Grannis and Krueger Present Ps 158 Crossing Guards WITH Legislative Resolution Honoring Crossing Guard Week in the State of New York

New York NY –Friday, Assemblymember Pete Grannis and State Senator Liz Krueger presented three crossing guards for PS 158 (Maryann Medaglia, Margaret P. Novak and Luz Saldana) with State Legislature Resolutions honoring school crossing guards statewide, on the occasion of School Crossing Guard Week 2006. Grannis and Krueger were joined at the presentation by Libby Jordan and Sholeh Brahimy, co-Presidents of the PS 158 Parents' Association.

"School crossing guards are a vital and integral part of our educational system," Grannis said. "Crossing guards ensure that children all across the state are able to arrive at and leave school safely."

Krueger announced with great pride that "the school crossing guards of New York State have maintained a perfect record of crossing children to and from school, in all types of weather, during the school year."

Saldana, who has been a school crossing guard for three years said, "I love working with these kids. I deal with the kids, the parents, the traffic, the public as a whole. I love what I do."

Novak, a 24-year veteran agreed. "I've been doing this 24 years and am glad to do it. You have to watch traffic though, or they will take your butt off!"

Novak's statement caused Brahimy, a parent of a child at PS 158, to share her concern about the dangerous traffic conditions around the public school. "There is a real problem with the traffic on 77th Street by the school. I really wish they could do what they do at other schools, and close that street to traffic when students are arriving and leaving the premises. Thankfully these ladies are there, but some of these drivers don't even listen to them!"

The occasion of School Crossing Guard Week came about during a visit between Grannis, Krueger and Medaglia, who suggested the idea to the legislators. "I really wanted all of the school crossing guards throughout the five boroughs and the state to have a day of recognition. I asked for one day for them, and here we got a whole week. I am glad to see that school crossing guards are getting some much deserved attention," Medaglia said. "School crossing guards are the first line of defense for kids—sometimes the offense too," she joked.

Medaglia is in her 29th year as a crossing guard. Next year will be her last.

Jordan concluded, "As a mother of a child at this school, we are so lucky to have these ladies looking after our children every school day. I want to extend a big 'Thank-You' to all school crossing guards throughout New York for looking after the safety of our children."

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