Changes in Parking Arrangements at Carlmont High School
Changes in parking arrangements at Carlmont High School leave students and staff searching for available parking as construction continues. In late spring, Carlmont reduced the number of senior parking spaces to accommodate staff members who were losing parking due to construction near the S, T, and U wings.
Due to the delayed construction, many teachers continue to park in the S, T, and U wings. The remainder park in the top half of the senior lot, leaving some staff parking spaces empty there. The bottom half of the senior lot is left for students, who fill all the designated student parking spaces.
“At this point, however, we can’t give those spots back to seniors because at any point, the construction on the field could start again,” said Carlmont Principal Gay Buckland-Murray.
In past school years, staff had their own designated parking areas, and students had a senior lot, a junior lot, and street parking available. Limited parking has frustrated students and staff, creating longer searches for available spaces during busy mornings and afternoons.
“A lot of kids will start having more tardies, and that’s not good for their records,” said Carlmont sophomore Allegra Enferadi. To account for the extra time needed to find parking, Enferadi and her brother now have to leave much earlier in the morning.
“There’s construction, and it sucks for everybody. It sucks for staff as well because it’s really far away from our classrooms, and so as a science teacher, when I have to bring a bunch of stuff to my classroom, it’s a challenge,” said Debolina Dutta, an Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher at Carlmont. Dutta also noted that there is an additional challenge when students park in staff spots.
“We just drive around for about 15 minutes, looking for a spot. And then some days if a student parks in a staff spot, I end up having to park in the street,” Dutta said.
Although the current parking situation is not ideal, the administration has explored additional options to accommodate both students and staff. “We have tried to work with the church across the street to see if we could rent their parking lot, but we have not been successful,” Buckland-Murray said.
With construction expected to resume soon, students are expected to park on the streets surrounding the high school for the time being. “I think it’s important to remind people that during periods of change and construction, everyone needs to remember to be patient and understand we’re trying to do the best we can,” Buckland-Murray said.