LIFE in the classroom: Schools need more crossing guards

by Mark Jahne

Editor

Photos by Mark Jahne

Crossing guards equipped with reflective vests, whistles and hand-held stop signs work every school day to keep the children of this town safe. Monday through Friday, they are at their posts including days when it is hot, cold, wet or otherwise physically uncomfortable.

Bill Eck stands in the road holding a stop sign to allow students from Wethersfield High School to safely cross Wolcott Hill Road.

They are employed by the Wethersfield Public Schools in a partnership with the police department. Both place the highest priority on keeping children safe.

There are 24 posts that need to be filled every day and more folks are needed to perform this task. This is not a volunteer position, it’s a part-time job.

Police Sgt. Michael Forrest and Officer Gary Luz are responsible for making sure there is adequate staffing and handle scheduling the guards. Some work every day while others prefer to fill in as needed.

Bill Eck works almost every weekday as a school crossing guard.

Crossing guards work two to three hours daily and the schedule is flexible. Lisa Puglielli, a human resources specialist for the school district, said some people like regular hours while others are more comfortable serving as substitutes.

“It can be a very flexible job,” she added.

The pay is $20.58 an hour and that is in the same range as most neighboring communities, she said. The work follows the school calendar so guards get holidays, snow days and the summer months off. They are also covered by worker’s compensation if they are injured on the job.

“We like to fill 24 posts. We have 22 [filled] right now,” Forrest said.

Most schools have multiple posts. The high school, for example, has one guard working in the parking lot and two others who make sure it is safe for students to cross Wolcott Hill Road.

Both every day and substitute people are needed, he said.

“When we can’t fill a post, we have to assign a police officer,” Forrest added. “It used to be worse. It’s gotten better,” he said of staffing shortages.

Bill Eck and Patty Carpenter sometimes work in tandem.

Applicants need to have a good work history, common sense, good judgment, communicate well with children and teenagers, be able to stand for long periods of time and be willing to work during inclement weather.

They need to refrain from cell phone use while working and must be screened the same as any school employee.

“They apply through the Board of Education. We do a DCF check and we do a fingerprint check,” Puglielli said. “They’re employed by the Board of Education and supervised by the police department.”

DCF is the state Department of Children and Families. The police do the original interview and refer qualified candidates to the school district.

“The majority of our guards are retirees,” Forrest said.

Bill Eck, who lives in the Griswoldville section of town, is retired and loves his job as a crossing guard. He is comfortable with being assigned wherever he is needed.

Crossing guard Patty Carpenter makes sure that traffic stops so that children can cross safely.

“I love it, I really do. I’m retired. I spent 40 years in corporate America working in health insurance,” he said. “It gets me out of the house. When I first started, I got a call once or twice a week.”

Now 70 years old, he has been a crossing guard since December 2021 and usually works five days a week. He enjoys interacting with the children and parents and said many of the young people thank him for being there for them.

“The parents, for the most part, are good” and appreciate the guards, he added.

There is the occasional motorist who ignores their signals and drives fast through a crossing location. If it becomes a repeat problem the guards will forward the vehicle’s registration plate number to the police and an officer will visit the motorist to discuss the matter and encourage safe driving.

Eck keeps a snow shovel in his car to help clear sidewalk cutouts if needed. He said town crews provide salt for the areas where guards work. Forrest added that Physical Services Department staff makes sure to repair potholes in crosswalks.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of the kids in town,” he said.

Puglielli said students and parents get to know the guards and express appreciation for their efforts. The guards feel a sense of sadness when they decide to retire from the job.

“I enjoy the people I work with. It gets you going in the morning,” Eck said.

Patty Carpenter of Newington staffs the high school post at Wolcott Hill Road every day. Her hometown didn’t have any openings for crossing guards when she developed an interest so she applied here and is glad she did.

“The neighbors all talk to me. It gets me out of the house. I’m going on my ninth year. I’m retired. I really love these kids. The children are respectful. I just want to protect the children of Wethersfield,” she said.

Inclement weather doesn’t bother her. What does annoy her are motorists – some of them parents dropping off their children – who are in such a rush they don’t pay full attention to her safety and the safety of the students.

“You’ve got to pay attention and have your whistle ready,” Carpenter said.

She pointed out that her post covers students from four schools who need to cross Wolcott Hill Road. It’s not just the high school, it’s also Charles Wright School, Silas Deane Middle School and Corpus Christi School. WL

To apply go online to https://tinyurl.com/3p74wkm.