Jasper School board: Dogs provide comfort for students at JHS

Specially trained dogs will provide comforting benefits for students at Jasper High School this fall.

Jasper High School’s Assistant Principal Glenn Buechlein and social worker Holly Hughes presented the school board with the idea of introducing comfort dogs to be used by the counseling department.

Comfort dogs are specially trained to help calm students who have or are going through traumatic situations. These situations can inhibit learning and cause other issues at schools.

Buechlein explained that he and four other school employees paid to have dogs trained as comfort dogs over the summer. Those dogs will still need some acclimation to the school before they make regular visits and since they are privately owned, won’t cost the school anything.

A golden retriever is being used in a similar way at Cedar Crest Intermediate School in the Southeast Dubois School Corporation.

The board approved the use of the dogs in the school.

Board member Bernie Vogler asked Superintendent Dr. Tracy Lorey to keep the board informed on the progress and success of the program.

Also last night, the board took no action on a request from NewsNow Dubois County to broadcast athletic games over the Internet and a cable TV channel.

Board member Ken Schnaus said he heard it was a good idea for building new followers of the student athletes.

But, in the end, the majority thought the concept had too many unanswered questions regarding revenues since it is a relatively new concept.

Athletic Director Andy Noblitt told the board that he found only two school systems doing what the media outlet is proposing and he couldn’t confirm whether live broadcasting the games would not hurt attendance at the events.

Ticket sales are important to the corporation due to the proceeds supporting the athletic programs.

He told the board the boys’ basketball coach John Goebel and football coach Tony Ahrens do not like the concept because they want the games to remain a gathering place for community members and supporters.

The board also:

-Heard from Scott Stenftenagel that the summer projects list for the schools is almost complete. Only minor items need to be completed to finish up the summer work.

-Voted to allow the tennis booster club to add a covered area onto the outdoor tennis court area to provide shade to attendees. Tennis Program coach Scott Yarbrough presented the concept to the board. He told the board that the $75,000.00 cost has already been raised and they have all of the money in-hand to begin construction.

-Discussed an addition to the cafeteria at Ireland Elementary School due to overcrowding. Gibraltar Designs will be brought in to facilitate the design process and will keep the design within the guidelines of the larger, overall expansion plans for the facility.