And in the midst of it is Rick Quarton, volunteer extraordinaire. Wearing a fluorescent orange vest, Quarton controls the comings and goings with the watchful eye of a bald eagle, the fine-tuned artistry of an orchestra conductor, the command of a military general and the care and concern of a parent.

His eyes dart around the scene, anticipating the movements of youngsters. At the signal of his raised hand, traffic momentarily comes to a halt until Quarton is certain a passing group of students is safely on the sidewalk. Then he waves vehicles back into motion, directing them to turn here, go there. In spite of his constant surveillance, he adds a personal welcome to passing youngsters, asks about homework, nods hello to parents.

At 3:15 p.m., Quarton is back at his post as the action runs in reverse. Just like he has been every school day for the past three years. Morning and afternoon. Rain or sun. Wind or snow.

Quarton accepted this post at the invitation of Charlie Walsworth, West Homer principal.

“We had another crossing guard whose daughter moved on,” Walsworth said of the parent volunteer who previously served as crossing guard until the parent’s child graduated from West Homer’s sixth grade. Someone suggested Quarton as a possible replacement.

“He called me up and I have a weak spot,” said Quarton, a father of two. “I have a hard time saying no to things like that.”

Even though his children also have graduated from West Homer, Quarton continues to show up every morning at 8 a.m., spends a half hour overseeing incoming activity and then is back again in the afternoon at 3:15, facing the challenges of getting students to and from school safely.

“It can be really frustrating for parents to navigate through here. Sometimes it’s just gridlocked,” Quarton said.

“We’ve had tempers flare a few times, but it’s not me they’re mad at. For the most part, the parents are really good, really cooperative. Everyone is helpful and pleasant.”

A self-employed Web-page builder by profession, Quarton also maintains the school’s Web site.

“It’s in complete disarray so, as we speak, I am in the process of bringing it back up to date,” he said.

Quarton’s computer know-how also comes in handy in other areas. He answers miscellaneous technical questions from students and teachers, and is being paid a small amount to help teachers become familiar with Edline, a computer program that provides parents with up-to-date access to their children’s grades and homework assignments.

“He’s a multi-talented guy,” Walsworth said. “He’s helping teachers with computers, helped the computer club, did a rocketry lesson with the sixth-grade class and we even asked him to fix the washer and dryer.”

Volunteers help the school run like a well-oiled machine, said Walsworth of the adults that help in classrooms, the office, the lunch room and with after-school activities.

“The scores for kids’ testing shows that they’re doing very well and you can just see that teachers, support staff and parents all together make this an awesome system,” Walsworth said. “The number one priority is helping kids succeed and do well.”

Quarton holds on to that priority even though he expects people wonder about his presence in the parking lot every morning and every afternoon.

“People drive by a school and see some old geezer out there with a red flag and red jacket and think, ‘Where the heck did they get that guy?’ said Quarton, recalling when he drove by schools and wondered that very thing.

Laughing, he adds. “Now, I am he.”