Before the advent of modern traffic signals and pedestrian crossings, our streets were a chaotic and dangerous place, especially for children. Unfortunately, with our reckless driving issue, not much has changed. That’s where Crossing guards, often volunteers, have always stepped in, like a traffic superhero!
Grafton crossing guard, Kathleen Mierow says she has a full day, “I do the morning and then I do the afternoon hours. And I’m off during the middle of the day for John Long Middle School and then for Woodview Elementary.”
A position she’s had for seven years. Armed with a stop sign and a whistle, they brave the chaos and guide people safely across the street, protecting lives and keeping communities safe.
Sergeant Shawn Furstenberg of Grafton PD says anyone can apply, but usually it’s folks who have already gone through one career, “We had one crossing guard that worked for over 56 years at the same location. She started in 1965 and retired in 2021. So all of our crossing guards are retirees and they all love doing the job. It’s really not about the money. It’s about enjoying the job for them.”
And yes, Grafton does pay their crossing guards. Plenty of communities are always looking for folks to help keep the streets safe.
Fuerstenberg says, “We currently are fully staffed with crossing guards. However, we have positions open for substitutes or if we have a vacancy that’s posted on our Village of Grafton website.”
They go through a standard interview process like you would any other job. Depending on the community, the police are usually the ones training the guards in their very special duties.
“So we do on-the-job training. I myself will go out with a new crossing guard and demonstrate for them how it should be done. We also go through some scenarios of what happens if a child doesn’t listen to you or tries to cross before you’re ready. Those types of things. Once the crossing guard is confident and I’m confident in them doing it in front of me, then they just go on their own and handle it on their own,” explains Fuerstenberg.
And what’s the type of person that’s a good fit? Well, let’s just say you need to have a spine.
Mierow says, “Usually the drivers are pretty good. When I have my stop sign up about not turning in that, I get a few once in a while who want to start to turn and get close to me and I will get in front of them then and say ‘Please do not do that we don’t know when another child that’s going to quick go in front of us’ and not to get that close to stay on their side of the road until I get off the street.”
Most crossing guards that stay in a regular spot over the years are able to build special relationships with the kids they help each day.
“I’ve received cards from them thanking me for my job. I’ve also at Christmas got a caramel apple,” explains Mierow.
And sometimes you end up helping even more than kids.
Mierow recalls, “One time I started to walk out in the middle of the street and across the street we have a farm. And all of a sudden three deers started charging towards us. So I had to quick pull the kids back and even partially go out in the road to stop the car coming so that the three deer could get by us and go wherever they were going. And the kids were just thrilled to see these deer running across the field.”
It’s a dangerous job, wildlife notwithstanding. Andrew Tyler, a crossing guard, was killed by a hit-and-run driver back in 2017, and all he was doing was his job. There have been plenty of close calls before and since. That’s why penalties are so high for speeding in a school zone, which can be up to $300 and possibly doubled if there’s also construction, not to mention the extra points.
So slow it down through the school zones and keep an eye out for your friendly neighborhood crossing guard. They put themselves out there to protect our kids.
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