Sippican School to continue participating in comfort dog research project

MARION — Norman, the Marion Police Department’s comfort dog, will once again be part of a county-wide research project led by Bridgewater State University Professor Leslie Sattler. 

Sattler’s research is collecting data from Plymouth County schools with comfort dog teams, including Sippican School. The School Committee approved including the school in this research for the second year at its Thursday, Oct. 22 meeting. 

The project is looking to address five questions: if comfort dogs help students build relationships with officers, influence school climate, enhance emotional regulation, foster focus and attention in the classroom, and improve motivation to attend school. 

Students, parents and school personnel can participate in the research by taking a survey answering questions across these five focus areas. 

Students who visit the comfort dog or its handler can also complete a short survey asking how they felt before the interaction, how they felt after it and what grade they are in. 

Parents can also participate in focus groups. Sattler said several Sippican School parents participated in these groups last year and their feedback was included in a report of the year’s findings. 

“I think this is great, I think it's important to get that information, knowing what an integral part that Norman plays within this building,” committee Chair April Nye said. “He can't go anywhere anymore — neither can Officer (Jonathan) Tracy — without being recognized and all the kids being so excited.”