Parking changes amidst blended learning

Lizzy Zacharias, Reporter

As U-High students returned to school in October they were faced with a multitude of new rules. One of the new rules involved parking arrangements. This rule allowed sophomores and juniors to park in the senior lot on a first come first serve basis. 

Principal Andrea Markert was not surprised seniors were unhappy about the change.   

“It had always been a senior lot,” Markert said. “And though I do understand that, there is a pandemic.  We were trying to make things run as smoothly and easily as possible, and a little thing like that does make a difference as we’re watching entry points into the building. We would have way more students entering two doors as opposed to four doors if students were coming from the J-Lot.”

Not everyone is unhappy though. 

“I knew that the seniors would not be thrilled, but the juniors and sophomores are,” Markert said. “So the overall positives just outweighed the negatives.” 

The shift to block schedule also influenced the decision as students arrive at different times throughout the day. 

“We have so many students that come here at different times,” Markert said. “For example on odd days a lot of students don’t have a period 1 class, so if you’re coming here for period 1 you should be able to park here first. It’s not like there’s a time where everyone arrives at school for the same period, it’s on and off, people are constantly coming and going even now during the pandemic.”

Senior Ella Bittner was disappointed when she heard the change. 

“I had a vision for senior year and it kind of just takes away from the whole vision I had,” Bittner said. “We still have some things, but it feels like everything has changed so much. After four years of waiting for my senior year it just feels like everything has gotten taken away.”

 Bittner considered the senior lot as one of the many privileges that students get to have their last year. With the loss of sports games, senior couches, and for now school dances the loss of the senior lot feels like another lost privilege. Markert does not dismiss this saying sentiment. 

There certainly has been a lot of mixed emotions circulating around the school amidst blended learning and the new parking arrangement but Student Body President Katelyn DeKeersgieter is embracing the change with a more positive mindset.

“I was a little surprised when I first heard about the change. Once I thought it through I realized it was a logical decision made on the administration’s part,” DeKeersgieter  “With all the uncertainty going on right now and negative emotion surrounding everything that can’t operate in the way that it usually does, I think something as trivial as parking and allowing juniors and sophomores that privilege for the moment is a step in the right direction.”

In keeping with that positive mindset  Markert offered this assurance: “I am sorry to the seniors but we truly are doing what’s best for everyone in the school and I promise that if we get to all come back it will be the senior lot again.”