Bennington Elementary's therapy dog Bear used in classrooms to support students'social and academic work

Bennington Elementary staff presented a therapy-dog program to the school board, describing how a dog named Bear visits classrooms and the counselor's office to provide comfort, support and reading opportunities for students.

Therese Jose, school counselor at Bennington Elementary, and Bailey Rolfe, a second-year second-grade teacher, outlined the program and cited research on anxiety reduction and reading improvement when students interact with therapy dogs. Jose said therapy dogs can help students feel calmer and better able to interact with peers and adults, and Rolfe described classroom activities in which students read about therapy dogs and wrote a "day in the life" piece about Bear.

Program details provided by staff: Bear sometimes visits specific classrooms (recently Miss Ralph's room), occasionally joins students in the counselor's office, and spends time in the special education room when helpful. The district said handler and therapy certifications are required and that the counselor and administrators coordinate scheduling to align visits with instructional and support goals.

Why it matters: Staff said the program supports students'social-emotional learning, classroom behavior, and literacy by creating a calm setting for reading practice. The presentation was informational; the board did not take formal action on the therapy dog program during the meeting.

Quotes: "What I love about Bear is he's calm, he's gentle, and he makes me happy," said Bailey Rolfe, the classroom teacher. "Students who feel uncomfortable in social situations might find it easier to interact with peers and adults when there is a dog present," said Therese Jose, school counselor.

The dog's owner, Dr. Jennifer Oogan, was present and has worked with school staff to schedule visits, the board was told.