Jupiter High is more crowded than ever

Students+in+the+atrium+between+classes

Peyton Weiss

Students in the atrium between classes

Jupiter High is over-capacity with the largest freshman class in the school’s history. However, Principal Dr. Colleen Iannitti has assured students, staff and parents the school and the district are working on solutions.

In the meantime, getting to school on time is a challenge for students who carpool because of the lengthy car line. Drivers dropping off students are sometimes backed up all the way to Military Trail and even all the way north to Indiantown Rd., making mornings a stressful time for both students and parents. Arriving to school after 7:15 a.m. means longer lines.

Students not only see overcrowding in the drop-off loop but also in the hallways. With over 3,200 students, navigating the halls can be frustrating.

“I hate that a lot of students push you out of the way in the hallways because they’re trying to get through. It’s annoying,” sophomore Victoria Verity said.

Lunch time is also crowded. The cafeteria seats fewer than half the students, leaving the rest to eat at the picnic tables in the courtyard, on benches that line the walls around building one and the gym or in hallways adjacent to the cafeteria and auditorium. Students are also allowed to eat lunch in classrooms, especially during scheduled club or sports meetings.

“You definitely have to leave class early just to find a seat at lunch,” senior Paige Disher said.

Seating is not the only issue at lunchtime, some students who buy lunch on campus have to wait in line. However, the cafeteria does serve all buyers in the time allotted for lunch.

“I have trouble getting a lunch during lunch time because the lines are ridiculously long, so I usually bring lunch,” said Verity.

Overcrowding is hard to overcome, but there are still some tricks students can use to manage it.

“Find alternative ways during transitions, like if you could cut through the courtyard, go through the courtyard. Don’t walk down building four. There’s plenty of open space in the courtyard. It’s never crowded. Take the staircase at the end of the hallway, not the atrium stairway. The atrium stairway is always crowded, but if you take the stairways in the back, they’re less crowded,” Dr. Iannitti said.