BMHS Launches New Attendance Initiative - "A Chance with Chance"

The Brien McMahon High School Attendance Committee launched a new attendance incentive in partnership with the Norwalk, CT Police Department — “A Chance with Chance,” featuring Chance, the Norwalk Police Department’s Community Dog.

Through a raffle, 16 students in grades 9–12 who maintain 90% or higher Average Daily Attendance (ADA) will be selected to participate in a special 30-minute reception with Chance. These sessions will take place every other week beginning Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Chance is a trained community support dog who helps create a calm, welcoming, and positive environment. Emotional support animals have been shown to:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Improve mood and emotional regulation
• Increase students’ sense of connection and belonging
• Support positive school engagement and motivation

For students who may struggle with chronic absenteeism, opportunities like this can help strengthen their connection to school, improve overall well-being, and provide an additional positive reason to attend regularly. Our goal is to celebrate strong attendance while also supporting students socially and emotionally.

Students are also sharing with their peers what helps them to "keep going when things get hard." Some responses included:

• "Seeing my friends everyday keep me motivated and excited to come to school everyday."
• "... to learn something new and I like to pass time with my friends."
• "For me it's my close friends and family that encourage me to keep showing up even if the day isn't going good."
• "Knowing that when I'm older Ima [sic] have that money."