As we enter the second semester of the school year, more and more students are reaching the driving age, resulting in more parking permits being distributed and more cars in the parking lot. For a limited amount of people, those with personal parking spots, this is not an issue. However, a large portion of students can relate to the frustration of not being able to find a parking spot and being late to school.

According to the RHS student handbook, “Only junior or senior students with RHS issued parking permits are allowed to park in the student parking lot. ​Designated senior permits allow only 12th grade students to park in the “Senior Parking” area within the student lot. Possession of a parking permit does not guarantee on-campus parking. ​Cars parked without a valid permit will be cited by the Rocklin Police Department.”

Even though there is clearly a limited amount of parking spaces in the Rocklin High School parking lot, administration continues to hand out parking passes to students who are eligible; making the parking lot a first-come-first-serve resource for students.

When finding a parking spot is out of the picture, most students admit to going home and having their parents excuse their absence; otherwise they will receive a tardy and an hour of detention for something that was out of their control. This has caused stress and frustration among the senior class, who are expected to have a 90% attendance rate in order to qualify for graduation.

Although it is impossible to stop more students from getting their licenses and parking permits, it is possible to ensure that everyone who is parking in the lots are permitted to do so. Enforcing more discipline and eliminating non-permitted students from the parking lot will open up more spots for the junior and senior classes; hopefully reducing the amount of tardies and frustration in the upper classes.

If you see someone parking in the parking lot without a parking permit, all you have to do is take a picture of their car and licence plate and bring it to the front office. It is also recommended to give yourself extra time in the morning to eliminate the chance of being too late to find a parking spot, especially on rainy days.