Administrators changed an LZHS rule regarding the senior lot. The change spurred from parents’ complaints and created controversy between students.

LZHS administrators received complaints regarding student parking from many parents about the available spots in the senior lot. In response, Melissa Pikul, Dean of Students, proposed a plan at the beginning of second quarter to make 80 spots available to juniors in the senior lot for the rest of the year. 

“Basically some parents brought up concern that we weren’t selling out the parking lot…It only made sense and only seemed fair that we at least use the resources [available parking] that we have,” Pikul said.

Administration approved the new plan and juniors were sold spots. Although student safety was put first, the seniors felt their privileges were undermined. Before, students who could not park in the senior lot parked at the ‘Water tower’ and walked to school on Midlothian, a road with no sidewalk.

“Student safety is number one in the dean’s office all the time…we certainly appreciate the school spirit and the pride that the senior class takes in Lake Zurich…we are just looking out for the best interest of the students,” Pikul said.

 The new rule created small disputes between juniors and seniors. From an administrator’s perspective, though, student safety must never be compromised.

 “I just feel like it’s unfair to the seniors because, since we were freshman, we have been waiting to park, and haven’t been allowed to park and finally when we’re seniors, juniors get to take up the parking spots, too,” Dietrich Ihm, senior, said.

Ihm feels frustrated with the new rule and has to park further back in the morning because the juniors park in the lot too. The dean’s office and other administrators realize the way the seniors feel, but say they must look out for all the students, not just the seniors.

“I’ve been very impressed with the senior class in the few months that I’ve worked with students at Lake Zurich…that being said, student safety is number one,” Pikul said. “There was definitely no harm [to senior pride] intended.”

Juniors who just started parking in the senior lot experienced small pranks from the seniors.

“I got lotion put on the handles of my car,” Ashley Balda, junior, said.

Seniors also showed distress towards juniors by writing ‘Seniors 2012’ on the juniors’ cars who park in the senior lot.