Ocean View School District school enjoys going to the dogs
Hope View Elementary School in Huntington Beach has a school mascot of a hawk.
But the favorite animal of many students on campus might be the one that barks.
The Ocean View School District school celebrated its annual Service Dog Day on Wednesday, with Guide Dogs of America bringing several service puppies in training on campus to visit classrooms and interact with the youngsters.
It’s a passion of Hope View teacher Holly Sjorgren, who has been raising money for the nonprofit for at least a dozen years.
Since 2017, Hope View has had a guide dog in training on campus full time. Luka was the first, and four more have followed. The students’ current love is Stella, a black Labrador retriever who is 10 months old.
Sjogren gets the dog when it’s 8 weeks old and keeps it until it’s about 18 months old.
“It makes me feel more safe and makes me feel positive,” said Lucy Schlueter, a fourth-grader in Sjorgren’s class, of having the dog in the room. “It makes me feel powerful, for some reason.”
Time with the dog is an essential part of the school’s Making A Difference positive reinforcement program, where students receive tickets for good behavior.
“They earn a picture with the guide dog, they earn time with the guide dog,” Hope View Principal Christy Luckey said. “It’s fantastic. They’re so excited.”
Luckey, in her fourth year as principal, still remembers her first year when Harry, one of the school’s past guide dogs, calmed down an out-of-control student even when several adults couldn’t.
“Sure enough, that helped,” she said. “I was like, ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner?’ But now we know.”
Students also got a special treat Wednesday, as Harry visited from Las Vegas. “Hope View Harry” has now graduated and is a full service dog.
“It’s pretty cool to have the kids see the full circle,” Sjogren said.
At a lunchtime assembly on Wednesday, Sjogren presented a $2,000 check to Guide Dogs of America assistant director of programs Cheryl Herman. Sjogren said the Hope View community has been fundraising for the last month. Ocean View School District Supt. Michael Conroy, Board of Trustees President Patricia Singer and Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin were all present for the assembly.
Herman expressed her appreciation for the partnership with the district, which also has guide dogs at the district office and has started participating in a separate BARK Reading Program where children read aloud to certified therapy dogs.
“It’s very helpful to us,” Herman said. “We have to socialize the dogs in every situation they might be put in when they’re working. Having them around the kids gets them ready for an autistic child, or going to work with somebody who is blind and is a teacher. The dogs just need to have as much exposure as possible, so schools really let them experience a lot.”
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