A change in a school bus drop-off location could alleviate the largest safety concern officials had about the loss of a crossing guard at Main and Center streets, which was eliminated from the city’s budget this year.
Meanwhile, a citizens’ group is reportedly working to find and fund a crossing guard of its own.
The crossing guard was initially cut completely from the city budget last November. City officials then reconsidered and decided to continue funding the post for half a year, which ran out with the end of the 2012-13 school year.
The Common Council approved transferring $3,700 from the city’s contingency fund to the Police Department to cover the cost.
City officials said at the time the half-year extension would give nearby schools an opportunity to budget for their own crossing guard or come up with some alternative solution after the school year.
“As a school, we are concerned that there is not a crossing guard at the intersection,” said Elisha Wagenson, principal at Sacred Heart Catholic School. “At the same time, we only have four students that cross the street there. For the time being we have chosen to cross our students ourselves.”
Wagenson said she has not been contacted by any Sacred Heart parents expressing any concern about the crossing guard situation.
However, she said, the school is aware that it has become a controversial issue in the community and would be willing to be involved in discussions aimed at finding a solution.
“We would be willing to be part of a community conversation,” she said.
Susan Longmire, principal at St. James Lutheran School, said the elimination of the crossing guard was not an issue for the elementary school.
Longmire said only a few of St. James’ older students were using the intersection.
“Most of our students are not crossing there,” she said. “It doesn’t really affect us.”
Joan Urban, director of Early Childhood Ministries for St. James, said none of the students in the day care program are crossing Main Street.
Police Chief Ed Whealon said the biggest concern was children being dropped off to go to the Kids Klub after-school care program at First Presbyterian Church, 100 Presbyterian St.
Prior to the start of this school year, Grosskopf Bus was dropping them off on the east side of Main Street, near St. James.
Bus company owner Scott Grosskopf said that has been changed because of the elimination of the crossing guard. The bus is now dropping them off in the parking lot at First Presbyterian, eliminating the need to cross the street.
Grosskopf said he also noticed that about eight students coming from Olga Brener Intermediate and Hillcrest Primary schools were also being dropped off by buses at the St. James location and crossing Main Street.
He said in the future those children would be assigned to bus 17; the same bus that now makes its drop-off at First Presbyterian.
Grosskopf said the changes have eliminated most of the crossing concerns at Main and Center.
“I don’t know if too many kids are left (still crossing the street),” he said. “We’ve got most of them.”
Whealon said he has only gotten one call about the crossing guard situation.
He said he was contacted Friday by Nathan Powell, who said he represented a group that was “working to develop a volunteer crossing guard system.”
Whealon said Tuesday afternoon he has not heard back from Powell with an update.
Powell could not be reached for comment. However, he was quoted in an interview with WBAY-TV saying he and two other parents have formed the Shawano Crossing Safety Committee, with a goal of raising $2,000 to pay a crossing guard to work after school at Main and Center.
Whealon said the department would provide equipment and training if the group did provide a crossing guard. He said training would be vital.
“It’s not that simple to step out there into that street with a stop sign and stick your head out there,” he said.
Whealon also said the change in the Grosskopf bus drop-off location “should solve a lot of this issue.”
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