Benefits of animals discussed at board meeting

It was an exciting evening during the Henryetta School board as a new program was approved for the upcoming school year.

HPS will implement a therapy dog program for Fiscal Year 2023-24, joining other area schools like Morris, Okmulgee, Glenpool and Checotah, who have noted much success with the use of the animals.

A presentation was given by Kelli Baker and Lisa Merrill of Morris Public Schools, about the benefits of the therapy dog program in their district, now in its second year.

Henryetta Elementary School Counselor Jennifer Huckabay brought the matter before the board, and was joined by other principals and counselors from the district at Monday’s meeting.

Kalani and Shadow, Morris School’s therapy animals, were at the meeting as Baker and Merill discussed how the program came to be in their district, the benefits and results to date, and why they approached the HPS board about starting the program in the district.

The big surprise came after the presentation, when it was officially announced that a female Goldendoole named Mace had been donated, at no charge, to the district by FURever Friend Doodles & Poodles.

The second surprise was the announcement of a $1,000 donation from First Family Federal Credit Union to kick off their funding for the program, and grooming and vet care sponsorships from the Barking Barn and Dr. Jenkins.

The team from Morris and Henryetta, were scheduled to travel to Central Arkansas Tuesday to pick up Mace.

In addressing the board, Baker shared her passion for this project and the benefits.

“I think we can attest as a counselor that it has been beneficial to have therapy and to kind of go over the data and the different things that we’ve learned through the therapy programs,” Baker said.

“We started our program in the fall of ‘21,” Baker said. “So our program is less than two years old. And to say that we’ve been blessed with amazing results.”

Baker and Merrill have been traveling over the country making their presentation about the therapy program, and will be in Atlanta, Ga., to make a presentation to the American School Counseling Association.

Baker and Merrill informed the board concerning the various steps taken to get the dogs certified, having the animal insured, and how they interact with the students.

They found that training from the puppy-stage and getting them interacting with the children is beneficial to their growth and in social settings.

“They are in classrooms, the playground, in P.E.,” Baker said. They go to basketball games, football games, baseball games. During state testing, they’re present with our students. They sit in DHS investigations, which your counseling team will tell you is one of the most intense moments for a student’s life and we can’t be there to support the students by law. We don’t have that right. So it’s amazing when you can sign up a dog and kids are familiar with it to provide comfort and security for our students.”

After learning of the recent tragedy involving several Henryetta students, Morris Superintendent Dr. Chris Karch, talked with Henryetta Superintendent Dwayne Noble, and the following day, the MPS therapy animals went to Henryetta Schools.

“We were only there for a short time for the students,” Baker said. “But what we witnessed as far as the time we were there, seeing your kids interact with us, it was impactful.” At Morris, “we’ve seen amazing results with our attendance increases as well as their behavior,” Merrill said. “So from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, a nine percent decrease in the number of students that needed intensive intervention, and a 15 percent increase overall in students that moved up to proficient in math.”

What about the cost? “We have not spent one dime on district funds on these dogs,” Baker said. All funds have been raised by community organizations, donations from students, families, businesses.

Baker stated that so far, training for both Kalani and Shadow is $5,300 each, and “their training was fully funded by community organization … The difference in what we created with the program that is based on your community relationships and your sponsorships. Which as soon as the community knows that this is what you’re trying to do, you will be shocked.”

Community support and sponsorship has been outstanding.

“When we talk about the sponsorships, the training sponsorships - the insurance is covered through your school district… but is not required,” Baker said. She also noted other concerns such as a child being allergic to the animal, or if they have had a bad interaction with a dog previously.

“Ironically, in the two years we ran this program,” Baker said, “we’ve never had one parent come to us and say, ‘My kid is not allowed to interact with the dog.’... What you see is those kids have now overcome their fears.”

Baker and Merrill, who are the handlers and caretakers for Kalani and Shadow, described the training that took place for the animals, who are now fully certified therapy dogs.

