Jersey Shore School Board mulls facility canine | News, Sports, Jobs – Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Sep 14, 2022

JERSEY SHORE — A real canine might be joining the ranks of the Jersey Shore Bulldogs as a facility dog if the board approves a request to add the position to their staff.
With what they described as “A little tiny thing that could make a huge difference in our school climate,” teachers Stephanie Machmer and Patty Hess proposed to the Jersey Shore School Board the purchase of a facility dog, which would be primarily at the high school, but could be eventually used at other buildings in the district.
“One of the things that I think we are all aware of is the mental health of our students,” said Hess, physical education teacher in the district.
“These are some of the reasons why we are pursuing it — the social-emotional issues, mental health, specific crisis intervention, school attendance,” she said, adding that multiple studies showing how canine interventions can benefit students in these situations.
A facility dog would be involved in working with school counselors during counseling sessions.
“All of our guidance counselors are on board. In fact, they are over the moon excited about this possible opportunity,” Hess said.
School counselors would like to start group sessions to deal with student anxiety and the dog could be used in those sessions.
The dog would also be useful in calming students following class disruption episodes.
“If they need to bring a student out (of the classroom) for whatever reason that is, just having the dog there kinda calms them at that point,” she said.
“We don’t envision this just at the high school, but the dog could be used in the summer programs at the elementary schools,” Hess said.
Students could also read to the dog to hone their reading skills.
“The possibilities are endless,” Hess said.
Questions to address before bringing a facility dog on board include the legal liabilities involved, animal care and maintenance, fear of dogs and allergies.
Under the model the teachers are proposing, the district would purchase the dog with grant funds. Liabilities would then be covered under the district’s insurance, which Hess said would be minimal, according to her research. She added that, if the district would approve purchasing the dog, the exact insurance amount could be determined.
Students could opt out of participating in programs with the dogs if they have allergies and there are also hypoallergenic dogs.
Parents and students would be educated about how to handle and interact with the dog.
“The students are trained on how to approach the dog. This is a working dog in school so any student who has an allergy would opt out and the dog would be kept out of that area,” Hess said.
The care and maintenance would be handled by Machmer. It would come to school and go home with her and stay with her during the summer. She would also assume all maintenance and care and grooming of the dog.
If students have a fear of dogs, the facility dog could offer an opportunity to overcome that fear, but it would also be kept away from students who are afraid.
The dog will not roam free in the hallways; it will always be leashed and with one of the three handlers who are willing to be trained, Hess said.
Machmer, who is a special education life skills teacher in the district, envisions using the dog as part of the responsibility aspect in her classroom.
“We’d be responsible for getting it where it needs to be. It would have a schedule just like the students because it’s a working dog,” Machmer said.
“They have rest times,” she said. “They have times they need to go out. I would like my students to take care of that aspect of it.
“But the counselors, our health staff and different people would be the teachers or handlers who would take them into scheduled rooms or counseling sessions,” Machmer added.
The particulars of the program would need to be worked out if and when the board approves the proposal. The process can take up to two years to complete.
“We just want your permission to be able to pursue this, to apply to some of these to see if we’d even be approved. There is so much grant money right now to help our students with their mental health, other than the insurance cost which is very small in comparison to the benefits, we feel that we can cover the rest of it with grant money,” Machmer said.
The proposal will be placed on the agenda for a vote at the board’s next meeting, said district Superintendent Dr. Brian Ulmer.
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