FORT THOMAS, Ky. — Fort Thomas has big shoes to fill now that Judy Kiskaden has hung up her striped neon green coat. After 40 years of ushering both children and adults safely across the busy intersection of North Fort Thomas and Highland avenues, she decided to retire.
An outpouring of appreciation
News of her retirement spread quickly on social media with an outpouring of love and memories by residents. Here are just a few of the things people shared about “Miss Judy.”
“Judy was the crossing guard when my sons were at St. Thomas 40 yrs. ago. Now my grandsons are in middle and high school, she was at the same intersection until recently. She will be missed” Patti Oldiges wrote.
“I will miss her! She might be the loudest little woman I know! Her passion for the kids and her job is so inspiring after all these years!” Sue Shewalter wrote.
“Always thought there was a secret underground passage by the bank where she would appear from. She definitely had command to her. Had the kids trained like little soldiers,” Adam Rose wrote.
“I always enjoy seeing Judy in the mornings & afternoons taking my grandkids to school she’s a real trooper and she loves what she does. Will miss seeing her,” DP DP wrote.
“Judy was incredibly dedicated to keeping our kids safe as school crossing guard. I never worried about Judy showing up on extremely cold or blazing hot days. Judy took the job seriously but also did it with pride and personality. There will never be another school crossing guard like Judy. I wish her well,” Jay Brewer (former principal at Moyer Elementary) wrote.
In February 2022, the community showed their deep appreciation for Kiskaden’s service by raising funds to purchase her a car. She was escorted to the fire station and presented with the car surrounded by a large crowd of supporters.
Filling the position
Indeed, the position is important to the community, but city officials said finding crossing guards has been an ongoing challenge.
Most crossing guards are stationed near schools in the community, and their positions are covered by the school district. Kiskaden’s position falls under the city’s safety department and has been part of the city’s budget.
After learning of the retirement, Fort Thomas school district officials sent a message to families explaining the situation.
“While the city of Fort Thomas is committed to re-advertising for this position, based on previous experience, this is an exceptionally difficult position to fill,’” school officials noted. “Unfortunately, reallocation of other current personnel to cover these responsibilities in addition to their regular duties is not a viable option as they would increase safety concerns or reduction of important services in other areas of our town. The city is currently working with the school district to consider other safety improvements such as additional signage to address traffic during these busy times.”
The city quickly posted the crossing guard position on its website. City and school officials urged community members to consider stepping up to fill those important shoes.
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