UPrep prohibits students from parking on 24th and on 80th, the streets alongside the ULab. However, students have continued to do so, frustrating UPrep faculty and irritating neighbors.
There were 27 cars parked on the streets behind the Ulab on Monday, Oct. 6, at 2:57 p.m., two minutes after the end of school. At 3:05 p.m. there were 20. At 3:15 p.m. there were 16. At 3:20 p.m. there remained 16 cars parked behind the ULab.
“The neighbors in our community, some of them are not very happy with the new addition of the ULab,” Director of Facilities Robert Thom said. “They feel like it’s bringing more traffic to their areas, and oftentimes they will get frustrated with students.”
Thom raised the issue of students parking behind the ULab at assembly on Sept. 8. Last year, he put up no parking signs on 24th, behind the ULab.
If students are caught parking behind the ULab, they could first receive a warning email from Thom. Then Director of Upper School Susie Wu could send them another email. If they continue to park behind the ULab, they could lose their ability to drive to school, according to Wu.
“It hasn’t ever gone that far,” Wu said.
Additionally, the 2024-2025 UPrep Family Handbook states “Students who fail to park legally and in agreement with UPrep parking guidelines may be towed or lose the privilege of parking in the student lot.”
UPrep students are allowed to park in the nearby Temple Beth Am parking lot. The parking lot includes 68 regular parking spots and 4 accessible parking spaces. Students are also allowed to park in the neighborhood, with the exception of 24th and 80th, according to Thom.
UPrep has 68 regular spots and accessible spots in the temple parking lot, according to Director of Facilities, Robert Thom. Instead of driving, students are also able to “come to school via regular Metro bus, light rail, carpools, bikes, [and]our Custom Bus, according to the UPrep website.
To compromise with neighbors about concerns related to parking, the school promised that students would not park on the roads beside the ULab (24th and 80th), according to Wu.
“It infringes on those people’s lives,” Thom said in reference to neighbors who are faced with students parking behind the ULab.
Anna Veraldi, a neighbor who lives on 24th believes UPrep needs to do more. She frequently calls about the cars parked behind the ULab.
“The number of cars is overwhelming,” Veraldi said. “It is difficult, not being able to park when we have groceries or when it is raining.”
Students were granted anonymity due to the possibility of disciplinary action. Dave, a UPrep student, frequently parks behind the ULab.
“I park behind the ULab for convenience,” Dave said.
He does not plan on changing where he parks.
“This school is turning into a dictatorship and I feel it is completely outrageous,” Dave said. “I think the school is being a bit tyrannical. I feel like we should be able to park wherever we please.”
Yet, Thom maintains that preventing students from parking on 24th benefits the school and students. He explained that it reduces the risk of disputes with neighbors and the likelihood of students’ cars being towed.
“I don’t want to see us get penalized. I don’t want students to have to pay money if they made a simple mistake,” Thom said.
Andrew, however, began parking on 24th over a year ago but used to park on Ravenna Ave.
“I was like this sucks, so I’m just going to park behind the ULab,” Andrew said.
He was unconcerned about the school’s response or the prospect of his car being towed.
Thom visits 24th to see if students are parked there as part of his roughly hourly walk around the school grounds.
“I think it’s disrespectful to the neighborhood,” Thom said. “I think it’s disrespectful to the people, to me, who have to deal with it on a daily basis.”
