NORFOLK, Va. — It's just about time for kids to head back to class. But, who's looking out for them to and from school? I've been reporting on efforts to keep our streets safer, from cracking down on drunk and drugged drivers, to these new crosswalks to keep pedestrians safer. In Norfolk, much like other cities across our region, there are dozens of vacant school crossing guard jobs that still need to be filled.
"The children, the community, and the parents."
Those three things are what keep Lillian Carpenter coming back every year. News 3 first introduced you to her in May, when my colleague Jessica Larche presented her with an Everyday Hero award for her dedication to looking after little ones as they get to and from school. Carpenter has been on the job for nearly 15 years. I caught up with her last week as she and a few dozen other crossing guards brushed up on their skills at a recent training session. I asked her what it takes to be good at this job.
"A caring person for children and education, because if you get those children to school safely, they're gonna get a good education," she explained.
The issue is — there's just not enough of those people.
Watch: Beloved Norfolk crossing guard is a News 3 Everyday Hero
"We're short, Just like everybody else."
I chatted with Jim Bongiovi, a Master Police Officer with the Norfolk Police Department. He led the training session I visited. Bongiovi tells me the need for new crossing guards is big.
"I would like to be able to fill at least another 20," Bongiovi says. "I'm slotted for another 35 or 40, but 20 would be good."
There are about 40 guards ready for the start of school right now. The department stresses they'll stretch their force to make sure as many schools are covered when the first bell rings. As far as what the job involves, it's not too bad when you look at the hours.
"To start off with, you work one hour in the morning, and 45 minutes in the afternoon," Bongiovi says. "So it's it's two hours a day."
Pay starts at $18 an hour. It goes up the longer you stay on the job. Some, like Lillian Carpenter, plan to work as long as they can.
"I've got people in their 80s still doing it," Bongiovi adds.
Click this link to learn more about the job and to apply with the city. Officer Bongiovi told me if someone gets hired and starts training soon, they could be on the job by the time school starts.
