General News
28 November, 2022
Award nomination for Dunolly crossing supervisor
Students at Dunolly Primary School aren’t afraid of crossing the road to get to their classrooms — Jacqueleine Frankhauser is looking out for them. A school crossing supervisor, Ms Frankhauser has been in the role for 10 years. Now, in...
Students at Dunolly Primary School aren’t afraid of crossing the road to get to their classrooms — Jacqueleine Frankhauser is looking out for them.
A school crossing supervisor, Ms Frankhauser has been in the role for 10 years. Now, in recognition of her work, she has been nominated for an important award.
The School Crossing Supervisor of the Year Award, set up by School Crossings Victoria, celebrates the contributions of supervisors across the state and acknowledges their work in keeping kids and adults safe.
“I am really surprised I was nominated. It’s a small country town so not a lot of people use the crossing. So, to be nominated for something like that was unexpected,” Ms Frankhauser said.
“It’d be nice to win but I think there’s probably bigger communities that deserve it more because they’ve got more responsibility with more kids.”
To her credit, being a school crossing supervisor in a small town is no easy feat either — sometimes with higher risks.
“Where we are here, the biggest responsibility is to ensure people are not speeding up and to also look out for trucks,” Ms Frankhauser said.
“We’ve had multiple instances where we get trucks coming down the hill, fully loaded. And on the other side you’ve got little kids who need to cross the road with all this going on. It’s our job to get them across safely.”
This drive towards ensuring the wellbeing and safety of all kids is just one reason Ms Frankhauser was nominated. She has also developed relationships with the students and parents she guides across the roads.
“I tend to know everyone I’m helping. In this job, you’re also watching the kids grow up,” she said.
“I’m on a first name basis with a lot of them, I know who everyone is. There have been times when a parent will stop by and want to know whether their kid is already on their way home and I can tell them.”
Ms Frankhauser has always preferred to stay in the background, quietly helping the community in her own way but this nomination has plummeted her into the spotlight.
“I do like hiding in the background. I know the award has been going on for a few years but I didn’t think I’d ever be nominated,” she said.
“I’m just making sure the kids get across the road.”
The winner for the award will be selected after a thorough judging process by a panel of independent members from various councils.