Welcome to the start of the 2021-2022 school year Pirates! As the new school year starts and all students are back on campus, there are some new updates regarding the parking and traffic conditions, mostly before and after school. Recently, the parking situation has been confusing and congested now that most students are now driving themselves to school. To clear up the confusion, here are the requirements for parking. To be able to park on campus, you must fill out 2021-2022 MBHS Student Vehicle Parking Registration, which can be found at the MBHS website under resources. After filling out the form, a parking permit will be delivered to you at school. Seniors can park behind the Big Gym or in the Entrance 1 Lot. All other grades can only park in the Entrance 1 Lot. Parking is off-limits to all students in the pool parking lot and on the dirt. It is critical that you know where you can park, and the requirements because if not followed it could result in punishments that you want to avoid in order to have a great school year!
To find out more information on traffic and parking situations, students interviewed some fellow students and administrators about what the new rules contain and how they feel about the traffic chaos. The school map (below) demonstrates the parameters for where you can and can’t park.
Students have a lot of responsibilities here at MBHS. One is being sure you are on time for class. However, sometimes it is difficult because of the traffic before school. Some students offered stories of their own experience getting to school in the morning. Senior Elijah Cordero says, “I leave at 8am to get to school every morning and I never have trouble finding a spot [in the senior lot].” Elijah also said that some seniors move their cars during the day according to where their classes are located. This contributes to the congested traffic, especially in the front entrance, at the end of the school day when spots that were empty in the morning are taken up by cars that have been moved in the afternoon. Junior, Jackson Mehiel says, “I’d say it takes me 20 minutes to get out of the parking lot, less about the people and more the route and lack of direction.”
When asked about this issue, the assistant principal Mr. Allstot suggested that parents stagger dropping off and picking up by showing up early or later to pick up their kids. “Once construction is finished the second entrance will also be an option for pick up and drop off,” according to Mr. Allstot. He believes that the after school traffic situation will become a bit better after the second bus circle reopens. The assistant principal also put forward that students can go to a safe, nearby location to be picked up and dropped off to reduce traffic congestion.
Students should be aware that they must have a current parking permit on the bottom passenger-side of their windshield. Mrs. Stover in the office talked about how to get a parking permit. She said that, “Students can get permits throughout the year. The link can be found on our website under resources and it will take you to a google form that can be filled out. After the form is filled out, the pass will be delivered to you in class.” Mrs. Stover also said that, “Parking permits are necessary so we can identify who is parking and who is supposed to be parking at the school. Also, in case of construction we can identify who is parked there and notify them if they need to move.” Since senior parking has been reinstated this year, parking passes will have a code to identify students’ grade level in order to enforce the separate parking.
Although the parking and traffic situation is not ideal, students and staff can be proactive in order to diffuse it. By following the rules and advice of administrators, it is possible that these circumstances can be greatly improved. MBHS can look forward to the traffic issue being resolved, resulting in before- and after-school congestion moving smoothly and quickly!
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