“Our dogs greet our kids every single morning,” Baker said. “...We know it (the program) works. We’ve troubleshot the program and we know that it can be successful and that’s why we helped other schools last summer…” Checotah Public Schools reached out to Morris Schools about the program, and now has two animals, and adopted the policy from their district.

Okmulgee School received Leo in December, and the board adopted Morris’ therapy dog policy. Glenpool Schools also brought administrators to Morris to observe the program in action, and now have implemented the program.

Baker and Merrill had worked closely with Huckaby for several months on the program and when the tragedy occurred in May, “we responded because that was the right thing to do,” Baker said. “We’re rivals in every other setting. But right now, we’re a part of your community … and we want you to be successful … And this is why we need you guys to vote on this tonight.”

A special thanks went out to David Dykes, CEO of First Family Federal Credit Union, who was one of the first community sponsors for the Morris therapy animals.

As a show of support for the Henryetta program, FFFCU Representative Ashley Morris was in attendance at the meeting on behalf of Dykes and the credit union. She waited with the check for $1,000 in hopes of the HPS board approval, with the credit union ready to jump-start the Therapy Dog Program.

Baker and Merrill also shared the news that a local Henryetta groom, the Barking Barn, would sponsor the grooming for Mace, and Dr. Jenkins would serve as the veterinarian, at no cost to the district.

Thanks was given to Amy Vaughn, the owner of Spirit Dog Ranch. She had one puppy left that she had been saving for a special purpose.

Baker stated that Vaughn would not sell the puppy to just anyone.

When Baker reached out to Vaughn, she explained the situation in Henryetta.

“I spent an extensive amount of time with her on the phone, and when I explained who this dog would be going to and what purpose it would be,” Baker said, “she instantly started crying.”

Vaughn stated that was the reason why she had been holding off on selling the puppy.

Mace is a female black and white Goldendoodle, called “highly intelligent” and is the sibling to Joey, who’s currently the second Rogers County Court dog.

“And she gave her to you guys,” Baker said. “So technically, this is why I really need you to say yes and I think that you have a handler and you guys, you’ve already got an amazing counseling team that in the background has already been preparing, hoping and praying that you guys will say yes tonight.”

The board inquired about how they got the money to pay for training, and the Morris team members informed them that it was all due to the community, mentioning such businesses as Mabrey Bank, First Family FCU, CP Kelco, and even an energy company that is not even located in the state.

That company, after hearing of the Morris program, sent a $2,500 check to the school.

Board members were assured that once the community learned of the need, there would no doubt be lots of support.

After the board approved the program, the $1,000 check was presented to the school.

The school board also approved the following agenda items:

• Worker’s Compensation Insurance with Oklahoma Schools Assurance Group for the 2023-24 school year

• Property and Casualty Insurance with Oklahoma Schools Insurance Group for the 2023-24 school year

• Chose new investment fund with Goldman Sachs

• Payment of Ronnie Paxton and Gary Greenfield for services from David Bacon Act (building and repairing maintenance services)

• Fundraiser (corn sale) for 2023-23 and 2023-24 school years

• New Sub Account for Junior Class of 2025

• Renewal Agreement with The Center for Education Law for the 2023-24 school year

• Henryetta Public Schools Transportation FMCSA Policy for the 2023-24 school year

• Henryetta Elementary Surplus List

• Adjunct Teacher Scott Wilde for five sections of Middle School math for the upcoming school year

• Adjunct Teachers for Elementary Education Mataya Hares, Morgan Lee, Jenna McGill for the 2023-24 school year

• Excessive accrued activity absences for students for the 2022-23 school year. These are students who participated in multiple sports and extracurricular school activities, and had more than 10 absences due to those events.

• Resignation of Andrew Dawson as of May 23 The board entered executive session at 7:41 p.m. to discuss several elementary positions and a custodian position, and were set to vote on those upon return to open session.