Is the parking lot a mess this year or is it better? Between last year and this year the parking lot has changed last year students parked in the back parking lot, parents dropped off their students wherever they wanted to, and buses would drop off on the side where the bus loop is. This year students go all the way around the building to park on the side of the school, parents can drop their students off anywhere other than in the front, and buses drop off in the back parking lot. Dr.Rudolf told me he had no part of it and had Mr.Spisak email me. I interviewed Mr.Spisak the Executive Director of Maintenance and Operation of Wayne-Westland Community Schools. He told me…

      “We started planning the design and development for the parking lot improvements in the fall of 2017. Our primary goal was to separate GE(general education) bus traffic from parents and students. We put together a committee that included all of John Glenn’s Administration, Transportation Director, Central office personnel, District Architect and a Civil Engineer. We developed a budget and three different design, once the committee decided on one of the design we proceeded with drawings and a public bid for the work to be done the summer of 2018. The most cost-effective design was to bring the bus fleet in from Central office entrance behind CTC (career technical center) and unload and pick up in the south parking lot at John Glenn.  This would give students and parents full access to the Glenn parking lot on all four sides for pick ups and drop offs. Relieve the pressure and dangers of having 22 General Ed buses coming and going from the Glenn entrance and exit.”.

      Every person involved (JG staff Dr. Rudolph, Mr. Loomis, Ms. Cieszynki,Ms. Foster, Mr. Schamber, CTC staff Mr.Kay, M&O staff  Mr.Montayne, Mr Connolly, Mr Spisak, TMP architect Mr. Weinraugh, Civil Engineer Tom Sovel, Transportation staff Ms. Lyons)

      had a say in what happened and the design. But the building Administration made the final decision and then it went to the Board of ED finance Committee.

      “The money came from the 2012 sinking fund” Spisak said.

      Spisak said “The parking lot was in disrepair and had major safety concerns and they all agreed on the parking lot remodel because of bus safety.

     The parking lot took over a year of planning and the final decision was made in 2016, we decided on the parking lot because we have been receiving complaints for the past four years regarding the buses”. Spisak believes that they made the right decision, they has to separate the buses from the student and parent traffic. He also thinks that the parking lot was in poor condition and becoming a safety concern.

      What if we changed it to where the buses drop off in the back, students would drive through the front and park on the side still, and parents dropped off on the other side of the building and drive around the back to leave? This way students get to a parking spot faster and they won’t have to stop for buses and wait for parents that drop their kids off in the way of students trying to get to a parking spot.

      Spisak responded “The parking lot is designed for one way traffic. We removed 22 buses from the mix. This should have made it better. Our goal was to separate the buses from everyone else.”

      “The District provides transportation for any student over a mile and a half.  If you are a walker or fortunate to drive a vehicle, I would suggest leaving early and get there prior to the buses dropping students off.  If your parents drop you off, I would recommend the same. The bus fleet is on a fixed schedule. If you arrive before the buses, there are no issues.” Spisak wanted to add. Katie Calmeyn said “it takes forever to get to the student parking lot in the morning because of the buses and everyone has to go around to the back and the speed bumps and wait for students to cross from where the buses drop off and to get into the school and then go”. She also said that she hates how after practice she has to walk all the way back to the student parking lot.