Job 'gives me life': Newmarket grandmother gets crossing guard post back after upsetting first week of school

Irene Surdyk has been a crossing guard at Glen Cedar Public School on Wayne Drive for the past 20 years

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 25, 2023
Lisa Queen

Newmarket grandmother Irene Surdyk is now back at her post as a crossing guard at Glen Cedar Public School after an upsetting first week of school.

Surdyk has been a crossing guard at the Wayne Drive school for the past 20 years.

But on the first day of school this year on Sept. 5, she arrived at her crosswalk to find another guard working.

He said he was a town employee sent to cover the crosswalk because there was a shortage of guards, which made no sense to Surdyk.

He left and she helped children cross the road in the morning but when she arrived for the after-school shift, the man was there again so she didn’t work.

Surdyk spoke with her supervisor, who simply said she hadn’t signed her new contract.

Surdyk’s daughter, Liz Peter, checked her email -- Surdyk doesn’t have a computer -- and found the message about the contract but also discovered her mom was being made a spare, which she initially mistakenly thought was an error.

Peter spoke with Surdyk’s supervisor who said it wasn’t a mistake and asked Peter to tell her mom.

Mother and daughter were devastated.

“I like this job, it gives me life. I am so happy. I like kids. Kids like me, parents like me, teachers like me, neighbours like me,” she said.

“If I don’t go to work, I stay in my pajamas all day.”

Peter contacted town officials and politicians and, beginning the second week of school, Surdyk had her permanent job back.

But they worry about other guards who may have faced the same treatment. Surdyk was upset to discover a couple of other crossing guards had also been made spares in a similar fashion.

“I think people should know that this is not how the Town of Newmarket should be treating their employees, especially of 20-plus years. I was concerned, is there other people in the same situation that don’t have an advocate who can call the city?” Peter said.

“For my mom, this is her passion. It gives her purpose.”

In the wake of Surdyk’s situation, the town will look at its processes and aim to improve communications with crossing guards, Peter Noehammer, the town’s commissioner of development and infrastructure, said.

Currently, the town has 28 crossing guards, with 12 contracted by a third-party and 16 employed by the town. Spares are required to ensure that there are enough guards on hand to fill for absences," Noehammer said.

Although Surdyk wondered if the town considered her too old to be a crossing guard at the age of 75, Noehammer said that’s not the case.

“The town is an equitable and fair employer and many of the town’s crossing guards are retirees and seniors that have worked with the Town of Newmarket for many years,” he said.

“Irene’s change to a spare guard was temporary due to an operational need and she has transitioned back into her main guard position. There was another staff member who was temporarily placed as a spare guard as well and has now moved back to a main guard role.”

The town thanks all crossing guards for their dedication to keeping children safe, Mayor John Taylor said.

“Many of our crossing guards come back year-after-year because of the rewarding experience and connection to the community,” he said in an email.

“Please be kind and respectful of all crossing guards as they are the unsung heroes of our school community and an integral part in keeping Newmarket safe.”

The town is always looking to hire guards and spares to keep the community safe, Noehammer said.

To apply, visit newmarket.ca/jobs.