School crossing guard Judy Johnson of Hampshire came before the village board this week to ask for help in ensuring that students have a clear path when they walk to and from school.
The snowstorm last weekend closed many area schools on Monday, Feb. 2.
When schools went back into session on Tuesday morning, Johnson helped a student cross the intersection at State Street and Terwilliger Avenue. She then watched as the child walked on the street to Hampshire Elementary School, 321 West Terwilliger Avenue, because some sidewalks had not been cleared of big drifts.
“It’s our duty as adults to make sure kids get to school safely,” Johnson said.
As of Thursday, the sidewalk in front of an uninhabited home along Terwilliger was still not shoveled. Children walking to and from school have worn a path that rises up and over a frozen drift.
Johnson has been working as a Hampshire Elementary crossing guard for the past three years. This year, she was asked by the Hampshire Police Department to also serve as a crossing guard for Hampshire Middle School, 560 South State Street.
Since the two schools have different start and ending times, Johnson is able to help the elementary students on their way before she goes to her second post to help the middle school students.
“Middle school students who want to look cool don’t always wear their hats or boots,” Johnson said. “Sometimes they wear tennis shoes even during the winter. It’s important for sidewalks in the school zone to be clear.”
Johnson said Hampshire resident Paul Mitchell and the resident who lives at the southwest corner of State and Terwilliger have helped to clear the sidewalk where she stands as a crossing guard.
Shoveling snow can be a trigger for heart attacks, especially for the elderly who are out of shape and do not exercise on a regular basis. Instead of asking older residents whose homes are within the school zone to shovel their sidewalks, Johnson wondered whether some middle school or high school students could clear the snow.
“When we were growing up, we were always anxious to make a couple bucks by shoveling snow,” Johnson said.
While the village has an ordinance that does not allow residents to shovel their snow into the street, there is no ordinance ensuring that sidewalks are kept clear.
“Even if a residence is located within a school zone,” said Hampshire Trustee Mike Reid, “if there is no ordinance, there is nothing that the village can tell a resident about shoveling snow off the sidewalk.”
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Village President Jeffrey Magnussen told Johnson that next time she needs assistance in clearing her posts, the village would help her out.
Denise Moran is a local freelance writer