Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
LISD faces crossing guard shortage
The impact
A lack of crossing guards has threatened safety for students and drivers as students run across unattended intersections, and tra c accidents become more likely, Bellah said. To keep the busiest intersections safe, the district has reassigned some crossing guards, Franco said. “When we move these other crossing guards, then we take away this relationship-building, this interaction with the kids who get used to seeing the crossing guards,” Franco said. Some campuses have taken it into their own hands to keep students safe by employing teachers to serve as crossing guards, Bellah said.
For the past six years, LISD crossing guard Beverly Harris has greeted students at the corner of Cougar Country Drive and Lakeline Boulevard near Running Brushy Middle School. Harris transitioned to the role after serving as a bus monitor when she realized the district was experiencing a crossing guard shortage, she said. While students can be sure to see Harris each day, LISD o cials said many intersections in the district are currently unattended. The district has struggled to employ enough crossing guards to adequately cover its campuses for the past few years; however, 2023 has been particularly challenging, LISD Safety and Training Supervisor Robert Bellah said. Almost 68% of the district’s 109 crossing guard positions were vacant at the end of last school year. As of November, the vacancy rate dropped to almost 58% as Lead Crossing Guard Lavenda Elmer said she hired 14 more guards over the last
Beverly Harris helps students cross Lakeline Boulevard near Running Brushy Elementary School.
CHLOE YOUNGCOMMUNITY IMPACT
couple of months. While the district had 42 crossing guards in November, it would need 50 to 60 to cover major roads and up to 120 to cover the entire district, LISD Director of Transportation Tracie Franco said.
What's next
Bellah said he and Elmer go out each morning to try and ll in the gaps. The district is also working with child nutrition services sta members to allow them to work as a crossing guard before and after their cafeteria shift, LISD Chief Communications O cer Crestina Hardie said. Transportation sta have and will continue to recruit more crossing guards by attending district events, such as football games and PTA meetings, and posting banners, yers and newsletters across campuses and online. In the 2021-22 school year, the district increased the starting pay for crossing guards from $10 to $15 an hour, Elmer said. Visit www.leanderisd.org/careers to learn more about these positions and apply.
Leander ISD crossing guard positions and vacancies
Number of crossing guards
Number of vacant positions
100 120
0 20 40 60 80
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21*
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24**
2016-17
School year
*IN 2020, THE DISTRICT BEGAN STAFFING GUARDS AT TRAVIS COUNTY SCHOOLS AFTER THE COUNTY STOPPED FILLING THOSE POSITIONS. **AS OF NOVEMBER 2023
SOURCE: LEANDER ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Happy Holidays • On - site x - ray and lab • Online patient portal • Locations near you We’re here when you need us, days, nights, weekends & holidays • Multi - specialty health care • 24/7 phone nurses • Easy, online scheduling
AustinRegionalClinic.com
13
LEANDER LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook