Charli Starts Her Job

Aden messaged the parents to inform them about Charli and asked to be notified of any apprehensions or allergies. Charli was then introduced to the middle school through class meetings on the first day of school. Aden talked about the dos and don’ts around Charli and the rules for the kids. These include things like approaching her calmly, not yelling or screaming around her, and always asking permission to pet her. Aden avoids passing time in the hallways with Charli because big crowds have been found to be intimidating for her.

“She makes my day when I see the bond the kids are having with her and the smile it puts on their faces,” said Aden. Charli works with anywhere from 20-30 students a day. Some students have brief 10-second interactions and others come into the office like clockwork each day. “I see her whenever I can,” said Skylee Krogh, an 8th grader at AMS. Krogh’s favorite part of having Charli around is “the love that she gives us.” Charli not only looks after the kids but also the staff. Aden shared that a teacher had been playing with Charli for 10 minutes, then got up and said, “Okay I can go back to class, that’s exactly what I needed.”