Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents, students urge board to fund crossing guard at Wildwood intersection
Summary
An elementary student and nearby residents urged the Piedmont school board to fund an additional crossing guard at a busy Wildwood intersection after witnesses reported dozens of children crossing amid U‑turns and vehicles parked in the crosswalk.
During public comment, an 8‑year‑old Wildwood Elementary student, Elsie Angstrom, told the board she is “worried about crossing the street” at the Wildwood/Requiem intersection and asked for a crossing guard so students can walk to school safely.
Her father, Evan Engstrom, reinforced the appeal with documented observations: in about 20 minutes he counted roughly 42 children crossing at one spot, 21 cars driving through the crosswalk, six U‑turns while children were present and two cars parked across the crosswalk. He said the road geometry and curbside parking create blind spots for drivers and urged the district and city to fund a guard jointly. “Crossing the road is not gonna stop everything, but that's gonna really prevent that type of harm,” Engstrom said.
Board members acknowledged recent pavement markings the city installed and thanked speakers for bringing photos and on‑the‑ground data. Chair noted the board’s hands are partly tied by local procedures and the Brown Act’s limits on discussing non‑agendized items, but directed staff to follow up with city partners and the traffic‑safety committee to explore funding or deployment options. No formal action or vote was taken tonight; the matter was left for staff follow‑up and interagency coordination.
