Thursday, August 09, 2007

Crossing guard needed for Fort Belvoir Elementary

Two-hundred children walk from Lewis Village to school every day during the school week, 25 buses transport children from the installation and countless parents pick up and drop off their children at Fort Belvoir Elementary School, but there is one major problem plaguing school officials.

“We desperately need to have a crossing guard right across from the school,” said Marie Balocki, school liaison officer. “The amount of traffic is really terrible.”

For the past year, Fairfax County has advertised the position that is so critical to the safety of the children attending school, but not one of the applicants has passed the background checks, said Balocki.

The Virginia state position with benefits requires the candidates to pass a background check. Each applicant, so far, has failed for either past drug or Driving Under the Influence convictions.

To help with the situation, the school plans to paint the curb in front of the school yellow so no parking is allowed and they are going to consolidate the three crosswalks into one by the time school starts.

But the crossing guard is still needed.

“We just have so many more people living there,” Balocki said. “We just are going to constantly have more and more kids. The occupancy rate is so much higher.”

Lewis Village was completed in August 2006 with the construction of 274 homes, according to Mark Leo, development associate with Fort Belvoir Residential Communities.

“Lewis Village has a consistent vacancy rate of 1 percent to 2 percent,” said Leo. “It is between 98 percent and 99 percent occupied at all times.”

The increase in occupancy rates is one of the leading factors for the part-time position, which is still open. The salary ranges from $12.08 to $20.14 per hour with 10 hours of work per week, according to the Fairfax County Web site.

The minimum qualifications are a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma issued by a state department of education. Knowledge of traffic regulations, ability to work in inclement weather, ability to work with children, ability to follow written or oral instructions, tact and courtesy are also expected, according to the site.

The position provides uniforms and training and employees can participate in a retirement program. In addition, employees can earn annual sick leave, depending on the hours they work, and the option of enrolling in a health plan is available.

Candidates should also be able to pass a medical exam given by the Occupational Health Center and they must complete a criminal background check.

For a job description visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/school_guard.htm. To apply visit http://www.fairfax county.gov.