Cincinnati Public Schools told the joint committee it assumed responsibility for crossing-guard operations in February and is recruiting to fill remaining openings across the city.

Chief Operations Officer Chris Burkhart said CPS now oversees crossing guards at 60 locations and that staffing has improved with retraining and new high-visibility outerwear and signs. He said most locations have permanent staff and that 22 positions remain unfilled; those sites are currently covered by temporary staff or double-duty assignments.

"Since taking over the crossing guards in February, a lot of great things have happened. We have outfitted all of our crossing guards with new reflective clothing," Burkhart said, adding that the district has retrained employees and is conducting a safe‑routes assessment at every school.

Burkhart said the district aims to complete the school-by-school safety assessment by the end of the school year and that CPS meets with the city every other week to discuss needed traffic-calming measures such as repainted stripes, flashing lights and signage.

Board members asked about recruitment and training. Burkhart said the minimum age to be a crossing guard is 18 and that CPS is developing video training and materials the district can use with students and school leadership ahead of the fall term.

Members also asked which schools are highest priority; Burkhart said the district has targeted Woodward, Clark and Walnut Hills high schools for traffic calming because of observed higher vehicle speeds around those campuses. He said the rollout of some infrastructure items, such as flashing lights, will be phased in over three to five years.

A board member thanked community volunteers who have assisted at locations that lack permanent coverage.

No formal motions or votes related to crossing guards were taken during the meeting. CPS asked anyone interested in serving as a crossing guard to apply using the district’s posted application or the QR code provided in the presentation.