Meet our School Crossing Superstars!
Much-loved Glen Waverly School Crossing Supervisor, Amanda Cullen always knew she wanted to work with children. Having worked in childcare and before and after school care, she never imagined she would also be looking after children as a School Crossing Supervisor – an important role she has been doing now for three years.
Helping the children arrive to school safely is not only the number one priority for a school crossing supervisor like Amanda, but it’s really close to her heart as well. She believes having an education is an important thing a person can have, so she loves being able to help school students navigate that and gain knowledge by helping them cross the street and reach their classroom safe and sound.
Taking on this role, what surprised Amanda is the positive presence it has in the school community. Even when she worked casually across different school crossings for the first eight months, everyone who used the crossing will say hello and parents would ask for her name and strike up a conversation when waiting for their kids. She also gets noticed by the kids who wave to her at the local shopping centre!
The friendly face that is always smiling, Amanda is at her school crossing Monday to Friday in her uniform to keep the kids safe – even when it’s pouring with rain!
The thought of if I don’t go and no one’s there and something happens is why I show up, I don’t want to let the kids down.
Even though as a school crossing supervisor you’re out in the elements, for Amanda, it’s a good thing. She says on a really nice day when there is a cool breeze, you can smell the fresh air and hear the birds sing, and it makes her feel good. She especially enjoys the morning shifts as they provide an optimistic outlook that sets her up for the rest of the day.
In the role, she has also come across some challenging drivers, especially at the school crossings near major roads, like the one she’s on, that she needs to keep a watchful eye on. Amanda says being a school crossing supervisor in a way has made her a better driver and adds to her motivation to keep the kids safe and not let them down.
In addition to keeping kids safe, being in the role contributes to what Amanda enjoys the most as a people person as she’s meeting new people and enjoys saying hi to everyone who is walking past.
I get stories almost daily from the kids, like how they have tennis after school, are going to their friend’s place, their first sleep overs and their achievements – things like that it makes me so happy that they’re comfortable enough with me to tell me about their day.
Amanda also enjoys being a constant cheerful presence for the school kids, helping stop traffic so they can cross safely and making a positive difference in their day.
“If the kids are having a bad day and I’m there saying hi with a smile on my face and wave to them it makes them feel a little bit better… if we could man every crossing it will be brilliant so all students can get to school safer.”
When asked about what she would tell someone who is thinking about becoming a school crossing supervisor, this is what she had to say:
“If you show that you are happy and show a positive light to the kids, they will respond, so you’ll get a lot out of it. Yes, you’re ultimately there to make sure they’re safe – but when they say hi and start talking to you about their day, that’s the bonus when taking on this role.”
If you’re interested becoming a School Crossing Supervisor, we’d love to hear from you. We are currently recruiting for the 2022 school year in the City of Monash, City of Stonnington and City of Boroondara. For more information, please visit our School Crossing Superviser page
- By Lucia Fong
- over 1 year ago
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