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Handler Gretchen Mattson asks Northland Pines to add certified therapy dog visits
Summary
Gretchen Mattson introduced Chito, a certified therapy dog, to the board on Nov. 17 and asked principals to contact her to schedule visits aimed at supporting students' mental health and well‑being; she described training, prior facility visits, and limits on daily visiting time.
At the start of the Nov. 17 meeting, community member and retired educator Gretchen Mattson introduced her certified therapy dog Chito and described a two‑year training process that led to certification through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Mattson said Chito currently visits assisted‑living facilities and an autistic school in Woodruff and expressed a desire to bring him and future certified dogs into Northland Pines schools.
Mattson described the potential benefits: comfort, de‑escalation of stress and anxiety, and modeling positive interactions for students. She noted certification included multiple facility visits and a formal test, and she asked principals to contact her to request visits on a weekly or other schedule. Mattson said Chito can visit roughly two hours per day and that she is training an alternate handler dog, "Silly Sally," to allow rotation so visits do not overtax a single animal.
Board members thanked Mattson for her work and said principals were likely to contact her; the superintendent and other board members called the proposal "amazing" and said it could have a positive impact on students. No formal board action was proposed or taken at the meeting; staff indicated principals would follow up directly with the presenter if they wished to schedule visits.
