JeffCo Public Schools using dogs to help Colorado students feel calmer, help learning in class

An elementary school in Jeffco Public Schools has "gone to the dogs," but the kids and their teachers are just fine with it.

"They know he's a safe space for them," said Michelle Myers of Duncan the dog, who works with the Colorado students who attend Stony Creek Elementary School.

 "It can increase reading scores and lower stress for students," Myers said. There have been multiple studies in the past five years regarding the effect of therapy dogs in classrooms, particularly elementary schools. A National Institute of Health study says that dogs have been found to increase cortisol levels, leading to more positive emotions while mitigating negative behaviors like task avoidance or aggression.

Stephanie Jones is another social/emotional learning specialist and her dogs are Odin and Lily. She typically sees children for therapy sessions where the dogs can serve an important role, both as a bridge to be more comfortable with an adult authority figure but also a source of emotional regulation.

"The dogs definitely bring a calmer demeanor to any situation that helps elevate kids' moods," said Jones. "In the schools, it's for the students. It helps ease the students anxiety when I'm working with them."

But don't take their word for it. Ask the kids themselves...

"It's helped me a lot more calm down because of the dogs and learn to control my emotions a little bit better," one student said.

"I've noticed a huge change in my behavior since last year when we didn't have these puppies," said another.

Both Jones and Myers were recently recognized by Jeffco Public Schools for the work they've done on Duncan, Odin and Lily. As they and the roughly two dozen or so other dogs across the district continue to help students in more ways than one.