Alexandria's Longest-Serving Crossing Guard Retires After 49 Years

Alexandria’s longest-serving crossing guard was honored last week by her school when she turned in her uniform, after deciding to retire almost 50 years to the day she began her job, according to a news release from Alexandria City Public Schools.

Twice a day, for almost 50 years, Charlotte Ross walked from her house to Alexandria’s James K. Polk Elementary School, where she worked as a school crossing guard. During arrival and dismissal, Charlotte helped countless numbers of children cross the street safely at the intersection of Polk Avenue and Pegram Street.

Last week Ross, 89, said she was ready to cry, she was so moved when Polk Elementary School students surprised her with a thank-you ceremony. She was presented with cards from students and a round of applause.

“This has been my life for so many years, but now it’s time to move on,” said Ross, who is moving to Greensboro, N.C., to be near her daughter.

“I would get up every morning regardless of what mood I was in and stand on that corner and by the time the school bell had rung in the morning I had met so many people that I was always in a good mood going home.”

When the school opened in 1964, Ross, then a stay-at-home mom, received a knock on the door from a school official asking if she would like to be a crossing guard. In 2015, Polk will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

For almost 50 years every school day at drop-off and dismissal, Ross stood on the corner of Polk Avenue and North Pegram Street in Alexandria, making sure students safely crossed the street to come and go. She would listen to the children as they walked to school and help teach them manners when they forgot how to behave.

“One day, a little boy crossed when he was not supposed to and I called him back, but he refused. So when he arrived at school, the principal sent him back to apologize, which I thought was actually a nice thing to do,” Ross said.

She became such a regular fixture helping people when they had personal problems that her husband used to joke that she should put a sign on the pole saying, she said:  ”Charlotte Ross is open for business.”

PHOTO: James K. Polk Elementary School surprised school crossing guard Charlotte Ross with a going-away party last week. ACPS photo