Penns Valley is only a few weeks into the 2024-2025 school year, but there is controversy surrounding the new student parking arrangement and the front parking lot. 

Parking Renovation 

During last school year and this past summer, an $8.5 million renovation project took place at the Penns Valley Area High School and Penns Valley Area Elementary and Intermediate School to create safer walking pathways and decrease traffic on Route 45. The project included adding approximately 300 parking spaces to the high school to create a new front parking lot. 

“Certainly adding parking is one thing, but it’s as much about creating a safe walking corridor and separating bus traffic from parent drop-off traffic in the morning,” superintendent Brian Griffith said, as reported in the Centre Daily Times. 

Student Parking 

Beginning at the start of the school year, it was decided that junior and senior high student drivers would park in the back lot of the high school, with sophomore student drivers parking in the new front parking lot. Many students and parents have been discontent with this new parking situation, claiming the brand-new front parking lot is being left unused. Though school faculty and sophomore students may park there, many spots are unoccupied. Students report that the back parking lot is congested and it is difficult to exit at the end of the day. 

Students are also upset about the parking situation because they cannot enter the school through the front entrance when having to park at the back. It is also predicted to be an issue that when students leave for appointments during the day, they may not go through the front office first as required because their vehicles are in the back lot. 

Another concern regarding student parking is exiting Green Grove Road, as required for students, and going onto Route 45. Route 45 often has a high amount of traffic during student dismissal time and can be dangerous for vehicles turning onto the road, especially those making left turns where there is low visibility ahead. 

It is unclear yet whether any changes will take place.