In the past years, Seniors and juniors have been the ones that are allowed to park on campus but not sophomores. Now, with not all the parking spots being used by the seniors and juniors, sophomores can park on campus too. 

Sophomores were allowed to apply and purchase a parking spot starting the week of Sept 6  as long as they met the parking requirements. The parking requirements state that you must maintain a minimum 1.5 GPA and 90% attendance along with obliging with the code of conduct and school rules.

“Honestly, as long as all the juniors and seniors are accounted for and sophomores just know how to navigate the parking lot and they’re not like causing extra issues,” junior Aesha Patel said. “I think we’ll be fine.”

Sophomores are now able to park on the Francis Howell North (FHN) campus due to the construction of the new parking lot, which was built over the 2022 summer. This new parking lot made many more parking spots available after the original application date of parking spots for juniors and seniors left many parking spots unused. With these factors, the school made the decision to open the parking lot up for sophomore drivers that have a valid drivers license. 

“I think it isn’t fair that sophomores are parking because I think seniority should get parking spots first,” junior Jayati Karre said. “They’ve waited all freshmen and sophomore year before,” 

Allowing sophomores to park gives them the opportunity to go home from clubs and travel to sports easier, as well as more of the new parking lot to be utilized while the new Francis Howell North building is still under construction. This parking lot will also be used as the new buildings parking lot, making the finishing time of the campus shorter. 

“I have practice before and after school so I cannot ride the bus and my parents have work so they can not always drive me,” sophomore Camille Krekeler. “Having a parking spot makes it easier on my parents and I to get to and from school.”

Juniors and seniors still get top priority on all parking spots but since there is still an ample amount of spots open, sophomores will be allowed to park for the rest of the 22-23 school year.