Be prepared: starting tomorrow, cars found in the student lot without a valid parking sticker will be ticketed by school administration.

“If you are parking without a sticker, you should get a ticket. It’s not fair for the people who pay for one,” senior Matt Hutton said.

The student parking lot functions as a convenient location to park that’s close to classes, as a meet up spot, and as a privilege compared to parking on the streets on the perimeter of SDA. However, according to Assistant Principal Jeanne Jones, the lot has lost 25 parking spaces due to the construction of the new track and field. Many spaces have also been taken over by the construction on Santa Fe Drive and Nardo Road.

Hutton believes that there may not be much space left for the people who don’t get their parking permits in time, especially for the sophomores and juniors who get their licenses in the middle of the school year.

Jones said, “It may initially be frustrating for students to have fewer spots available, the end result is a new school and the parking spaces will be the first to return.”

Although there are fewer spaces available, students have been taking full advantage of the student parking lot. According to Jones, there has been a great increase in parking permit purchase,

Students said there are many reasons to buy the $40 permit.  “It’s just easier than parking on the street,” said junior Kyle Cruff, who has been parking in the lot since the middle of his sophomore year.

Hutton said, “I hang out with my friends. It’s like our meet up before and after school.”

The convenience of the student parking lot also comes with a price. Along with the permit fee, the campus supervisor as well as the assistant principals are now able to issue tickets to students who violate parking rules.

In order to park in the student parking lot, students must have valid parking stickers on their cars, and are not allowed to park by red curbs, in the handicap parking, or in any way that prevents others from parking. These tickets range from $45 to $145, and in a case of ticket evasion, the price will increase.