By Matthew Bartow / WLD
As the 2019 school year kicks off, many kids will be commuting on foot to and from school every day. Yet the familiar journey isn’t always a safe one for children. Getting hit by a car is the third leading cause of death for kids 5- to 9-years old, and kids up to age 15 make up a disproportionate number of pedestrian casualties worldwide, according to the Association for Psychological Science.
To make the commute safer for its students, the City of Dexter will be taking over the responsibility of hiring and training crossing guards within the City, according to Dexter City Manager Courtney Nicholls, who spoke about the new program in front of the Dexter City Council on Aug. 26.
The program, according to Nicholls, is a one-year pilot program in which a crossing guard will be stationed at the rapid flashing beacons that will be installed at the intersection of Ann Arbor Street and Kensington Street and also on Baker Road at the pedestrian island.
Hours will be approximately 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the Ann Arbor St./Kensington St. crossing and 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 2:50 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. for the Baker Road crossing. Crossing guards will earn $13.50 an hour, according to Nicholls.
For more information or to apply for the position, please email Courtney Nicholls at cnicholls@dextermi.gov.
