Moline Needs Your Help Getting Kids To School Safely
If you have kids that walk to school, it's easy to take the people who work at the crosswalks for granted. Those individuals help get kids across the street safely as they go to and from school. They make sure no kids are running in front of cars and that all vehicles are stopped before crossing.
Kids who walk to school in Moline may not have someone at certain crosswalks this year if the Moline Police Department doesn't get more people to apply to do this job. It's been an issue over the past several years and they hope to have it resolved soon.
If you can or know someone who can, please apply to become a crossing guard in Moline and make some side cash while you do it.
Please Apply To Be A Crossing Guard In Moline
The City of Moline and the Moline Police Department have put out social media posts asking people to apply for open crossing guard positions. Officials say that since the 2020 Covid pandemic, Moline has lost more than 45% of its crossing guards, leaving a lot of the 20 crosswalks (most near elementary schools) unsupervised and potentially unsafe.
Officials are asking those who are able to apply to fill these roles. They say they need your help to find individuals willing to help children and improve safety at these crosswalks.
In a very humorous post about the issue, Moline Police gave a great example about a woman named Mary who has been an awesome crossing guard in Moline for more than 50 years.
In Moline, a crossing guard can earn up to approximately $3400 per school year. Not too bad to work a couple of hours in the morning and afternoon.
Officials say that parents and guardians should be aware that the presence of crossing guards will be limited this school year if they cannot solve this as a community. The City of Moline and Moline Police encourage parents to evaluate their child’s route to school, including the roads and crossings they will travel to ensure they are comfortable with their travel or seek an alternative that suits their individual situation.
Metrolink also provides free bus service for K-12 children and school routes are available on their website.
The city and the school district say they have explored numerous alternatives for crossing guards over the last three years, including privatization, but have not been able to resolve the workforce crisis.
Moline officials say that there are four high-priority intersections that have guard vacancies that they want to fill:
- Hamilton 7th St./32nd Ave.
- Logan 25th St./18th Ave.
- Washington 1550 41st St.
- John Deere Middle School 12th St./21st Ave.
The city needs to hire 9 guards before August 25 to solve this issue. If you or anyone you know would be interested in becoming a school crossing guard can contact Human Resources Specialist Elizabeth McKenzie at 309-524-2065, or find an online application here.