Public Encouraged to Nominate a Crossing Guard to be Honored

10:51AM / Wednesday, March 06, 2024Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), through its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, is encouraging the public to nominate a crossing guard for recognition for the 2024 Crossing Guard Appreciation Campaign.

The campaign begins with a Crossing Guard of the Year nomination period, followed by Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on March 20, 2024, and culminates with announcing the Crossing Guard of the Year award winner(s). The winner(s) will also be recognized at the Annual Safe Routes to School Awards Ceremony in June. The overall goal is to draw attention to and honor the hard work of Crossing Guards across Massachusetts and to recognize those Crossing Guards who go above and beyond.

"Crossing Guards in our state go above and beyond every day in ensuring the safety of our children and also in helping to instill good habits for all roadway users," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "We are pleased that during March we have the chance to recognize crossing guards for the positive impact they have on community members and to offer this program as a way for members of the public to spotlight individuals who put themselves out there in helping students travel safely between home and schools."

At the 2023 Annual Awards Ceremony, Cheryl Anziano (Chicopee), Linda Carella (Arlington), and Claire MacPherson (Brookline) received the Crossing Guard Champion Award. Dr. James Cummings, Superintendent of Grafton Public Schools received the Honorable Mention Award for Crossing Guard of the Year. The winner of the Crossing Guard of the Year Award was Debbie Lang (Boston).

The nomination period opened on March 1, 2024, and all submissions are due by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, when schools and students are encouraged to show in their own way how much they appreciate their Crossing Guards.

The nomination form, a printable Thank You Card, and promotional flyers are all available on the SRTS website in the Engagement section. Schools must be SRTS partners in order for their Crossing Guards to be eligible. Previous Crossing Guard winners are not eligible to win this year. The number of nominations for a Crossing Guard does not affect their chances of winning. Communities are encouraged to work together to draft thoughtful nominations.

The Massachusetts SRTS Program, sponsored by MassDOT and with funds from the Federal Highway Administration, promotes safer routes for students to actively get to and from school by fostering partnerships between community-led organizations, local law enforcement, education leaders, and public health departments. The program currently serves more than 1,150 schools in over 280 communities across the Commonwealth. Through these partnerships, the Massachusetts SRTS Program highlights the importance of pedestrian and bicycle safety. SRTS also provides information, materials, and resources to support schools and communities with their local SRTS initiatives.

Tags: MassDOT,

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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Budget Calendar, Chapter 70 Concerns

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, January 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools kicked off its fiscal year 2027 budget calendar, and are again facing uncertainties with state Chapter 70 funding.

During the first meeting of the new term on Wednesday, the School Committee OK'd an FY27 budget calendar that plans the committee's vote in mid-April. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips stressed the importance of equity in this process.

"It's really important for us through these next couple of months to look at our different schools, our different needs, different student demographics, and really understand, are we just assigning resources equally, or are we really assigning them based on what different groups of students need?" she said.

The district could lose up to $5 million in Chapter 70 funding from declining enrollment, specifically of low-income students. This is a similar issue that PPS saw in 2024, when the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million to the school budget.

"We are in a funding category, Group 11, for a district with a large percentage of low-income students, and that number could fluctuate depending on who exited the district," Phillips explained.

"So we're going to do our best to understand that, but ultimately, these numbers will impact the budget that is proposed to us by the governor."

According to the budget calendar, a draft budget will be presented in March, followed by a hearing in early April, and the School Committee is set to vote on the budget in mid-April. The City Charter requires it to be adopted before May 1, and a meeting with the City Council must occur no later than May 31.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland provided an overview of the Chapter 70 funding and budget process. The budget calendar, she said, is designed to really support transparency, coordination, and legal compliance.

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