Therapy dog to help Liberty students cope with pandemic's impact
LIBERTY TWP, Ohio - Liberty Local Schools are enlisting help from a dog in their effort to help students and their families cope with the mental and emotional impacts of the pandemic.
The district’s school counselors are teaming up with Cadence Care Network and the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board to bring a social worker into the schools, and utilizing its therapy dog, Pawss.
“Partnering with Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board has enabled Liberty to add an additional layer of support by enlisting the services of Cadence Care Network,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Andy Tommelleo. “Additionally, enlisting support from a four-legged friend, Pawss has provided a sense of normalcy from day one and that has added a unique source of comfort that only a therapy pet can provide”.
While Pawss has been a school staple for nearly four years, her owner, who is also the district’s PK-6 school counselor, knew she would play an even bigger role this year.
“I am so glad we are able to have Pawss here in the midst of the pandemic. I think it would have been devastating to our kids if she wasn’t here. She provides so much comfort, reassurance, and joy to our kids, and they certainly can use more of that this year” said PK-6 school counselor Kristie Sallee.
As expected, Sallee says the needs of students are greater this year. Anxieties are higher among students, as well as their parents. In the younger grades, she said some students have expressed feeling isolated and sad about being unable to interact with their friends.
“When students express these emotions to us, we immediately work on things to help them overcome those feelings. For example, if a student is sad, they are unable to see their friends, we may arrange a virtual meeting so that they can talk and interact with each other. We really try to provide as many experiences as we can to make our kids feel comfortable,” said Sallee.
At the high school, some students have expressed feeling withdrawn and sad about missing out on important high school experiences.
Liberty Local Schools recently applied for a grant to expand its partnership with Cadence Care Network. Pending approval of the grant, Liberty Local Schools will be able to increase the number of days Kristen is in the district from three to five.
“As COVID-19 continues to provide challenges to our day-to-day functioning, we believe it is critical to increase intervention and support for both adults and students. Utilizing grant funding will help meet those challenges,” said Tommelleo.
