With thousands of visitors coming to town this week, Guthrie Public Schools will be using crossing guards to add additional safety as students leave school one hour early.
Last week it was announced that Guthrie schools would be releasing students at 2:10 p.m. (one hour early) on Friday September 6 due to the expected vehicular traffic with the Gentlemen of the Road Tour.
When the announcement was announced, district staff members have been monitoring the foot traffic in and around the school sites. As an added measure of safety, crossing guards will be on hand Friday afternoon when school dismisses for the areas of greatest foot traffic.
Those locations will be the corner of Noble (S. H. 33) and Ash St. near Central Elementary, Noble and 19th St. near Cotteral Elementary and the corner of Wentz Ave. (U. S. 77) and Jefferson St. near Fogarty Elementary.
The crossing guards will be on duty from 2 p.m. until the last shuttle busses deliver students to the school sites.
According to Dr. Mike Simpson, Superintendent of Schools, “One concern we have for our students is congestion in and around these three sites. The Central, Fogarty and Cotteral Elementary sites are all located on major thoroughfares and hopefully this will provide an added measure of safety for our students with the expected influx of visitors to Guthrie.”
Simpson has remained in contact with city officials regarding the event.
“We have been in constant contact with the City of Guthrie and the Guthrie Police Department regarding the routes for concert traffic. I would encourage all parents to caution their children about the potential of increased traffic.”
I was uptown today, and noticed a big difference in traffic. It would be nice if in anyway possible, the school crossing guards could go into effect before Friday. I’d be willing to help out.