Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995                   TAG: 9509080013
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STEWART MacINNIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PARKING LOTS GET CROWDED AT SOME SCHOOLS IN VALLEY

The number of students who drive to school varies day by day, but it's usually more than 100 at every school, and at times, can swell to several hundred students vying for parking places in packed lots.

The recent lowering of the age to obtain a learner's permit to 15 will not affect campus parking, school administrators said. Only students with permanent licenses can register vehicles on campus.

``We're fortunate in that we've got a pretty good size parking lot,'' said Richard Turner, assistant principal at William Byrd High School. ``Occasionally, we have problems with crowding, but not usually.''

Last year, he said, about 400 students had registered to park vehicles on campus, out-stripping the number of teachers parking on campus by a 4-to-1 margin.

``Of course, all those children didn't drive every day,'' Turner said. ``Some just register a car and then drive it occasionally.''

Parking becomes a problem at William Byrd several times a year when one of its parking lots is taken over as a driver's education course. At those times, Turner said, 10th graders can't drive to school.

At Glenvar High School, Principal Al McClearn ties the privilege of parking to campus to attendance.

``We're out there a little way,'' he said of the school. ``If a child had to walk, he probably wouldn't skip school. But, if a child skips school with a car, we relieve them of the permit for a week or two.''

Patrick Henry Principal Elizabeth Lee said the school's parking lots are usually full when school is in session. ``A large percentage of our students drive,'' adding .

Patrick Henry's parking privileges are similar to those at other schools:

The student must have a valid driver's license.

The student must register the vehicle with the school and purchase a parking decal.

Parents must give their permission for students to register a vehicle for on-campus parking.

Once a student starts driving to school, school officials expect students to obey the rules of on-campus driving.

``We're trying to make them responsible citizens,'' said Alyce Szathmary, principal at William Fleming High School. ``We expect them to abide by the driving rules, and if they don't, we have a procedure to pull the privilege.''

She said the driving privilege helps build a sense of responsibility and a sense of independence.

``We've had relatively few problems related to parking and driving'' among the students, she said. ``Most students are very responsible. We haven't seen any dramatic problem at all. In fact, this is a very good privilege for our students.''