DATE: Saturday, September 20, 1997          TAG: 9709200275

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KIA MORGAN ALLEN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   63 lines

AT CHURCHLAND HIGH, RENT A PARKING SPACE STUDENTS THERE CAN PAY 10 BUCKS FOR A RESERVED SPOT OF THEIR VERY OWN.

Churchland students no longer have to race to school early just to have their pick of a coveted parking space.

Beginning this week, young drivers could slow their roll into the parking lot and maneuver their wheels into an exclusive space they could claim for a $10 fee.

Even though it comes with a price, students feel especially privileged about the new parking arrangement. The parking lot is now decal-controlled, partly to help cut down on trespassing and vandalism, a perennial problem.

The lots have newly painted numbers, which will be linked to a student's identification and license plate number. Each student who chooses to purchase a decal is, in essence, renting a space for the year.

School officials say the $10 charge covers the cost of producing the decals and painting the lot, and anything left will be recycled to benefit the students.

``The money will go back to the kids for homecoming, the freshmen and sophomore floats, and we'll donate money to leadership conferences,'' said Raymond Hale, Churchland's principal.

Hale said it will also keep kids from trying to claim the most sought-after spaces every day, the ones near the curb.

Seniors had first dibs on spaces. After that, other student drivers could plug their places.

Jamie Thomson, a senior, was an exception to the close-curb rule. He parks in the back of the lot and says students should take the opportunity to park seriously.

``I think parking has been a privilege we (students) have been taking for granted for years. They don't have to let us drive to school or let us park.''

About 250 teens cruise the lot every day, so there is much competition to park close to the building to limit walking time and to pair up with friends and find spaces that would keep a clan together.

Ricka McKeveny, another senior, said since the lot will be regulated, students may not try to slip away from school.

``If they check to see if your car's not there, then you might not skip school,'' she said.

McKeveny promises that her 1995 Mercury Mystique will be in its privileged place every day. However, if she arrives to find another car in her space, she can get a temporary pass from security to park elsewhere until an officer investigates who is in the spot.

If the violator is not found, a tow truck will be called to tote the car away.

Sometimes, however, students drive different cars to school on different days.

In such cases, each student must purchase additional decals at $2 each.

The price tag, officials said, is relatively low compared to other districts, which charge students from $5 to $30 for parking privileges, according to district figures.

``If the price is good, we'll continue it, and if it's too high or too low, we'll adjust it,'' Hale said.

I.C. Norcom High School also charges for parking. Students there pay $5 a year, which covers the cost of permits.

As for Thompson, he'll opt to keep parking in the back. But parking out of sight doesn't rescue your car from getting a dent or ding.

``My car got hit in the lot,'' he said. ``It goes to show that you can't blame that on the (parking) policy.''

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