STUDENT DRIVING AND PARKING REGULATIONS

Driving to Wilkes Central is a privilege. To ensure safety and efficiency, rules and regulations are established for students wishing to bring vehicles on campus. Failure to follow all rules and regulations WILL result in the suspension of driving privilege, towing (at the expense of the owner, Wilkes County Schools/Wilkes Central High School will not be responsible for the costs associated with towing and/or any damages to the vehicle during the towing process) and/or fines. 

Parking permits will NOT be issued to students with outstanding fees including but not limited to laptop charges, textbooks, media fines, or child nutrition charges.

• Students who drive to school must register vehicles. Parking Permit applications can be found on the Canvas Student Happenings Page and by clicking on this link, and must be turned in with a $50 yearly parking fee. Parking fees may not be prorated for passes purchased during the school year.
• Student must complete a Random Drug Testing Form and the online Google parking pass form to be eligible to receive a parking pass.
• If you will be driving a different vehicle, that vehicle must be added to your parking registration. Should a student need to drive another car that has not been registered the student is to notify an administrator immediately!
• The student parking permit is to be displayed on the driver’s rearview mirror at all times. Failure to do so will result in towing at the student’s expense. Wilkes County Schools/WCHS will not be responsible for any damages.
• Vehicles must remain parked after a student reaches school until the student is excused to leave campus. Once you arrive on campus you may only leave with permission from the office, or at the end of the school day.
• Students are not to be in the parking lot during the school day without permission from an administrator. Loitering in cars or in the parking area may result in disciplinary action or out of school suspension. Report IMMEDIATELY to the buildings. All vehicles must be locked during the school day.
• Students are liable for injury or property damage resulting from their actions according to the laws of North Carolina.
• Reckless Drivers will receive ONE warning for speeding (over 10 MPH) or reckless driving before, during or after school. After your first warning, your driving privilege will be revoked at the discretion of administration. If you drive on campus with revoked privileges, you will be towed and will be responsible for those fees and any damages that might occur to your vehicle.

Major offenses for student drivers, including but not limited to: 

• Skipping class
• Excessive tardiness  
• Reckless driving 
• Loitering in cars or in the parking lot

Unauthorized or improper parking or other violations will result in fines, towing, or loss of driving privileges.

LOSS OF LICENSE:

Students are reminded that according to North Carolina state law [G.S. 20-11(n)] driving eligibility may be lost for the following disciplinary actions:

• The possession or sale of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances on school property;
• The possession or use on school property of a weapon or firearm that resulted in disciplinary action or, that could have resulted in disciplinary action if the conduct had occurred in the public school;
• The physical assault on a teacher or other school personnel.

Wilkes Central High School

Driving Privilege Policy and Terms

• WCHS parking passes must be placed hanging from the rear-view mirror and must be displayed with the numbered side visible at all times when the vehicle is parked on school grounds. 
• Vehicle security-Vehicles should have keys removed and should remain locked at all times when parked on school grounds.
• Unsafe Driving Practices – Students will receive ONE warning ONLY for failure to comply with WCHS student driving and parking expectations. Violations of these expectations are listed below: 

1. Parking in a spot to which you are not assigned or any unauthorized area (handicapped spot, fire lane, no parking area, unmarked parking spaces, etc.)
2. Parking without a valid student parking pass registered to you and your car ONLY
3. Speeding (over 10 MPH) entering the school, in parking areas, and/or exiting the school
4. Reckless driving before, during, or after school
5. Creating a disruption on campus by unnecessarily revving engines or spinning tires
6. Not following specified traffic patterns in the student parking lot
7. Allowing a parking pass issued to you or someone else to be borrowed, lent, and/or sold to another person. WCHS parking passes are only valid for the driver listed in this application.
8. Possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, and/or weapons on the student driver's person and/or in his/her vehicle
9. Refusal to obey traffic laws and/or teacher/parking attendants' directions. This includes driving a vehicle on school grounds without having a valid NC drivers license.
10. Returning to the parking lot without permission from the front office or being accompanied by a school administrator, the SRO, or their designee.
11. Accruing excessive tardies or absences to any class
12. Any other action(s) deemed unsafe by WCHS administration or school resource officers

After your 1st warning, parents/guardians will be notified and your driving privileges will be suspended per the discretion of WCHS administration. Any student who  loses driving privileges and continues to drive is subject to having their vehicle towed at their own expense. Wilkes Central High School, Wilkes County Schools, or any employees of stated entities are not responsible for the costs associated with towing and/or damages to the vehicle incurred from the towing process. Failure to comply with any parking or safety expectations may also result in student disciplinary action beyond parking privileges.

• Attendance Policy for drivers – Good attendance is a requirement in order to earn and maintain a WCHS parking pass. If any student driver receives more than 6 unexcused absences to any class during a given semester, he/she may be placed on parking probation. Students with chronic absenteeism may lose parking privileges but will be provided with alternative transportation supports, such as school bus transportation, for the remainder of the school year in an effort to improve school attendance. Students consistently late to any class will also receive the following supports with regards to parking privileges:
• • After 4 unexcused tardies - 1st ODR + Student Conference with Administrator + 1 week lunch detention with parent/guardian notification
  • After 8 unexcused tardies - 2nd ODR + 1 day of ISS + Loss of driving privileges for 1 week with parent/guardian notification  
  • After 12 unexcused tardies - 3rd ODR + 2 days of ISS + Loss of driving privileges for 2 weeks with parent/guardian notification
  • After 16 or more unexcused tardies - 4th ODR + ISS (WCHS Administrative Discretion) + Loss of driving privileges for remainder of semester or school year and student must turn in parking pass with parent/guardian notification

Further disciplinary action needed for additional ODRs will be at the discretion of WCHS administration. See above for violation of suspension of driving privileges.

• Grades-Your Grade Point Average (GPA) will be checked each semester. If a student’s GPA falls below a 2.5, then he/she will lose campus driving privileges for the following semester. (See WCS Board Policy 6325)
• ACT Incentive-Juniors who make a composite score on the ACT of 24 or better will receive FREE parking their Senior year!
• Student Policy 4330-All students in grades 9 – 12 who desire to participate in any of the following voluntary school activities or privileges must agree to participate in the random student drug testing program: Extracurricular activities, interscholastic athletics, campus driving and parking privileges. Once students are in the random drug testing pool, parents must sign an opt-out form if the student wishes to stop participation in the random drug testing program. However, if a student opts out of the random drug testing program, he/she is no longer eligible for participation in extracurricular activities, interscholastic athletics, or campus driving. 
• Search & Seizure-Vehicles are subject to be searched. Wilkes County Schools and its designees have the right to search any car and or personal property on Wilkes Central High School's campus. Students should be advised that any items or concerns discovered will lead to disciplinary action, which may include contacting local law enforcement. If an item is in your vehicle, you will be held accountable for any illegal items or inappropriate material on campus. Disciplinary action can include out of school suspension or long term suspension from school. A warrant to search any item on school property by a school administrator is not required by law. Students found with drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, and/or weapons in their vehicle will lose permission to park on campus, and the parking pass will be revoked without refund.

In order to apply for and obtain a WCHS parking pass, students and parents must complete the Parking Pass Online Form and the Random Drug Testing form