(Photo/Chris Heerman’18)

The beautiful new wings to Academy Hall bring a new and modern style to our campus. Enormous windows shed natural light into the library, lounges, and classrooms. The new arts area has provided art classes with ample space and inspiration. The greenhouse looks straight out of an English garden. All these creations came with special purpose and took a lot of thoughtfulness and crafting to become useful spaces for the school. Though not as aesthetically pleasing, however, and as an unintended result of construction, the gravel lot, which provides at least 30 extra spots, has saved many a back so far this year.

The gravel lot—a temporary space for the school’s construction vehicles—has become the saving grace for seniors trying to make check-in when the Dennett spaces are full, which it usually is with the removal of the bus circle spaces, previously used for teacher parking.

Before the gravel lot, seniors would be booted to the junior spaces, resulting in a considerably farther and colder walk, especially in the winter months.

With over 290 registered faculty and staff drivers and over 259 student drivers, parking is a daunting in the morning, particularly as parents are dropping off their children.

Though the future of this substitute space has not been destined—it could be parking for guest, parents, or seniors—I think we can agree that it is useful, especially for seniors who slept through their alarms or ran into traffic. (And, of course, this zone has saved many from unnecessary detentions!)