Purpose statement
This procedure outlines the process for implementing and discontinuing school crossing guard locations within the Town of Oakville.
Scope
This procedure applies to all municipal roadways and eligible elementary schools within the Town of Oakville.
Procedure
Introduction of New School Crossing Guard Locations
The town provides school crossing guards at locations along pedestrian routes to elementary schools in accordance with the Council approved warrant criteria (herein after referred to as criteria) as contained in Appendix A.
The town may receive requests for new school crossing guard locations from a school board (due to the planned opening of a new school or expansion to an existing school), or from an interested party (due to an existing condition).
Locations with a posted speed limit of 60 km/h or more, traffic volumes exceeding 15,000 vehicles per day, or school bus drop-off/pick-up locations are not eligible.
Requests for school crossing guard locations shall be reviewed by staff as follows:
1) Investigate the proposed location to determine if it is a safe and suitable crossing location for students.
2) Perform a warrant assessment based on projected (for future) or observed (for existing) school children pedestrian activity and other pertinent factors.
3)The following minimum student thresholds shall be met for each control type:
a) Side-street or Mid-block Stop, 5 students
b) All-way Stop, 10 students
c) Traffic or Pedestrian Signal, 15 students
4) If the criteria are met, the new school crossing guard location is supported and staff shall:
a) through a report to Council, request funding approval for staffing the new crossing guard location
b) notify the school board and/or interested party of the assessment result and the Council decision.
5) If the criteria are not met, staff shall notify the school board and/or the interested party that the request for the new school crossing guard location has been denied.
Discontinuation of an Existing School Crossing Guard Locations
1) Staff shall perform periodic monitoring (approximately every 5 years) of locations with school crossing guards and document the percentage compliance with the warrant criteria.
2) A location whose warrant compliance value falls in the range of 31% to 50% shall be placed in a watch list, monitored annually and assessed for ongoing trends.
3) A location whose warrant compliance value is at or below 30% of the criteria and/or the minimum student volume is not met shall undergo a supplementary review in that school year, and on two non-consecutive school days in the following school year.
4) If found to be at or below 30% of the warrant criteria and/or the minimum student volume is not met for two consecutive school years, through a report to Council the location shall be recommended for removal for the forthcoming school year. If Council approves the removal, staff shall notify the affected school, school board and local ward councillors of the school crossing guard location removal in the current year.
5) Upon receipt of notification from a school board that a school crossing guard location is no longer required, due to a school closure or boundary change, the school crossing guard location shall be removed.
Inclement Weather Procedure
The procedure defines parameters for crossing guard duties when there is a weather alert or an extreme weather warning.
Extreme cold alert and extreme cold warning
The Halton Region Health Department issues a cold alert when the following conditions are forecast for Halton:
- Daily predicted low of -15°C without wind chill; or
- Environment Canada issues an Extreme Cold Warning for outdoor activity (when the temperature or wind chill is expected to reach -30°C for at least two hours); or
- Extreme weather conditions such as blizzard or ice storm.
If there is a cold alert, crossing guards will be on duty, but service may be interrupted or intermittent if travel becomes difficult and guards cannot make it to their crossing location.
If there is an extreme cold warning of -30°C or colder, guards would not be on duty even if the schools remain open. This procedure would be implemented as follows:
- The Halton District School Board and the Halton District School Board and Halton Student Transportation Services will be notified in writing of the procedure.
- The HDSB, HCDSB and HSTS will post notices on their web sites that the “crossing guards may not be on duty” if the schools remain open during extreme cold warning.
- All schools will be notified in writing of the procedure and are to include the information in the parent newsletter for the pertinent school year.
Extreme heat alert and extreme heat warning:
Environment Canada notifies Halton Region directly when their weather surveillance indicates an impeding heat event in our area. The evidence-based criteria takes into account both the intensity and duration of a heat event.
- Heat Warning: When forecast temperatures are expected to be at least 31°C and overnight temperatures are above 20°C for 2 days or the humidex is at least 40°C for 2 days.
- Extreme heat warning: When forecast temperatures are expected to be at least 31°C and overnight temperatures are above 20°C for at least 3 days or humidex is at least 40˚C for at least 3 days.
If there is a heat alert, crossing guard will be on duty, but service may be interrupted or intermittent if guards cannot make it to their crossing guard location. If there were an extreme heat warning of 31°C or warmer, guards may not be on duty even if the schools remain open. This procedure would be implemented as follows:
- The Halton District School Board and the Halton District Catholic School Board and Halton Student Transportation Services will be notified in writing of the procedure.
- The HDSB, HCDSB and HSTS will post notices on their web sites that the “crossing guards may not be on duty” if the schools remain open during extreme heat warning.
- All schools will be notified in writing of the procedure and are to include the information in the parent newsletters for the pertinent school year.
Definitions
School Crossing Guard: refers to a person sixteen years of age or older who is directing the movement of persons across a highway and who is employed by the town.
School children pedestrian: includes school children from Kindergarten to grade 6.
Eligible Elementary School: a publicly funded school with children in Kindergarten to grade 6.
Interested Party: Mayor, Council or Ward Councillor, a school board, school administration, or parent council of an eligible elementary school.
Responsibilities
The Director of Engineering and Construction department is responsible for ensuring compliance, maintenance, and interpretation of the procedure and the associated policy for the School Crossing Guard Introduction and Discontinuation sections of this procedure.
The Director of Roads and Works Operations department is responsible for ensuring compliance, maintenance and interpretation of the procedure and the associated policy for the Inclement Weather section of this procedure.