The Venice High administration has begun to address students’ concerns regarding a variety of issues and inconveniences caused by the lack of on-campus parking. 

The former student parking lot located at the back of the school is currently closed due to the ongoing construction on campus. According to Principal Headrick, students who drive their own cars to school are responsible for finding off-campus parking by themselves. 

Having to park in the neighborhood has been an inconvenience for many students who drive to school. Many expressed concerns over the safety of their cars and belongings, as well as frequently being tardy to class because they had trouble finding a parking spot before school. 

Principal Headrick responded to these concerns regarding the safety of vehicles and other property, stating that Venice ensures off campus student safety through taking part in the Safe Passage meetings.

“We held a Safe Passage meeting prior to the start of school,” she said. “It was really about how do we ensure the safety of students as they’re coming and going, and the responsibility of each group that partakes in the meeting.”  

The Safe Passage Meetings are conducted with multiple groups within the community, including the school, local law enforcement, and the Los Angeles School Police Department. All of these groups have individual responsibilities when it comes to providing safety. 

Senior Collin McNeal said that he feels safe parking outside of the school. However, sometimes he has trouble finding a parking spot, which causes him to be late to class. 

“Since most of the spots around the school are only two-hour parking, I have to go multiple blocks away,” McNeal said. “I have to leave my home extra early in the morning to ensure I find a spot and get to class on time.” 

The school will not excuse students who are tardy because of parking. Just like any other form of non-school-provided transportation, it is the students’ responsibility to get to class on time.

“Traffic or parking issues are not considered an excused tardy,” Headrick said.

The California Education Code provides a list of reasons as to why a student can be late or absent from school. However, tardies related to transportation are not specified and will not be excused. 

The student parking lot located near the school gym remains closed and it is unknown when exactly it will reopen. Assistant Principal Frank Nunez said there will be no further news until the school construction is complete.

Seniors like Kaya Worozbit are staying hopeful and are looking forward to the student parking lot reopening sometime in the near future. 

“It’s my last year here so I will be gone, but hopefully in the future there will be parking for students,” she said.