Meet Maybie, Fieldstone Middle School's facility dog who helps students and staff alike
THIELLS − Chris Santana Palanco, an eighth grader at Fieldstone Middle School, walked right past special education teacher Michael Morlino to greet Morlino's teaching partner. Morlino's used to it. After all, his fellow staff member is a nearly 3-year-old black Labrador retriever named Maybie.
Chris, 13, leaned down and the dog leaned in. Soft tail wags ensued.
"She helps me in a lot of different ways," the 13-year-old said. "I'm very thankful for her."
Maybie, whose title is "facility dog," wears a vest that displays her staff ID. She's got soulful eyes that focus on whoever needs her attention. That includes other students at Fieldstone or any North Rockland school. Staff members also stop by the office Maybie shares with Morlino for support.
"She's like another clinician in the classroom," Morlino said.
Post-COVID need
Maybie's in her second school year at Fieldstone, a grade 7-8 campus.
She's trained through Canine Companions on Long Island. Morlino, with whom she lives, underwent training, too.
Lots of schools have therapy dogs visit. But the North Rockland district is one of only a couple in the state that have a support animal assigned to a building. The dogs are a significant monetary investment for a school and a big time commitment for a staff member.
Superintendent Kris Felicello said Maybie's presence was the perfect fit for a post-pandemic middle school campus. "Ever since COVID, we're really working with prioritizing mental health and recovery."
Post-COVID, many schools faced growing behavior and attendance challenges. "Things are embedded here to try to get kids to school," said Christopher Frank, assistant director of special education, "and Maybie is one of them."
Last year, eighth-grader Helena Keffer didn't want to step foot on campus. Then last spring, she met Maybie.
The eighth-grader is now regularly attending school. "I am a lot more confident when I am around her," she said as she and classmates prepared to take Maybie out for some fetch. "Maybie senses when I'm upset."
Making room for Maybie
Maybie gets exercise and potty breaks at school in a fenced-in area called "Maybie's Meadow." Students also built her a doghouse.
"We make sure she's very well taken care of," Morlino said, "because she helps a lot of people."
Frank credits Morlino with making it all work.
Morlino and Maybie work out for an hour every morning. (Maybie wears a "FitBark," which is a Fitbit for dog.) Then there's an hour of training.
Then it's off to a long day of supporting anyone who may need it.
Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her at @nancyrockland on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Threads.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Dog on staff at middle school in Rockland NY offers post-COVID support
