Board approves comfort dog program for Wilbur Wright Elementary

The School Town of Munster Board of School Trustees voted Dec. 8 to approve a comfort/therapy dog program for Wilbur Wright Elementary following a presentation by Mr. Yovanovitch outlining training, handlers, cost and operational safeguards.

Yovanovitch described research on therapy dogs’ benefits for lowering student anxiety and supporting social-emotional interventions, and said the district signed up with a national training provider for an April training. "The research is pretty clear on the benefits of having a therapy dog at a school," he said, describing examples of reduced anxiety and improved behavior in other districts.

Under the plan presented, the dog will primarily be with Officer Cooley during the school day; when Cooley is unavailable, the dog will be with Natalie Metzger, who will also provide overnight care. Costs for certification and training were described as modest: the presenter said a three‑year certification fee of $100 for the dog and noted travel and ongoing care expenses that the school PTO and volunteer parents intend to cover.

Yovanovitch outlined safeguards for voluntariness and allergies: participation will be optional, staff and students who do not want exposure will be accommodated, and the district will maintain allergy lists and limit duration in any single space. He also noted the district consulted other districts and its insurance carrier about liability coverage.

Trustees asked questions about insurance and the formal process to place an animal on district property; the board then moved and approved the proposed program. Implementation tasks include coordinating April training with the provider, confirming insurance coverage and formalizing handler agreements.