The Oxford Academy parking lot will temporarily close Aug. 5 ahead of a new solar panel installation project, anticipated for completion by Nov. 29. Principal Amber Houston detailed the school’s plan to maintain student drop off/pick up and utilize local facilities for further accommodation in a July 26 statement to students and parents.
To mitigate heightened traffic, the student drop off/pick up zone on Grindlay Street will be extended further from its usual area in front of the school, now offering temporary drop off/pick up across the nearby Cypress Civic Center. Cypress law enforcement, with the assistance from Buena Park, La Palma, and Seal Beach officers, will be on site to control traffic and ensure student safety amidst the closure.
“People feel safer when police are around,” Houston said. “We want to set the tone that we have the support of our law enforcement.”
The Civic Center will accommodate 123 parking spots primarily for staff and faculty, with an estimated 20 remaining spots to be reserved for senior students. The 20 seniors given access to the Civic Center will be randomized.
“We have around 90 staff members, and we have to think about daily subs that show up,” Houston said. “Though I’m hoping within the first two weeks of school I’ll be able to audit how many [parking spots] we have open, and open parking up for a second round of students.”
Parking spots at the Church of Latter Day Saints across the street from Oxford will be exclusively offered for staff and faculty. Students are prohibited from parking or pick up/drop off at this lot. Both the church and the Civic Center will provide parking for anyone during large campus events, such as Back to School Night.
“They both deserve a huge amount of gratitude from all of our Oxford stakeholders,” Houston said. “Please respect the agreements and partnership we have with these entities as they are doing us a huge favor.”
Houston still expects an onslaught of traffic during the closure, and suggests students and parents plan accordingly in compliance with the new changes.
“Try carpooling with people. Utilize bussing for the first couple months. Get a bike, start trying something new,” she said. “Drop [students] off down the street, and let them walk in to avoid the chaos.”
Oxford is the last high school within the Anaheim Union High School District to install solar panel structures in its parking lot, and the project has been a year in the making, according to Houston. Alongside the solar panels, two electric vehicle charging stations will be built and are confirmed to be free of charge for all students, parents, and staff.
