The big picture: This school year, following action taken by their city councils, North Las Vegas and Henderson are joining Clark County government in providing crossing guards at CCSD middle schools.
In February, the Clark County Commission approved adding crossing guards at middle schools in unincorporated areas of Clark County – the first local government to do so.
Notable: Previously, local governments only paid for crossing guards at elementary schools.
North Las Vegas Police Captain Fernando Calderon, in a July presentation to the City Council, said adding crossing guards would enhance student safety.
“Ensuring children’s safety to and from school is paramount,” Captain Calderon said.
What they’re saying: Todd Petersen, now in his ninth year as principal of Jack and Terry Mannion Middle School, urged the Henderson City Council at a June meeting to add crossing guards at middle schools.
- Petersen said the conditions forcing students to cross the street are “the most difficult and stressful imaginable.”
Erin Breen, director at UNLV’s Transportation Research Center, requested funding for middle school street crossing personnel.
- Breen stated that vehicles hit 138 children in Clark County during the 2023-2024 school year. This excludes charter schools.
The bottom line: “Every near miss, every minor hit, is a warning for something that could be worse,” Breen said.
