For many student drivers, the morning commute, including the subsequent parking, causes much unwanted stress and frustration. The parking lot, mostly occupied by seniors, is at the back of the school building, adjacent to the back loop and the Webster gate. 

As per the school’s “Student Drop Off Information” document, the primary drop-off location is at the back of the school, where the back loop is. Additionally, the document also identifies the Webster Driveway as an alternative drop off location. The document also emphasizes that “the lower front staff parking is not a drop-off or pick-up location” and that “the entrance into the student lot from the access road by the tennis courts is for students only.” 

While parents have two locations to drop off their students, students have reported them doing so inside the student lot. This not only causes a blocking of traffic but stops the rightful parkers from parking and heading into school.

Student drivers feel extremely frustrated by this. Libby Meehan, a Senior driver, says that having parents drop-off their students inside the student lot “is an inconvenience, especially when they already have two designated spots to do that.” She says that she “doesn’t understand why they’re there,” as they have their own places to drop off their kids.

This sentiment is shared by Senior Will Abbott. Abbott comments that “the parents going through the back loop makes so much more sense.” As a driver, he says that “student drivers are coming in a hurry and the Webster gate causes too much chaos.”

Students have also faced consequences from the morning chaos. Eva Vergara, a Senior, says that she has been cut off while trying to park various times. Vergara says that “it’s made [her] late before.” She shares that while trying to park one morning “a parent was parked in [my] spot, dropping their kid off” and she was unable to go into school. 

Additionally, Senior Addy Dignon, says that she has observed “parents dropping their students off in the student line,” being cut off from entering her parking lot.

This behavior is not limited to students that park in the lot. Michelle Reich, a Junior that parks near Sturges road, comments that she has “almost been run over while trying to walk into school by one of the parents.” She goes on to say that “I’m trying to get to school and they’re affecting that.”

Reich goes on to say that “there is a designated place where parents can drop their students off, if they go around there. My hope is that if they do that, we can all get to school safely without interfering with student drivers’ ability to get to school.”

This sentiment mirrors the school’s parking guidelines: “The designated student parking lot (behind the FLHS building) is designed to make it safer for our high school drivers and to make an orderly way for parents to drop off students for school. Please keep in mind while using this lot that our young drivers are inexperienced and that pedestrians in the lot always have the right of way. Please always exercise caution.”

Additionally, despite the teacher lot only being for teacher drivers, teachers have reported seeing parents drop-off and pick-up students in the teacher parking lot. Instead of being able to park without a hassle, teachers have to endure parents dropping and picking up their students in the place they’re meant to park in. The volume of parent vehicles during dismissal can sometimes lead to situations where teachers find their cars temporarily blocked within their parking spaces.

As the school year winds down, many student drivers ask for better monitoring of the parking lots to keep parents accountable, and more civility all around. There are designated spots for parents to drop off their students, and parents must follow the rules—not using the designated student and teacher lots as a drop-off location.

The general consensus of student drivers is a plea to parents: use the back gate—designated by the school as the primary drop-off and pick-up location—and be more considerate of those around you.