Forest Hills board approves facility-dog internship with Circle Tail after legal, insurance review

The Forest Hills Local Board of Education voted to approve a facility-dog internship agreement with Circle Tail for Anderson High School, Turpin High School and Nagle High School, following extended questions from trustees about liability, allergy accommodations and daily logistics.

Kim Tinsley, presenting the proposal on behalf of the district’s teaching and learning team, said the program will begin at the secondary level, is intended to support students’ emotional regulation, and will initially come at no cost to the district. Tinsley said handlers and dogs must complete extensive training before being placed in school settings and that Circle Tail conducts site and home visits for matches.

Board members pressed staff on contract language and insurance: one trustee asked whether the legal team had reviewed the agreement and whether district insurance covered incidents; Tinsley said both legal and the district’s insurers had reviewed the contract. Trustee concerns about the scope of indemnity language and whether the district would assume excessive legal risk remained part of the discussion.

On the question of day-to-day use, Tinsley said dogs would typically be paired with counselors or intervention specialists rather than left in general hallways during heavy transitions; staff said designated areas would be used to avoid exposing students with allergies or other concerns.

A motion to approve the Circle Tail internship agreement was made, seconded and carried on a roll-call vote: Doctor Strickler — yes; Mister Bell — yes; Missus Jonas — no; Doctor Simmons — yes; Mister Bibb — yes. The district will now move forward with scheduling training and the host agreements described in the contract.

The vote came after several trustees asked for and received assurances about training, ongoing supervision and insurance. Tinsley said Circle Tail requires certification of dog-handler teams and will perform follow-up site visits; hosts will sign separate agreements and provide day-to-day care. "There is not there's not been incidents on their watch," Tinsley said of Circle Tail’s track record, citing other districts’ experience.