The revised parking pass policy is back and pricier for Thomas Jefferson students.
All students must register their vehicles. photo by Rebecca Holt.
Attention all Spartan drivers! Did you know in the Cherry Creek schools, parking passes can cost over 90 dollars? Have any of your out-of-Denver friends ever complained about having to get a parking pass? Have you ever felt lucky because TJ didn’t enforce the use of parking passes in previous years? Well Spartans, things have changed.
This year, Thomas Jefferson High School will be cracking down on students who unlawfully park in the TJ student parking lot. If students don’t want to be a part of this painful process, they need to buy a parking pass. It’s easy, cheap and it will save a lot of headaches from Officer Tim Cueva.
Both Student Advisor Mike Laurita and Officer Cueva promised to not be too tough on the students who do not own a parking pass during the beginning of the first weeks of school, but as the year progresses, Officer Cueva stated that he will be checking the cars in the parking lot. “We won’t be jerks about it, but we are encouraging the students to buy a parking pass,” said Laurita. “The consequences of not having the parking pass are pretty simple. You will be granted one warning, which Officer Cueva will be keeping track of. After the first warning, a ticket will be issued.”
If a student receives several tickets, his or her car could face the risk of being towed. The estimated price for the parking ticket is between $25 and $30 dollars, and the estimated price for the towing charge is anywhere between $100 dollars to $250 dollars, depending on the towing company.
Some TJ students are not happy with the parking pass policy. “The parking pass policy is overpriced,” said Senior, Keith Warren. “But on the other hand, it’s a good way to make sure no one else parks in my parking spot.”
According to the Dean of Students Mary Hayhurst, the main advantage of issuing parking passes is for the safety of students. A parking pass allows the faculty to keep track of who is supposed to be at TJ and who is not. By frequently patrolling the parking lot, Officer Cueva and the security team hope to hunt down any mysterious or unwanted visitors. If any accidents occur in the student parking lot, the parking pass will facilitate the gathering of information when filling out an accident report. Also, the parking passes will help protect the senior parking lot and its senior tradition.
Students will need to hang their purchased parking pass on their rear view mirror at all times to eliminate any unnecessary attention from the security team.
For the students who wish to purchase a parking pass, here is the process:
1. Go to Ms. Hayhurst or Mr. Laurita’s office and pick up the green form for the parking permit.
2. Students must have their licenses and a copy of their car registration.
3. Make a visit to the treasure’s office and pay the $25 fee.
4. Return to Ms. Hayhurst’s office and pick up a parking pass.
