School Crossing Guard Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

Updated on: August 24, 2022

A school crossing guard is an individual who helps children in safely cross streets and roads.

They are usually responsible for directing the traffic properly during school opening and closing hours. Additionally, they ensure that students are well aware of the hazards when crossing the street or road.

On a typical workday, School Crossing Guards assist pedestrians in safely crossing roadways at designated school crossings. Moreover, they communicate rules of safe crossing to students, as well as adults in light of traffic acts.

School Crossing Guard Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Engage students and adults in conversation to provide them with information on street crossing rules and protocols
  2. Guide and escort students and other pedestrians at crossings and intersections until they reach safe places
  3. Control traffic by holding signs or through mechanical signaling devices in order to permit students to pass safely
  4. Gauge traffic gaps and make good use of them to assist students in crossing busy streets
  5. Reroute or direct traffic to alternate routes during school events or school timings following directions and protocols
  6. Observe the surroundings of schools, specifically roads and streets, and identify and report any hazardous incidents or issues
  7. Take prompt actions to physically avoid traffic hazards for crossing students and self
  8. Record the numbers of vehicles that may disregard school zone speed limits and report them to the authorities
  9. Ensure that all cars that have arrived to pick up students are properly directed to designated parking zones or pick-up lanes
  10. Place and remove caution signs and cones as required and caution drivers of speeding vehicles by using hand signals or whistles
  11. Monitor traffic on a regular basis and report any unusual or adverse traffic conditions that may have an effect on student safety
Position Requirements

To be able to do justice to the role of a school crossing guard, you have to possess a certain skill set.

This includes the ability to communicate effectively, knowledge of pedestrian and vehicular traffic rules, and the capability of handling adverse situations if or when they arise.

In addition, you have to be patient as you will be dealing with children for whom you will have to establish and maintain respect and compliance.

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