Kynoch Elementary School baffled at lack of stop signs

With parents, teachers and students from Covillaud Elementary School having successfully appealed for more stop signs, another school's boosters are wondering how they could have fallen off the priority list.

Stop signs at two intersections on G Street are scheduled to be installed in the next few weeks as a result of a letter-writing campaign by students in June.

But Kynoch Principal Monica Oakes let City Council members know on Tuesday that pedestrian safety near her school in east Marysville continues to be a nightmare.

Julianna Villa-Hopkins, a third-grader at Kynoch Elementary School, was struck by a vehicle and killed while walking to school a year ago this week.

"All the fanfare over Covillaud and their stop signs," said Oakes. "We've been left behind."

In the wake of last year's tragedy, Oakes said, she and others had appealed to Marysville officials for safety improvements around Kynoch.

They asked for new stop signs at Rideout Way and Ahern Street and at Ahern and 18th Street.

But they were told to wait.

"We did what they asked," she said. "They said they were going to study the problem."

Oakes provided city officials with several letters written by her school's students. The letters described the safety issues and made a plea for action.

She told the council that automobile traffic has increased around the school this year.

"More parents feel they need to bring their kids to school because they don't feel that they're safe walking or riding their bikes," she said.

Laura Anderson, a second-grade teacher at Kynoch, said her role as a crossing guard is a dangerous one.

Many of the drivers — including parents — Oakes said, behave badly during the time just before and after school.

"My teachers have been cussed at by parents," Oakes said.

"We would like to see some action in the next couple months," said Esperanza Arellano, president of the school's site council.

"They (motorists) don't seem to respect people," Anderson said of the crossing guards, "so I'd like to see a great big metal sign."

CONTACT Nancy Pasternack at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4781. Find her on Facebook at /ADnpasternack or on Twitter at @ADnpasternack.