Significant changes to school transportation next year

Unanimous agreement by the Jesuit administration is prompting a major change regarding parking privileges for junior and senior students next year. With efforts by the school to reduce carbon emissions and create a greener campus, some students who plan on driving a car and parking in the Jesuit parking lots will need to reconsider transportation to and from school depending on where they live, effective as of the start of the 2020-21 school year.

The radial distance from the school to a student’s household will be calculated at the beginning of the year on registration day. Essentially, the breakdown is as follows and applies to those wishing to park in the Cronin, Valley, or tennis court parking spaces:

Students who live within a one to two mile radius of the school will be denied parking space and will be encouraged to walk or bike to school each day. Plan accordingly for all variants of weather.

Students who live within a two to four mile radius of the school will be denied parking too, but will be offered an optional shuttle service by the school to reduce larger distances for students to have to walk or bike to school.

Only juniors and seniors who live beyond a radius of four or more miles from Jesuit will be given parking permits. Due to the school’s future plans within Valley Plaza, spaces in the Cronin lot and the tennis court lot will only be available with the intent to empty out the Valley parking lot.

Jesuit consistently strives to create a more environmentally friendly campus. With this new policy being enforced, the school is expecting a reduction in carbon emissions with fewer cars on the roads and in the parking lots.

“[We need to] reduce our carbon footprint, the emissions, and require [students] to carpool, walk, or ride a bike,” said Chief Security Officer Ms. Kent.

Moreover, the Society of Jesus has recently released what is called the Universal Apostolic Preferences. One of the preferences requires the need to collaborate in the care of the common home. Thus, Jesuit has responded through the implementation of this policy to help create a greener earth and will be updating features around campus to better serve the needs of those who bike to school.

One bike rack already exists outside the main doors of the school. More will be placed near the Cronin lot and around the flagpole to sustain an expected expanding number of bikes being used next year.

“We’re going to put in those green bike lanes in our parking lots,” said Ms. Kent.

Faculty will be given stipends to serve as crossing guards to improve safety for bikers.

The changes will benefit the Jesuit campus overall and some students are planning out their transportation methods for next year.

“I live fairly close to the campus,” said junior Nada Stewdant. “This really throws off how I was expecting to get to school next year, but I wouldn’t have too much of a problem with biking to school.”

Additionally, there are still some side effects for those who live outside that four mile radius and will drive to school. Students who drive smaller cars or hybrids, as opposed to large SUV’s, will be granted better parking spots within the lots, which already have fairly tight parking.

But it’s too bad none of these extensive changes will actually happen next year. Happy April Fools.

While Jesuit might not be implementing such drastic and sudden updates, the school will continue to provide for a greener campus and earth. For example, there has been discussion over smaller, yet impactful changes such as the installation of charging stations for electric cars in the Cronin parking lot.