District to press borough on in‑house crossing guards; board sees taxpayer savings and more control

Elizabethtown administrators and board members discussed a plan at the June 10 workshop to request that borough officials transfer responsibility for certain school crossing guards to the school district for in‑house staffing and management.

Director Tom Strickler and safety staff said current contracts with the borough and a third‑party vendor (ACMS) are relatively costly and create communication steps that complicate daily coverage; the district reported the borough contract rate at about $37.55 per hour while the district’s internal cost was roughly $19 per hour for comparable duties. Administrators said using district personnel — trained by the district’s certified trainer, Officer Raine — would lower costs and give the district more direct management over staffing and training.

The board discussed legal obligations and PennDOT traffic‑study requests the borough had suggested; administrators said state law requires a borough to provide crossing guards unless the district requests and the borough approves otherwise, and that a borough representative had asked for a traffic study, which the district has struggled to secure. Board members sought confirmation that district staff are certified to direct traffic; administrators said Officer Raine is certified to train staff and conducts spot checks.

There was general consensus among board members to pursue discussions with the borough manager, ask the borough to transfer responsibility for the crossing guards at key sites and continue to approve a short‑term contract to ensure coverage through the summer. Strickler said the board can terminate or modify the borough contract later if an in‑house solution is implemented.