s done. But every senior doesn’t drive. What we’re going to have to do to make it fair for the juniors is it’s going to be a lottery system,” said Jindra.

Although this plan comes as a solution for next years’ upperclassmen drivers, the school is expecting each freshman class to continue growing. As a result, in years to come, campus parking may end up being a senior only privilege.

Traditionally, students would pay for parking passes at registration and the lower lot would fill to about the 300’s. Then throughout the year when more students get licenses and cars, the lot reaches capacity and the spots near the tennis courts are sold. Most to all spaces are usually given out near the end of the year.

Next year, parking spots are projected to be completely sold out by early January/February.

The cattle gate on La Pata that is typically closed will now be opened exclusively for staff to get into their spots. Drop off will not be allowed in there because there is no exit from that area other than the other cattle gate near the baseball field which will remain locked in the morning hours.

“There will be some relief, I anticipate, once La Pata goes through, because then Orange County Transit will have bus transportation to the school [as another option for students to get here],” said Jindra.

“I think it’s the fairest way for everybody who has to come to the school and park. I don’t like that there’s limited parking; I wish that I could just say that people who have a driver’s license can just come and park, that’s how it used to be. But we’re growing up, and we’re going to be a big school now so unfortunately that involves some limitations,” said Jindra.