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Riverside Public Schools District 96 Board of Education members have decided they cannot fund village crossing guards for the 2010-11 school year.
Eight crossing guards will lose their jobs.
Funding had originally come from the village, but due to a tight budget, Village Board members decided they would be unable to pay for the service.
They had hoped the district would be able to cover the costs, which ranges between $80,000 and $100,000 for the year.
The School Board made a formal decision not to fund the guard program at a meeting May 18.
District 96 Superintendent Jon Lamberson explained the board’s decision, student safety and the future of the program.
Q What led to the School Board’s decision to not fund the program?
A In the past, I know the village has said that their crossing guard costs were about $80,000, and we contribute about $17,000 toward that. The School Board concluded that with our budget, we would be unable to fund the crossing guards. What they have asked me to do, and what I will do, is to continue to provide school crossing guards. What that means is that we will provide crossing guards for crosswalks that are adjacent to the school at schools like Central, Hauser and Ames. The school crossing guard program will cost $19,700.
Q Who will take over crossing guard duties?
A Some crossing guards will be teachers, some will be professional aides, and sometimes we will have students under the supervision of an adult or teacher. For heavier traffic areas, we will have an adult, and for less traffic we will have student crossing guards. They will be crossing people 15 to 20 minutes before school starts and for 10 or 15 minutes after school lets out.There will not be a crossing guard at Hollywood School because that crosswalk is not adjacent to school property. There will also not be crossing guards at railroads.
Q What type of plan does the district have to ensure student safety?
A The School Board has expressed much concern about the lack of crossing guards at Hollywood School and at the railroad tracks. We hope that the village would be able to support that level of safety for students and parents and others traveling through the community, but as of right now, they have said they will not cover it.
Q Will the crossing guard issue be brought up again in the future?
A The School Board’s resolution was a fixed resolution that did not have a time frame. It will remain the statement for this year, next year, the year after that and so on. I do not know that the issue would be revisited.
Riverside Public Schools District 96 Board of Education members have decided they cannot fund village crossing guards for the 2010-11 school year.
Eight crossing guards will lose their jobs.
Funding had originally come from the village, but due to a tight budget, Village Board members decided they would be unable to pay for the service.
They had hoped the district would be able to cover the costs, which ranges between $80,000 and $100,000 for the year.
The School Board made a formal decision not to fund the guard program at a meeting May 18.
District 96 Superintendent Jon Lamberson explained the board’s decision, student safety and the future of the program.
Q What led to the School Board’s decision to not fund the program?
A In the past, I know the village has said that their crossing guard costs were about $80,000, and we contribute about $17,000 toward that. The School Board concluded that with our budget, we would be unable to fund the crossing guards. What they have asked me to do, and what I will do, is to continue to provide school crossing guards. What that means is that we will provide crossing guards for crosswalks that are adjacent to the school at schools like Central, Hauser and Ames. The school crossing guard program will cost $19,700.
Q Who will take over crossing guard duties?
A Some crossing guards will be teachers, some will be professional aides, and sometimes we will have students under the supervision of an adult or teacher. For heavier traffic areas, we will have an adult, and for less traffic we will have student crossing guards. They will be crossing people 15 to 20 minutes before school starts and for 10 or 15 minutes after school lets out.There will not be a crossing guard at Hollywood School because that crosswalk is not adjacent to school property. There will also not be crossing guards at railroads.
Q What type of plan does the district have to ensure student safety?
A The School Board has expressed much concern about the lack of crossing guards at Hollywood School and at the railroad tracks. We hope that the village would be able to support that level of safety for students and parents and others traveling through the community, but as of right now, they have said they will not cover it.
Q Will the crossing guard issue be brought up again in the future?
A The School Board’s resolution was a fixed resolution that did not have a time frame. It will remain the statement for this year, next year, the year after that and so on. I do not know that the issue would be revisited.
