SAFE CROSSING
- Danielle Alfonzo Walsman
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
Getting to know our local crossing guards
By Danielle Alfonzo Walsman
Winter brings a wonderland of snowbanks, icy sidewalks and breath-fogging low temperatures. Fortunately for our community, our crossing guards stand watch with rosy cheeks and reflective vests, warming hearts and helping protect our children. In this second installment of a three-part series, we introduce you to three more of these high-visibility heroes. Information about becoming a crossing guard is available on the websites of the Maplewood and South Orange police department.
Meet Claudine
If you haven't met Claudine yet in Maplewood, then you haven't been paying attention. She is not only a part-time crossing guard at Delia Bolden Elementary but also president of the Maplewood Rotary Club, active in the Lions Club and a banker for BCB Bank. She added “crossing guard” to her resume in 2021 when she heard that the community needed more crossing guards. At the time, Claudine already had a busy schedule and was working part time on a Covid response team but said, “I’ll do it.”
She works at the corner of Ridgewood Road and Baker Street on Mondays and Fridays before heading to her banking job. She says that she loves it because she is a people person. She is known for her “Happy Friday!” and “Happy Monday!” greetings and donates a portion of her earnings to local charities. Claudine spoke fondly of being raised by a family that always worked hard to meet her every need. She said that when she lost her father as a young girl, she recalls her older brother taking over leadership of the family when he was only in his 20s. Later, he headed to medical school and passed the torch to Claudine, who realized that they were rich in love if not in money. That is why Claudine asks, “What can I do to help?”
Meet Robert
Robert is known in the neighborhood of South Mountain Elementary for his bright smile and loud booming voice. For 20 years, Robert crossed students and parents at West End Road and Wyoming Ave. He is currently on leave for a medical issue. Back in October, he was at his post and proudly reported that one parent told him, “I knew you were back because I heard you from down the street!”
Robert became a crossing guard after more than 30 years with UPS in Newark, where he grew up in a large family and remembers walking to school. In addition to the unlimited fist bumps, Robert said his favorite thing about being a crossing guard is meeting people and making children smile on their way to school. Rain or shine, his presence at that corner was always one of the sunniest parts of peoples’ day. They look forward to his recuperation and eventual return.
Meet Phil
For the last eight years, Phil has been providing fist bumps and positivity to all who cross Ridgewood Road at Claremont Ave. Phil was born in Alabama and raised in Newark, where he remembers walking to school with friends. He became a crossing guard after retiring from a career in maintenance for NJ Transit. Phil said he felt bored at home and the job got him out of the house, but the best part is watching the children grow. “I’ve seen some go from first crossing on foot to now beeping hello as they drive by as teenagers,” he says.
Phil enjoys spending time with his many grandchildren, the eldest of whom recently began at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reflecting on his time as a crossing guard, Phil said it is about pumping kids up on their way to school, especially if it seems like they don’t want to go. “Having that connection, it is a beautiful thing,” he says. The families who pass Phil each day wholeheartedly agree.
Danielle Alfonzo Walsman is a Maplewood resident who lives at a busy intersection and counts her crossing guard as a treasured member of the family who kept her boys safe from stroller days through senior year.
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