News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville High Administrators want to keep campus safer by paying closer attention to student driving procedures.
Dean of Students Claudia Zavala said that in order to purchase a parking pass, students must provide a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. Zavala said during parking lot checks, administrators have noticed some vehicles without a sticker, often because the student does not have the required paperwork.
“We just want to make sure that they are aware of the procedures, that we are there to basically mentor them, and let them know the process that they need to take in order to keep them safe and keep our campus safe,” Zavala said.
Zavala said compliance with these procedures allows school staff to identify any vehicle on their campus. When students do not register their vehicles with the school and receive stickers, there can be concern about an unmarked, unaccounted-for car in the student lot, and to whom it may belong.
Zavala said that when vehicles are found without a parking pass, a School Resource Officer is notified and addresses the issue with the student. Zavala said that enforcing these rules is important for keeping students out of harm’s way both on and off of school grounds.
“First and foremost, we do want to take care and make sure that all of our students are safe, whether it’s on campus or even off campus because they could have legal ramifications off campus as well,” Zavala said.
Zavala said this serves as a lesson for students on the importance of complying with policies throughout the rest of their lives.
“Preparing them for their future is one of our goals and we definitely want all of our students to be successful, and we want them to have productive lives after they graduate,” Zavala said.
