Tom Germscheid makes prestigious list
Article by Robert Ostmann,
Los Alamitos Unified School District
Tom Germscheid, a brightly-vested fixture seen twice a day outside Rossmoor Elementary School, has been named one of the Top 10 crossing guards in the nation.
Germscheid received about 2,000 votes and placed 10th in the nation in the America’s Favorite Crossing Guard competition.
A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, Germscheid managed a doctor’s office for 27 years. When he retired, he wanted to find a way to “give back to the community that has been so good to my family,” he said.
Protecting its children is the most responsible and rewarding position that I could hope to hold.”
Germscheid has served as a crossing guard at Rossmoor for the past four years. Children and parents know him well, calling out greetings on a recent morning as they crossed the large and busy intersection of Montecito Rd. and Shakespeare Dr. He responded cheerily but kept his eyes focused on the streets. Frequent close calls between cars and kids mean “I’ve got to keep my head on pivot!” he said.
“The joy that they give me and the satisfaction in the job, it’s indescribable. Just to see their faces every morning, it’s a pleasure,” Germscheid said. “I lose my fifth graders at the end of the year, and then I’ve got new kindergartners coming in and I have to learn a lot of new names.”
Rossmoor Principal Amy Belsha said Germscheid is more than just a crossing guard. “Our Knights and families look forward to his warm smile as he greets our community each morning. He is part of the Rossmoor family!”
Although he came in at No. 10 nationwide, Germscheid showed no trace of disappointment in the ranking.
“Being the favorite of the families whose children that I cross on a daily basis is all that matters to me.”
