Glen Rock Crossing Guards Honored After Year Altered By COVID

GLEN ROCK, NJ — After a year altered by the coronavirus, an important, but perhaps overlooked group of the school community were honored for their contribution.

On the afternoon of June 24, following the last day of school, Glen Rock’s Crossing Guards were honored at a luncheon courtesy of Victor Quinn at the Glen Rock Inn, a long-standing tradition.

Glen Rock police offered their reasoning for why the crossing guards should get more credit than they do on a regular basis.

"Adult school crossing guards, first established in Glen Rock during the early 1950’s, play an important role in the lives of our school children. They help them safely cross the street at key locations," the department said, in a release.

During the 2020 – 2021 school year, each of Glen Rock’s crossing guards worked an unprecedented number of hours to accommodate the schools’ hybrid schedule throughout the pandemic.

Glen Rock employed a record 31 school crossing guards deployed to 21 different locations during four different intervals each day, often adjusting their hours with little notice, the department said.

"These guards, many of them senior citizens, showed up on their posts every day even as COVID-19 cases increased throughout the nation," said the department.

Crossing Guard Manager Jennette Montgomery, joined by Councilmember and Public Safety liaison Mary Barchetto, and Chief Dean Ackermann presented retiring School Crossing Guard Brian Vitting with a certificate of commendation honoring his years of service to the school children of Glen Rock.

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