Crossroads Elementary School Boosts Student Well-Being with Therapy Dog Program

Attribution Note: Lynsey Lee, Assistant Principal, Crossroads ES

May 15, 2025

Students at Crossroads Elementary School interact with therapy dogs during a monthly visit, creating a calm and supportive environment that helps build confidence and reduce anxiety, April 2025. (Photo credit: Susan Cissell and Alissa Swafford.)

At Crossroads Elementary School, a unique therapy dog program is helping students from prekindergarten to fifth grade build confidence and resilience. What began in 2016 as a special event during Read Across America Week has grown into a beloved monthly initiative coordinated by Strategic Intervention Specialists Susan Cissell and Alissa Swafford, creating a calming environment where students feel supported and ready to learn.

The program expanded in the spring of 2023 to include monthly visits after early success, which showed noticeable improvements in students' emotional and social growth. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, over 450 students had participated, with nearly 400 already involved this year. Each month, about 75 students spend time with therapy dogs, which helps reduce anxiety, boost self-esteem, and improve behavior and motivation, according to teachers and parents.

"In 2016, we began welcoming therapy and service dogs during Read Across America Week—and we quickly saw the positive impact these visits had on our students," Cissell said. "Because of the success we saw, we expanded the program in spring 2023 to include monthly visits."

For students with special needs, the therapy dogs have been especially impactful. "I've witnessed special needs students visibly relax while petting a therapy dog," Swafford said. "Students often ask, 'When are the dogs coming back?'—a true testament to the impact these visits have."

The program has become a highlight for many students and a key part of the school's mission to prioritize emotional well-being alongside academic success. "At Crossroads Elementary, we believe that helping students grow emotionally is just as important as academic success," said Assistant Principal Lynsey Lee. "Our therapy dog program has become a key part of ensuring our students feel supported and ready to thrive."

Crossroads Elementary's therapy dog program underscores the school's commitment to fostering a positive learning environment, with Cissell and Swafford leading the charge to ensure its continued success.