Page 18 August 2014 By Michelle Donati-Grayman As hundreds of Arcadia children head back to the classroom this month, school zone safety should be a high priority for everyone in our community. If your child will walk or bike to school, safety advocate AAA encourages parents to remind students to walk only on sidewalks, cross only at crosswalks and avoid walking in front of or between parked cars. And, last but not least, always obey the school crossing guard. Crossing guards are an integral part of our community, keeping children safe as they travel to and from school each day. Thankfully, Arcadia is home to one of the best crossing guards in the state. Joe Mettler, or Mr. Joe, as he is endearingly called by students and parents, earned AAA’s 2014 Crossing Guard of the Year award for Maricopa County. Mettler received the award last April for demonstrating the highest level of commitment, friendliness, professionalism and safety. “When you think of a crossing guard, you may envision an individual who simply helps children cross from one side of the street to the other,” said Rene Murphy, assistant principal at Hopi Elementary School. “However, when you think about Joe, you envision an individual who is vigilant about the safety of our students.” A native of Illinois, Mettler has called Arizona home for more than 25 years. After spending over a decade working at The Home Depot, Mettler’s love for the outdoors and helping people inspired him to apply for a school crossing guard position. Since then, he’s become a fixture at Hopi Elementary School and Ingleside Middle School. But his community involvement doesn’t stop there. Mettler has volunteered for Arcadia Little League for 10 years, from maintaining fields to supervising the snack bar. “Aside from their parents, I’m the first adult these kids see every morning,” Mettler said. “I can make a difference on the outcome of their day. If they smile, I’ve done most of my job right there.” Mettler received more than 60 nominations from students, faculty, parents and community members, expressing gratitude for his dedication and service. Many were hand-drawn by students. “My son rides his bike and I feel so comforted to know that Mr. Joe will make sure my son crosses in a safe and attentive manner,” said Dina Musselmann in her nomination. “Frequently, he goes above and beyond his call of duty to assist students. He has helped my son with fl at tires and derailed chains both before and after school.” In addition to earning the title, Mettler received a $500 Visa gift card, courtesy of AAA Insurance. As the new school year begins, Mettler’s biggest piece of advice to Arcadians is to exercise extreme caution in and around school zones. “Don’t rush,” Mettler said. “Take a few extra minutes to help make our students safer.” Michelle Donati-Grayman is an Arcadia resident who works for AAA Arizona. Arcadia’s own crossing guard earns A+ in school safety Joe Mettler is seen each morning and afternoon protecting the kids of Arcadia as they cross the street. Recently Mettler was honored by AAA with local kids even sketching their appreciation as nominations. ABC s of Back-to-School Safety (Source: AAA Arizona) A void distractions: Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. B y the numbers: Teach children important phone numbers and how to dial 911. C hart your course: Map out a route to school or the bus stop and walk it with your child beforehand. Choose a direct route with the fewest street crossings or with intersections that have crossing guards. D on a helmet: The proper use of a helmet can reduce a child’s risk of head injury by 85 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. E xemplify safety School zones are non-passing zones. Always stop for buses that are loading or unloading students. It is illegal to pass a school bus with flashing red lights. F orego strangers: Teach kids never to accept rides or gifts from strangers. G rab a buddy: Have kids walk to school with a relative, friend or neighbor.

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