MAG News

The 110-degree temperatures say summer, but the school calendar says it is back-to-school time in the Valley. One sure sign is the reappearance of familiar faces to kids and parents on their way to school. Those that keep them safe: school crossing guards.

In preparation for the upcoming school year, hundreds of crossing guards are participating in regional training workshops during the last week of July and early August. The 2024 Regional School Crossing Guard Training Workshops are sponsored by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). The workshops are part of the region’s Safe Routes To School program.

Labor of Love

For some people, like Lisa Szepe, being a crossing guard is a labor of love. 

“I make sure I greet each and every one of them, I smile at them, and I tell them every day to have a good day,” said Szepe, a paraprofessional specialist at Greenfield Junior High in Gilbert and crossing guard for 24 years. “I look at it as — this is the first face they see. And if they see a smiling face, somebody who is confident and nice, they will be a little more at ease when they go into school,” Szepe added.

Training is Free

The training lasts about three hours and covers essential crossing guard procedures. It includes information on dealing with the heat to ensure the health and safety of the guards and students and provides a list of resources available from police and fire departments to ensure everyone's safety.

Special sessions also review traffic laws regarding crosswalks, the procedures that must be followed within the crosswalk, and the right equipment that guards rely on to perform their duties safely and effectively.

Several hundred people participated in the three separate workshops in Gilbert, Phoenix, and Peoria.

Brushing Up on Safety

“Safety, especially as the kids are coming to and from school, is very important,” said Mohammad Shaheed, a transportation engineer with the Maricopa Association of Governments. Gilbert Police were on hand to give a presentation on the current traffic laws and regulations. “Everyone has a chance to brush up on their knowledge of the current traffic laws, rules, and regulations,” added Shaheed.

Slowing down when driving through school areas is especially important. Guards were reminded at the workshop that they are there to help get students across the street safely – not to direct traffic. Only a sworn officer can do that job. 

The workshop allows participants to ask questions and receive advice on dealing with specific situations.

“I learned there were traffic laws that I was not aware of,” said Szepe. “This job keeps kids safe from distracted drivers.”