Chicago Public Schools Celebrates Crossing Guard Appreciation Month

CHICAGO – Today, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials honored more than 700 crossing guards at Malcolm X College who play a vital role in ensuring students traverse busy intersections safely and help with the security of students as they arrive and leave school premises. Crossing Guard Appreciation Day is observed annually each May in Illinois, recognizing the contributions of our crossing guards in keeping students and other pedestrians safe as they commute to and from school.

“There is nothing more important than keeping our young people safe from harm, and our crossing guards act as the bridge between our neighborhoods and our schools, welcoming students while giving parents the peace of mind that someone is ensuring their child’s safety,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Their mission is extremely important, and they accomplish it every day with smiles and kind words of encouragement. So today, we honor our crossing guards for their hard work and dedication to our school communities and to our young people.”

Today, the District presented four Crossing Guard of the Year Awards. Students, school leaders, residents, local business owners and families from four City regions were invited to nominate a crossing guard who made a difference in their lives. Nominees were also judged on their years of service, attendance, and other District metrics. Today’s celebration is a testament of our appreciation to these hard-working employees. Award recipients received a plaque and a certificate honoring their years of service.

“Ensuring student safety starts before they reach our school doors and our crossing guards are an integral part of that strategy,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “I am so grateful for their daily efforts to keep our students safe as they cross busy intersections throughout our city. Rain or shine, they are on the front lines ensuring our students travel safely to and from school.”

This year's award recipients are:

• Tammy T. Anderson, Far South, supports 53rd St. & State for Beasley Academic Center
• Jacobo Araujo, Central West, supports Armitage & Leavitt for Pulaski International School of Chicago
• Kimberly Dukes, Southwest, supports 51st St. & Artesian for Christopher Elementary School
• Gwenette Scott, North, supports Kemper & Geneva Terrace for Lincoln Elementary School

Crossing guards like Gwenette, Jacobo, Kimberly and Tammy, serve as a visual reminder to motorists to slow down in school zones where children are crossing and help students learn safe pedestrian habits, such as looking both ways before stepping onto the road and walking bikes across the street.

“CPS crossing guards like Ms. Anderson, who uses her best dance moves to shuffle students across the street, have been recognized for their creativity and dedication to the safety of our families and children,” said CPS Chief Safety and Security Officer Jadine Chou. “They form special bonds within the community they serve as they assist children and other pedestrians when crossing the street, and reporting unsafe conditions or incidents to CPS. They are an essential part of our security team and I am proud to celebrate these dedicated employees today.”

This school year, CPS added the Crossing Guard Floater Position to the program in our continuous efforts to prioritize student safety. As of last month the District has 27 active Crossing Guard Floaters supporting our safety efforts City Wide. These crossing guards substitute daily call-offs, leaves of absence (LOA) and vacant intersections. Our Crossing Guards are long-term, flexible, part-time employees with full benefits and typically serve in their neighborhoods, expanding our student's sense of community.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), in 2023 there were approximately 2,200 pedestrian-involved crashes and more than 50 deaths. CDOT created Children’s Safety Zones to slow motorists down to 20 miles an hour in areas around schools. Other safety reminders for motorists in school safety zones include:

• Check crosswalks when turning.
  • Don’t just look for oncoming traffic – check for pedestrians.
• Stop for people in crosswalks.
  • State Law: Drivers MUST STOP for people walking at crosswalks not just intersections with traffic lights or stop signs.
• Be aware of crossing guards and obey their directions.
  • Crossing guards wear brightly colored and highly reflective clothing while on duty so that they are visible in traffic and during inclement weather.
  • Crossing guards use hand-held stop signs while walking out in the street to alert drivers that children and pedestrians of all ages are crossing.
• Drive according to conditions.
  • Overall visibility is limited in bad weather conditions. Not only is it more difficult for drivers to see oncoming pedestrians, but it is also more difficult for pedestrians. Allow enough time for pick-up and drop-off. When we’re running late, we’re running a risk. Rushing is dangerous.
• Never maneuver around stopped traffic in a school zone.
  • Double parking around school zones decreases safety for everyone. Check with schools about pick-up and drop-off policies.
• Make sure car lights are on and signals are properly used. Use extra caution in these circumstances.
• Texting and talking on a cell phone while driving slows reaction time.
  Just drive. Avoid unnecessary distractions.
• Bicyclists, scooters and skateboarders should dismount in order for the Crossing Guard to safely support crossing.

About Chicago Public Schools (CPS)

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet, and selective-enrollment elementary schools that provide a rigorous K-8 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 322,000 students, who cite 182 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.