Four therapy dogs are helping students in the Ottawa Elementary School District. The golden doodles were introduced at a school board meeting earlier this week. Murphy works at Jefferson School. Poppy works at Central School. Mija works at Shepherd Middle School. And Lincoln appropriately works at Lincoln School. Special Education Teacher Katie Fuchs says Lincoln helps students calm down when they have a lot of emotions.
Julia Bailey at Shepherd Middle School works in special education with Mija. She told a story about how she is making an impact on students.
Alecia Ruiz talked about Murphy, a black golden doodle helping students at Jefferson School.
Central Elementary School Teacher Heidi Quick says Poppy loves to work with the students.
The dogs were provided through the United Way of Eastern LaSalle County. The district talked about getting therapy dogs back in August. Rees told the school board that eleven percent of kids at Jefferson School have been identified as at risk for social and emotional functioning.