Weymouth Public Schools Welcomes Community Resource Dog Charlee Into Classrooms

WEYMOUTH-- Interim Superintendent Kathleen Smith is pleased to welcome Weymouth Police Department's Community Resource Dog Charlee into Weymouth Public Schools' classrooms.
 

Charlee, a one-and-a-half-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever, is a community resource dog that was gifted to the Weymouth Police Department by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Charlee is officially assigned to Weymouth High School alongside School Resource Officer Ryan Hamacher.
 

"It's Charlee's job to bring the community together and build relationships between the police department and its community partners," SRO Hamacher said. "When Charlee is at a school, people will smile, wave and pet her. Everybody knows her by name and people follow her on social media, so she has a very good response in the school system."
 

Within Weymouth Public Schools, Charlee helps to support the educational, social and emotional needs of students. Alongside SRO Hamacher, she visits classrooms and can often be found walking throughout hallways greeting students and staff alike.
 

At the high school, Charlee visits classrooms before students take tests to help them relax and sits in on criminology classes. She also visits classrooms of lower grade levels where she sits with students while they read.
 

"Having Charlee in our schools is such a benefit, not only to all of our students but to our staff, and we’re excited to welcome Charlee to Weymouth," Interim Superintendent Smith said. "I want to thank SRO Hamacher and certainly the Weymouth Police Department for partnering with us on such a wonderful addition to the Weymouth Public Schools."
 

Charlee also works as a social conduit for students, helping to make them feel more comfortable with SRO Hamacher.
 

"It's important for us to have our students and their families feel comfortable talking to our school resource officers, and Charlee really disarms any conversation that may have some heightened emotions," Assistant Director of Social Emotional Learning Dennis Jones said. "We know that one positive interaction with an adult that you trust has an amazing impact on not just educational performances but also one's quality of life. Charlee really opens up conversations on what a student may be going through."
 

In addition to Charlee's presence within Weymouth Public Schools, Charlee and SRO Hamacher also visit the Weymouth Senior Center, Town Hall and other public buildings in town.
 

Those interested in seeing Charlee’s work at the school and throughout the community can follow her Instagram, @charlee_sroryan.
 

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