During the 2011-2012 school year, 863 Arrowhead Union High School parking passes were purchased, Barb Melvin says.

There are 1,346 total student parking spaces at Arrowhead.  And a student is required to pay $154 annually to park at Arrowhead.

There are some desirable and less desirable parking spaces.

Melvin says she gives an average of five $10 parking citations each week. Melvin gives one warning per vehicle and per parking space and the cost of both the passes and the citations are determined by the AHS school board.

The money earned from parking passes and tickets, Lipscomb and Melvin say, goes into Arrowhead’s general fund.

However, students are often heard complaining about the lack of spaces and the price of parking.

If Arrowhead were to create more areas for parking—and more ways to exit the AHS parking lot—Kevin Lipscomb, director of buildings and grounds, says it would congest more areas around Arrowhead.

Sophomore Molly Kocain says, “There is not an efficient system to get out of the parking lot at North. Everyone gets cut off, there needs to be different ways to get out and parking passes cost too much.”

Lipscomb says, “It’s like Miller Park you have to expect to wait because of the so much people in one area.” 

If Arrowhead needs to have more parking spaces—because of increased enrollment—they most likely be put behind the garage, Lipscomb says.

Lipscomb says, “There is a lot of thought put into the parking lots and how they are made, they have to think of places to put the snow, where safe places is for kids to walk, and areas to get out.”

If there is more ways of getting out of Arrowhead that just cause other roads to be backed up, so students at Arrowhead just might have to remain patient.

People like senior Devin Conley say, “Yes, Arrowhead needs a new parking lot, [there are] too many people.”

Sophomore David Rohr says, “I think it is a good set-up for parking lots, also [it is] put together well, but it can be confusing and drivers are rude.”