Crossing guards needed in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As Steve Stucker saluted in his full forecast, crossing guards need your thanks for everything they do to keep students safe each school day.

Keeping students safe is just one part of the job. It’s also about students and guards brightening each other’s days.

“They are the first adult that they come in contact with on their way to school, other than their parents. Even if the guard is down that day, you know we all have our ups and downs. Usually, by the time they finish the crossing, they are feeling much better than they were when they started,” said Richard Deischel, supervisor for the City of Albuquerque’s Crossing Guard Division.

One of the biggest issues in school zones is speeding. One of the crossing guards’ responsibilities is to slow drivers down, but they need more guards to expand their efforts.

“We only cover elementary schools. Middle schools and high schools don’t have crossing guards. We have 74 schools in the city and, right now, we are at 140 guards for about 200 crossings, morning and afternoon,” Deischel said.

Deischel also says the best way to thank a guard is to, of course, say thank you, but slow down in school zones.

If you’d like to apply to be a crossing guard, click here.