Services
School Crossing Guards in San Francisco
School crossing guards in San Francisco who take charge of the crosswalk at morning drop-off and afternoon pickup, on hills, transit streets and blocks where every car seems to be double-parked.
Why city crosswalks need a person in them
San Francisco schools rarely get a quiet cul-de-sac. They sit on residential blocks in the Sunset and the Richmond, on steep streets in Bernal Heights and Noe Valley, and along busy corridors in the Mission, the Excelsior and the Bayview. At 8 a.m. those streets fill with parents looking for a curb, delivery vans, rideshare pickups and Muni buses pulling in to the stop.
Hills crest right above crosswalks, so a driver coming over the top sees a child late. Parked cars and double-parked cars hide small kids from turning traffic. A crossing guard fixes the one thing signs and paint can’t: a visible adult in the crosswalk who decides when it is safe to step off the curb.
Drop-off and pickup, minute by minute
The guard arrives before the first families do, puts on a high-visibility vest, picks up a stop paddle and takes the corner your school names. They wait for a real gap in traffic, walk into the crosswalk with the paddle raised, hold the lane until every child and parent is across, then step back so cars can move. Kids on scooters get walked through, and anyone running from a car across the street gets called back to the corner.
At dismissal, the routine runs in reverse and usually lasts longer, because pickup trickles out over after-school programs and late parents. The guard stays until the last group your school expects is across. Start and end times go into a timed log, and anything worth knowing, such as a near-miss or a driver who keeps rolling through the crosswalk, goes into the shift report emailed to the office that day.
Built around your school’s crossing plan
Your school decides where children cross, when the guard starts and stops, and how late arrivals and early pickups work. We turn that plan into written post orders during the walkthrough, with a map of each crossing point, the bell schedule, minimum days and the name of the staff member the guard reports to. A relief guard reads the same orders, so a sick day changes nothing at the corner.
The guard works the crosswalk and the curb. Your staff keep supervising students on campus, at the gate and in the pickup line. When a guard notices a faded crosswalk, a signal that won’t change or a bush blocking sightlines, the note goes to your office so you can raise it with the city.
Private, charter and independent school crossings
Independent, charter and faith-based schools often run their own drop-off routines, with staggered start times, a lower school and an upper school, and a preschool that lets out at noon. A private crossing guard can cover each of those windows, or move between two crossings that serve the same campus.
Schools that share a block with a church, a park or a busy shopping strip get the same help: a guard who knows the traffic pattern of that one street and keeps families moving through it. See our school and campus security page for what an entrance officer adds once the students are inside.
Crossings for school events and busy nights
Back-to-school night, a spring concert, a Saturday fundraiser or a graduation can put more people in the street than any weekday morning, often after dark. A guard can work the crosswalk between the campus and the overflow parking, or the corner families use to reach a field a few blocks away.
One-off nights like these can be booked on their own as temporary coverage. For larger gatherings, the crossing guard works alongside event security officers at the doors.
Who stands at the crosswalk
Crossing guards are unarmed officers who are background-checked and hold BSIS guard cards. We look for people who are patient with kids, firm with drivers and on time every day, and we try to keep the same guard at your corner so families get to know a familiar face.
Supervisors run quality inspections on the post. Every post is backed by our insurance, bonding and workers’ compensation coverage, and a certificate of insurance goes to your school before the first morning.
What crossing guard coverage costs
Crossing guards are billed as on-site guard time, typically $36 to $50 an hour in San Francisco. The total depends on how many crossings you need, how long the morning and afternoon blocks run, and how many event nights you add. Our coverage hours planner helps you lay out the weekly schedule before you ask for pricing.
Getting started
Book a free walkthrough at drop-off time, so we see your crossings with real traffic on them. Afterward, the quote arrives in writing, with every crossing, its hours and the reports the office will receive spelled out, on month-to-month terms. Request a walkthrough.
A few useful answers
Common questions
Can one guard cover both drop-off and pickup?
Yes. A schedule can include a morning block before the first bell and an afternoon block through dismissal, with the same guard on both whenever possible.
Are your crossing guards armed?
Crossing guards are unarmed. They work with a high-visibility vest, a stop paddle and a clear voice, and the job is to keep children and drivers moving safely through the crosswalk.
What happens on minimum days and early dismissals?
Send us the school calendar and any changes as they come up. The guard’s hours shift to match, and the post orders list who at the school confirms a change.
Can you add a guard for an evening school event?
Yes. Event nights can be added to a regular schedule or booked on their own, with the guard placed at the crossing families use to reach the event or the parking.
How do you screen the guards who work near children?
Every guard is background-checked and holds a BSIS guard card, and supervisors check the post during the school year. Your school receives the guard’s name and a certificate of insurance before the first shift.