Thank you everyone for your patience and grace as we navigated together the first week of school and the challenges of parking and getting our kids to and from school safely. Here’s what we’re planning for 2025-2026.
We are aware of the challenges this presents you as parents, especially on our elementary campus. We know you also want to experience community and connection as part of your child’s school day, and we’re working toward finding both long term and short term solutions.
Please review the attached modifications for parking for this fall. We’ve been present in our parking lots and monitoring the situation looking for some improvements. We’re thankful for Southridge Fellowship Church and its leadership in working collaboratively with us to develop a plan to share our facilities and parking to maximize community benefit for everyone.
Southridge Church parking is available to parents and caregivers Monday-Friday.
Staff who are able will continue to use off-site parking, so any spots available in the first two rows (north side) of the elementary parking lot that are free after 8:00am may be used by parents.
What parking solutions are we seeking in the long term?
- In the summer of 2026, we are adding 100+ parking stalls in the panhandle off 228th street and on the completed middle school campus. We are also adding a second drop-off zone using 228th where parents will be able to access both the elementary and middle school campuses.
- We have a parking and shared facility-use plan in place with Grace Hanin Church who will be building a new church and auditorium facility to the east, beside the current elementary and future middle school campus. Once completed, Grace Hanin Church will add 500+ parking stalls to the community.
- In my conversations with Mayor Eric Woodward and Township council, we have secured commitments to improve sidewalks, street parking and access on 228th and 48th in future municipal budgets.
Thank you everyone for your grace, patience with one another and your commitment to helping parking work for everyone in the transition period between now and the opening of the new middle school in summer 2026.
