Keeping Kids Safe while Walking and Biking to School – Thomas Holmes

TAM Celebrates Crossing Guard of the Year from
Reed Elementary School – Thomas Holmes

Tiburon, Calif., September 27, 2017 – Thomas Holmes is being honored with the Crossing Guard of the Year Award for his dedication to the safety of children making their way to Reed Elementary School in Tiburon. Mr. Holmes makes it his top priority to keep kids safe while crossing the street and he is also known for his warm greetings to the students and their families as they walk and bike to school. Mr. Holmes notes that “It has always been important to me to be part of my community and this is the perfect job to get to know the kids and their parents. I know their names, get to greet them and give high-fives as they are on their way to and from school.” He adds, “Plus, kids at this age are really funny.”

Mr. Holmes has been the crossing guard at Reed Elementary for seven years, wearing the yellow vest and holding the red stop sign at the busy intersection of Lyford Drive and Tiburon Boulevard. His close relationship with the school has spring-boarded him into other fun, community-oriented roles like bake-sale judge and reading to preschoolers at book fairs. He also gives safety presentations to young students to teach traffic awareness and the importance of walking and biking safely.

Alice Fredericks, Tiburon Councilmember and long-standing member of the TAM Board of Commissioners, commended Mr. Holmes, “Tom plays a critical role for the safety of our children and for the peace-of-mind of our parents, helping them feel comfortable letting their children walk and bike to school. The Crossing Guard Program and early safety education are key components of the Safe Routes to School Program. These efforts, combined with Tiburon’s recent yellow school bus program, are essential to helping reduce school-related traffic in our community.”

Mr. Holmes will be presented with a Crossing Guard of the Year Award plaque at the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m., Marin County Civic Center, Room 330. Mr. Holmes’ name will be added to the legacy plaque in the TAM offices.

The School Crossing Guard program is an element of the Safe Routes to Schools program administered by TAM. The program enhances safety and helps reduce the reluctance parents may have in allowing their children to walk or bicycle to school. The program was first implemented in 2006 with 54 crossing guards and has since grown to 82 crossing guards. The Crossing Guard Program is funded by Measure A, the ½-cent transportation sales tax passed by Marin voters in 2004 and Measure B, the $10 Vehicle Registration Fee passed by Marin voters in 2010. The ½-cent transportation sales tax has generated over $10 million to-date for the crossing guard program and the vehicle registration fee generates an additional $150,000 each year.