“Juno”, P.S. 76 in Astoria’s comfort dog (Juno76Q via Twitter)
Sept. 26, 2017 by Nathaly Pesantez
Children at three neighborhood schools will have their days made brighter by “comfort dogs” as part of an expanding Department of Education program for social and emotional wellness.
The program, launched last year in nearly 10 schools around the city, brings rescue dogs into classrooms to interact with students and staff, and aid in improving the school climate and social emotional learning.
The Riverview School, which serves special needs students at 1-50 51st Avenue in Hunters Point, and I.S. 204 at 36-41 28th Street, are the two Long Island City based schools participating in the the “Comfort Dog” program for the 2017 and 2018 school year. The third, P.S.76 at 36-36 10th Street in Astoria, is also part of the program. The three schools make up the 30 additional schools targeted in the program’s expansion.
“The Comfort Dog program brings a smile to students and staff on a challenging day, helps to de-escalate issues and can even provide bereavement support,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña in a statement. “We know students need academic and social-emotional supports to succeed in the classroom and beyond, and comfort dogs are helping nearly 40 schools strengthen their culture and build stronger relationships.”
The DOE says the rescue dogs chosen for the program are evaluated by the North Shore Animal League America. A staff member at each school adopts a dog, and a learning program, the Mutt-i-Gree curriculum, which focuses on shelter pets and emotional learning is provided for free. Schools can choose to apply to the program via the DOE’s Office of Counseling Support.
“A comfort dog is a counseling support,” said Jaye Murray, executive director of the Office of Counseling Support Programs in a statement. “They possess the two most important qualities of an effective social worker or counselor–unconditional acceptance and warmth.”
Staff at P.S.76 in Astoria took to Twitter to share photos of “Juno”, the school’s comfort dog, in action. The school also created a Twitter account for Juno, which Fred Acquavita, the school’s assistant principal, encouraged users to follow.
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9 Comments
Tough crowd.
Comforts dogs, what if my kid is allergic to dogs. How about comfort pigs, they’re cute and when they get big they can have a BBQ. Or rabbits, fluffy and tasty, the kids can raise them all year then stew them, educational and delicious.
How can you eat your pig best friend that give you emotional support? That’s worst!
You are sick!
I was a kid, in the early 80s, in the city, and my school had a class pet – (I also played with Squirrels in the park!) how is this different OR hipstery? I think it is great, and could also teach the children how to be kind to animals!
Oh great these HIPSTER children get friendly dogs to pet, when I was a kid I only got to pet the rabid stray dogs that I found behind dad’s bowling alley; I got mange three times.
You’re clearly an idiot. This is not a school for hipster children, and even if it was, you’re still an idiot. Thanks.
Hey Troll, you can’t even lay off the post about helping special needs kids? You’re going to make a joke about disabled kids?
MRLIC may be eccentric but calling him “disabled” is offensive