🚔⭐🛑
SBSO HONORS TWO LONGTIME CROSSING GUARDS

With the 2025-26 school year now complete, the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is recognizing the retirements of two longtime crossing guards who concluded their careers during the school year after a combined 46 years of dedicated service helping keep students and families throughout St. Bernard Parish safe, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Debbie Loustalot, who served as a crossing guard for 34 years, retired earlier in the school year, and Richard Piergalski’s last day at Arabi Elementary was Thursday, May 21.

Loustalot began her career in 1991 at Borgnemouth Elementary School, where she served until Hurricane Katrina. She went on to serve at Willie Smith Elementary School, where she remained until her retirement on Sept. 19, 2025.
Piergalski served for 12 years at Arabi Elementary School.

Sheriff James Pohlmann thanks both crossing guards for their years of commitment by serving as familiar and trusted faces in their communities.

“We are grateful to Richard and Debbie for the dedication they showed our students and families throughout the years,” the Sheriff said. “Crossing guards play an important role in keeping our children safe each day, and we thank them both for their longtime service to the Sheriff’s Office and our community.”

Lt. Eric Eilers, who oversees the Crossing Guards, said there are about a dozen individuals who assist with traffic and pedestrian safety at parish schools. They are authorized to stop the flow of traffic in designated school zones, allowing children to cross safely and helping school buses arrive and depart on time. For more information about the Crossing Guard program, call Lt. Eilers at (504) 278-7628.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office wishes Loustalot and Piergalski all the best in their retirement.
#SBSO
#KeepingStBernardSafe





Source