PETERBOROUGH – Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders and Principal Larry Pimental are pleased to share that Peterborough Elementary School has added a comfort dog to its team.
Charlie, a black lab puppy who will serve as the school’s resident therapy dog, was introduced at an all-school meeting on Friday, Dec. 9. He’s currently undergoing training with Melissa Saari of Cold Spring Healing Paws in New Ipswich.
Once he completes training, Charlie will have a regular presence at the school beginning later this winter.
The effort to bring a therapy dog to Peterborough began in 2019 and was spearheaded by teacher Shannon Dunning and Pimental, who made a presentation to the School Board’s Education Committee in early 2020 and again to the whole board last spring. The School Board subsequently approved launching a pilot program.
His presence is meant to support students’ social-emotional health and provide comfort for those experiencing moments of difficulty.
“We’ve seen the positive impact that a therapy dog can have in a school setting, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring Charlie to Peterborough as a resource and friend to our entire school community,” Pimental said. “I want to thank Shannon for coming forward with this idea and for her active participation in making this program a reality.”
Charlie will make regular visits to classrooms and school activities and will be available at Peterborough Elementary School. The district is looking forward to seeing how the pilot progresses and if it will be able to be expanded to other ConVal schools.