ATHENS, Ohio – A first-grader in southeast Ohio who uses a service dog will transfer to a different school because her special-education teacher is extremely allergic to dog dander.
Six-year-old Shyanna Gretz will attend a school located next to the elementary school she should have attended.
The Athens Messenger (http://bit.ly/1alDLfR) on Thursday reported that Gretz and her black Labrador retriever, Spring, will begin attending Beacon School in Athens once paperwork is finalized.
The girl's mother, Charla Gretz, said she is pleased with the resolution, especially since the issue over the teacher's allergy didn't come up until the first day of school last month.
Gretz has said Shyanna, who has stayed at home since classes started, gets overwhelmed by sensory issues and does not cope well with change. Her dog is trained to calm her and to walk on an attached tether so the girl cannot wander. Gretz had said changing schools would disturb her daughter.
The school district had suggested the girl attend the only elementary school in the district that has a program for autistic children. But her mother objected, saying Shyanna would not cope well with such a change. The mother then suggested Beacon School as the next best option.
The girl's new school is operated by the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and designed for students with special needs.
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Information from: The Athens Messenger, http://www.athensmessenger.com/
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