Notices for not having a parking pass littered cars in the parking lots on Nov. 3 and 5. Students have been behind on getting their parking passes this school year as in-school learning started late. 

Directions on how to receive a parking pass were sent out on Sept. 25 in a parent newsletter. The deans then put out a statement saying that Oct. 5 was the deadline to get one, but many students have waited to start the process. 

“I waited because I kept forgetting, but also I wasn’t sure how strict they were going to be so I just waited until there was a notice,” senior Emma Giger said.

The process of getting a parking pass itself is only a couple of steps. There is a multiple page Google Form to fill out with information such as an email address, name, grade, student ID and driver’s license number as well as information about the car the student is driving. The form also includes a review of rules for parking for students to agree to. The last step is submitting a payment of $12 to HSE Schools’ efunds account for a first car and $5 for each additional car that would need a sticker. 

After submitting an order, the stickers are free to pick up in the deans’ offices at secretary Michele Summers’ desk. Students found the picking up of parking passes confusing. 

“When I received my parking notice [on Nov. 5] for not having a pass, I decided that I was going to go to the deans’ office and ask them what they suggested I do,” junior Austin Pifer said. “But when I got there and gave them my name, they told me that all of my payments and everything were in order and just gave me my parking pass. They didn’t ask for my receipt or anything.” 

Students were told to bring an identification of identity and their receipt of payment to pick up their parking pass, but when picking it up, the only identification needed was stating their name as long as the payment had gone through. 

Giger was confused because there was no cash payment allowed this year. She had to go and fill out the google form again in order to pay with the efunds at the end of the process. 

Debate over the viability of parking passes surrounds the school. Students are divided on whether they are necessary or not.

“I feel that parking passes are a necessity for the school to regulate who is in the parking lot during school hours, but they shouldn’t make us pay for them,” Pifer said. “They should still require proof that you are a licensed driver and have your information on record, but there is no reason to charge us for them.”

Giger feels slightly stronger about the subject. She said that the only real reason she could think of needing a parking pass was because she did not want a detention. There was no real reason that she could think of other than that. 

“Why do we need them, especially this year?” Giger said. “Is it to make sure that no one is parking not from Fishers High School? I understand that we shouldn’t park in teachers spots so that makes sense, but other than that I don’t honestly understand the purpose.”