A fluffy new classmate is hopping into the hearts and minds of Susan Brackett’s fourth-grade class at Raymond Elementary School (RES). Since October, Peaches, a 15-month-old red Flemish Giant rabbit, eagerly greets Brackett’s students each morning, spending time with them during quiet classroom moments and at the end of each day. The students, in turn, welcome the bunny with even greater enthusiasm.

“I noticed that children these days face many stressors that they have not had to worry about in the past,” Brackett said. “As a result, students are dealing with more stress, anxiety, and depression than ever before, and attendance rates are dropping. These are some of the reasons why teachers are seeing a lot more disruptive behaviors in the classroom.”

Brackett felt more needed to be done to engage the students who were struggling the most, so she started researching alternative ways to support kids. She discovered that engaging with therapy animals help to enhance social skills and alleviate stress and anxiety.

“Their presence also helps children feel more focused and confident during learning activities,” Brackett said of therapy animals. “For children developing their reading skills, therapy animals can ease shyness and build self-assurance.”

Students in Brackett’s class have experienced these benefits firsthand.

“When I’m sad or don’t want to be at school, Peaches makes me feel better,” student Sebastian Shamaoun said.

Another student, Ella Moreau, said she has to get up extra early in the morning because her mother is a teacher.

“When I feel tired and don’t want to go to school so early, I think of Peaches, and then I get a boost of energy,” Moreau said.

For another student, Peaches provides her with even more than an energy boost.

“Peaches is a great addition to our class. I’ll be super honest: I forget everything, and I hate it. I feel super stressed, and I cry and become a mess. Then, I look at Peaches, and I forget everything [that upsets me] and get calm and get back to my work,” this student said.

Beyond emotional support, Peaches motivates academic engagement, too.

“I noticed that kids who sometimes might be upset or angry – it will typically ruin their whole day,” Brackett said. “When they sit with Peaches, it turns the day around. I’ve seen a huge benefit in that way. When kids are doing work around the edge of the pen, they are less distracted and can complete their assignments. It gives them an incentive and something to look forward to.”

Shamaoun admitted that Peaches helps him to focus.

“It makes working on homework fun,” Shamaoun said. “It’s a privilege to get to sit with the rabbit while we work, and if we don’t work, we have to go back to our desk.”

There are also other ways that Peaches positively impacts the students and the classroom environment. For example, Peaches is incorporated into weekly activities such as “Wednesdays Lunch in the Classroom.” During this activity, the students can share small parcels of food with the bunny.

“We discovered that fruits and vegetables are her favorite snacks,” student Malia Borrayo said. “We hide little bits of food under little cups, and she sniffs to find out if there is food under there, and if she likes it, she flips the cup over and eats it.”

Peaches also provides an opportunity for good humor and levity.

“We have a lot of favorite moments when Peaches makes us laugh,” Borrayo said. “One day, she grabbed her blanket with her mouth and pulled it into her cage. That made us laugh, but she was telling us that she needed some alone time.”

The rabbit has become such an integral part of the classroom that her absence leaves a noticeable void.

“When she stayed home sick the other day, the classroom felt empty,” student Willow Bolstridge said. “It was lonely without her.”

Loved by students and parents and approved by the school board, Peaches isn’t going anywhere for now.

“As long as there are no bunny allergies, Peaches will always be my co-teacher and my students’ furry friend who sparks the love of learning,” Brackett said.

This article was submitted by RSU 14. To submit a good news story, please fill out the Maine DOE good news form.