The unsung heroes of our schools
Published 6:00 pm Sunday, August 18, 2019
Southwest Louisiana had a successful and safe first week back at school and we want to thank our area crossing guards, bus drivers and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies for the tremendous role they played in that.
Even though the work they do so often requires superhuman levels of patience and calm, they do it anyway with a smile. These workers impact our lives and our children’s lives in so many ways, and it’s often in ways they may never even realize, or receive credit.
They work in the agonizing heat, brutal cold and heavy rainfall, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the students from dangerous situations. Their dedication to safety and commitment to the community is inspiring.
School bus drivers have an incredibly difficult job. They have to drive huge vehicles, keep a bunch of unruly kids in line and follow safety precautions to make sure everyone arrives to school and back home again safely.
School bus drivers go above and beyond their call to duty on a daily basis. They are sometimes the first smile in the morning and the last in the afternoon. They are almost like teachers to the children they transport — whether it be the students just talking to their drivers, playing games to pass the time, helping them with homework or, in some cases, combing a child’s hair before they enter their school.
These drivers put their heart and soul in what they do for schoolchildren.
They’re not alone.
Crossing guards go beyond the role of street-wise guardian angel, to baby-sit a crying child until parents arrive, replace a pencil lost on the way to school or kiss boo-boos.
The crossing guard at Moss Bluff Elementary School tells the students who pass her on the way to class, “Have a good day, my babies.” She is a steady and reassuring presence for the students.
The deputies who direct traffic also deserve our thanks — for making the morning commute more manageable and, frankly, putting up with us drivers. They’ve been yelled at, cursed at, swerved at and flipped off numerous times. Still, they are out there daily for our children — with a smile.
It’s easy to get frustrated with them when we are running late or having a bad day, but we need to remember they are out there — for our children — while we are in our air conditioned vehicles waiting to get by. Their concern is to get our child to class on time, not to make sure we get to work on time.
Let’s remember that and let’s show them our appreciation by thanking them personally, by paying attention while in the pickup line and by following the rules, which will hopefully make their job just a tiny bit easier.
