At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, administrators released a few new updates regarding parking at Meridian, restricting who can park in the Meridian lot.
Parking at Meridian, according to Admin, is a “senior privilege.” Seniors can park in the lot by displaying a parking pass, issued through a lottery process, which has since been closed. There are no remaining parking passes for juniors.
All seniors who were awarded a pass from the lottery can receive one from Ms. Etheredge. However, for those who didn’t receive a parking pass, there is still hope. You may just need to wait a little bit longer.
“Any seniors who did not receive a pass via the lottery will be placed on a waitlist and notified if/when spaces become available,” Mr. Carey stated in a Schoology announcement.
Moreover, Juniors and Seniors still have a way to drive to school! All they have to do is park at the Virginia Tech parking lot, and use the ParkMobile app to pay for a daily pass. From there, they can walk down Mustang Alley to Meridian High School.
For those who are too young to be members of the driving class, worry not –not only is there no shame in being a walker or bus rider, there are many benefits to both alternatives.
Firstly, riding the bus or choosing to walk is beneficial to the environment. According to UCLA Transportation, “By leaving the car at home, a person can save up to 20 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every day.” Hopefully this reduction in emissions will put Meridian one step closer to having snow days once more.
Riding the bus also reduces traffic around Meridian, reducing transit time to school, and increasing safety.
