The Village of Forest Park continues to hire crossing guards as the 2024-25 school year fast approaches.
Dora Murphy, administrative assistant to the chief of police for the Forest Park Police Department, said the department, who handles the hiring for the Village of Forest Park, is always hiring for the position.
With seven current employees, Murphy said alternates are needed to ensure all designated locations are properly staffed.
In recent years, staff retention has remained consistent, Murphy said.
But because a majority of their employees are senior citizens, or people who have already retired and are looking for a part-time gig, backup can be crucial.
According to previous reports, the Village of Forest Park reached out to the Forest Park School District 91 back in 2010 to discuss splitting the cost of employing the guards.
Then, Supt. Lou Cavallo brought the item to a vote at a board meeting, saying that it is a service to students and a benefit for the district he wants to see continue.
According to Nurys Uceta-Ramos, director of engagement for D91, the district has maintained the partnership.
“They support our students and our families,” Uceta-Ramos said. “It is a partnership that is ongoing.”
According to Murphy, for the 2023-24 school year, the budget ended at $23,320, with half paid by the school district.
Crossing guards get paid $18.30 an hour and receive an additional $5 per paycheck for uniform upkeep, which the Village provides. Additionally, the Village provides safety equipment, such as reflective vests, to increase visibility and for crossing guards to be easily identifiable to students.
Crossing guards work twice a day, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and then again during dismissal, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Uceta-Ramos said the Village determines how many are needed and where they are needed.
Murphy said the closing of Grant-White Elementary, which shuttered in 2022 to consolidate facilities as enrollment declined, played a role in the number of guards needed, since designated intersections near the school no longer needed to be covered.
Currently the Village monitors the following intersections:
Circle Avenue and Madison Street
Circle Avenue and Jackson Boulevard
Circle Avenue and Harvard Street
Circle Avenue and Harrison Street
Circle Avenue and Roosevelt Road
Thomas Avenue and Jackson Boulevard
Des Plaines Avenue and Jackson Boulevard
Murphy said the Village focuses on main areas of crossing between Madison Street and Roosevelt Road. If staffing allows, Murphy said they will sometimes double up crossing guards at busier intersections.
While the district does not track the mode of transportation that students take to school, Uceta-Ramos said D91 is in a very walkable community and many families choose to walk to school.
“We very much appreciate them being there, which is why we contribute to the cost,” Uceta-Ramos said. “We are happy with the partnership and are glad the village invests in having crossing guards for the community, not just for the schools’ purposes.”
“They are not just looking out for kids, they are looking out for everybody at every intersection,” she said. “They are just a very vital piece to ensuring safety during commutes every day.”