Parking at Pleasant Valley High School has been an ongoing issue. Oftentimes, there aren’t enough spots available, and the spots that are available are very far from the student entrances and even further from the main office. There are four main parking lots for students: tower lot, senior lot, tennis lot and Scott lot.
The tower lot is small but convenient. However, the first two rows are reserved for teachers. Even though there are limited spots, the tower is the ideal lot to park in because it is located right outside the tower doors, a main student entrance.
Behind the tower lot, the senior lot is the most convenient lot to park in after it was reopened this school year. Although this lot is restricted to seniors, it allows for more open spots in the other lots, and it is close to the new building addition, which has a student entrance.
After the senior lot, the tennis lot is the largest PV parking lot. The spots towards the front of the tennis lot are closest to the tower entrance, but the spots in the middle and back are extremely far from the doors.
This, however, doesn’t compare to the Scott lot. The walk to the school from Scott lot is incredibly lengthy, as it is by the baseball field. There are no accessible student entrances near the lot.
While some of the four lots are close to student entrances, they are all extremely far from the main office. The main office is located in front of the school, and the parking lots are all located on the side of or behind the school.
The main student entrances are all open until second period starts at 9:00 a.m. If students don’t have class until after second period or are coming late, they must enter through the main office. This is very inconvenient for students who drive themselves. Oftentimes, students are rushed or late because they have to find a parking spot and then hurry inside.
Other local schools like Bettendorf High School and Davenport Central High School require students to enter through the main office, too, but they don’t have parking issues like PV. “There is a short walk from the parking lot to the main office, but it’s nothing like PV, so we can’t complain,” said Bettendorf High School senior Audrey Seneli.
Central High School operates similarly. “All students enter through the main office after the morning bell, but the entrance is across the street from the parking lot,” said Davenport Central High School senior Dative Joy.
To continue, the winter months make this issue worse. The long walk during freezing cold temperatures is unbearable at times, especially for students who have to go to the main office or who are dressed improperly for the conditions. “I don’t always wear a coat, so walking from the back of any parking lot all the way to the main office is not a great start to my day,” said senior Bella Yarbrough.
Being out in the cold also contributes to illness. Many students at PV are sick over the winter months, and having them out in the cold weather increases their risk of illness. “I get sick frequently, and being out in the cold walking into school isn’t helping me get better,” expressed junior Kalie Tessen.
As the school continues to expand, the ongoing problems regarding parking spaces should also be addressed. The school must implement solutions that promote student safety and accessibility. Whether it is using student IDs to enter the building through the main student entrances or having a monitor to let students in, a solution should be provided.
