Press releases

It was that time again this week: Aachen's school crossing patrol assistants were invited by Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen to the White Hall of Aachen Town Hall for a festive New Year's reception. "Dear school crossing patrol assistants, your willingness to get up early in wind and weather and to keep calm and keep an overview in challenging situations is indispensable," said Aachen's Lord Mayor, praising their commitment. Keupen continued: "Thanks to your support, schoolchildren are given the necessary safety on their way - with yellow warning clothing and trowels, you accompany thousands of children across Aachen's streets every day."

She was referring to a total of 120 adult school route helpers who ensure safety on the way to school at a total of 16 elementary school. 60 of them as helpers with fixed locations and times and the same number of people who divide up the patrol duty themselves in groups of parents. A total of 73 young people from secondary schools are also on hand in the mornings to guide children from neighboring elementary school safely across the road: 61 pupils from Anne Frank Gymnasium for the Laurensberg Community Primary School (GGS), ten young people from Luise Hensel Realschule for GGS Am Höfling and two pupils from St. Ursula Gymnasium for the neighboring GGS Am Lousberg. Many of them came to the reception at the town hall.

However, the adults and young people are only part of the system: without the eight road safety advisors from the Aachen police, it would not be possible to train the school crossing patrols. The police officers are also always available to answer any questions on the subject of "Safe routes to school".

And finally, the traffic watch, which has been providing some of the equipment for the school route helpers for many years, also contributes to the success of the scheme.

The successful cooperation of recent years shows that the voluntary commitment of "school route helpers" is actively practised in Aachen: The interaction between all those involved - administration, schools, police and traffic wardens - works extremely well.

Facts and figures at a glance
In 2024, 120 adult school crossing patrol assistants were deployed in the area of 16 elementary school, of which:

• 60 pilots who have fixed working hours and locations
• five parent groups (KGS Auf der Hörn, KGS Hanbruch, GGS Am Haarbach, GGS Am Höfling and GGS Malmedyer Straße) with a total of 60 guides who divide the service within the groups on their own initiative

Also on duty as school crossing guards:

• 61 pupils from the Anne-Frank-Gymnasium, who take on the pilot service for the neighboring GGS Laurensberg. Special thanks to Marion Rösner-Jumpertz, middle school coordinator at Anne-Frank-Gymnasium, for coordinating the pilot service.
• Ten pupils from the Luise-Hensel-Realschule, who are taking on the pilot service for the neighboring GGS Am Höfling. Special thanks go to Sabrina Leenders, a teacher at the Luise-Hensel-Realschule, for coordinating the pilot service.
• Pupils from St. Ursula Gymnasium, who take on the pilot service for the neighboring GGS Am Lousberg. Special thanks to Stephanie Schüller, trial level coordinator at St. Ursula Gymnasium, and Patrick Biemans, head teacher at St. Ursula Gymnasium, for coordinating the pilot service.

Special thanks go to the eight road safety advisors from the Aachen police, who instruct the guides in their work and are always available to answer any questions on the subject of "Safe routes to school":

• Werner Birken
• Alex Dorschu
• Elena Fede
• Barbara Höbig
• Yannick Jungen
• Marcus Scharra
• Dirk Schmitt
• Valeria Vasilcin
• Special thanks also go to Norbert Karl and Michael Schulz from Verkehrswacht Aachen