As the new year approaches, students begin to prepare for yet another year at BHS. The senior class returns to fulfill their last year. As leaders of the school, seniors have many responsibilities, that of which come with privileges and rights.
These privileges include: parking, going into town during lunch or leaving early from a 9th period study hall, but Senior Stephanie Schmitt said, “Parking is the most anticipated for the senior class students.” Her reasoning behind this is that after a long year of stressing out about parking on Olcott, it is refreshing to know that there is a spot waiting for you. However, this isn’t the case for everyone, which is the main cause of feuds in the parking lot, in addition to the issuing of tickets. The school’s parking lot was designed to fit only 106 student spots and 141 additional spots for BHS/District staff. In past years, since there was no room for some students, they decided to park in the library or the King’s parking lot in order to avoid the treacherous Olcott Avenue. As more students began doing that, the Bernardsville Library and Kings prohibited students to park in their lot while the police had to come hand out tickets to each student that hadn’t corresponded.
Not only was finding parking spots a problem, but students started to feud over the fact that the system was unfair because some received parking privileges over others. In addition, there were others who claimed that it was unfair that the people who lived close by had been the first to snatch a spot. In previous years applicants were assigned spots on a first come, first served basis where applicants were numbered in the order that they were returned after the application was sent home with the summer mailing.
This year they decided to change the system because according to Dr. Corbett, “Mr. Neigel said he felt that it would be more fair to randomly assign spots” because students who were away during the summer were at a disadvantage with the “first come, first served” system.” The new system requires the students to apply for a spot before the last day of school last year. Then applicants were selected randomly to receive spots which they would pay $100 for a full year spot. Dr. Corbett said that “fall athletes who won a spot in the lottery were randomly assigned spots that are outside of the marching band area.”
They decided to do this so that the athletes would not need to move their cars on days when marching band practices. The rest of the students who were picked out of the raffle were randomly selected their spots. Throughout the years, many students have requested for an addition of spots but according to Corbett there are no plans to add spots this year. Although he said that “it is very unfortunate that not all seniors could be accommodated but if the upcoming district bond referendum passes, one project will create 28 additional spots in the rear parking lot.”
