New Principal, Crowded Parking Lots, and More at the Forum

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Students eat pizza in the art room during the Forum.

By Julia Shapero, Managing Editor

SDA students welcomed the SDUHSD superintendent Eric Dill at the monthly forum Friday, as they discussed finding a new principal and student participation in the process.

Principal Bjorn Paige will be leaving next year, and students at the forum expressed interest in how the next principal will be chosen. Dill said that parents, students, and teachers would be able to participate in the process by taking a survey.

The survey, which will be emailed today, will allow students to describe what they would like from their next principal. Senior Chloe Williams expressed a hope that SDA’s next principal would be as open to art on campus buildings as Paige had been, referencing instances with other principals who were less receptive to the idea.

In another matter, senior Katie Wimsatt brought up the recurring issue of overcrowding in the student parking lots. While new parking will be offered when construction finishes in the 20s, 30s, and 60s, students expressed the hope for a more short-term response. Paige suggested forming an additional forum dedicated entirely to discussing the issue of parking and possible solutions; however, no solutions were offered for this year.

Also, the planter in the center of campus was discussed, as the fence currently surrounding it is set to be taken down in July. Students expressed concern that the planter will be walked on and destroyed by students and suggested building a bridge; however, according to Paige, plans for a bridge had already been considered and were not feasible.