ToquiNotes: The Most Popular Bridgeport High School Staff Member Turns 70 and Not Slowing Down at All
By Jeff Toquinto on December 07, 2024 from ToquiNotes
What if I told you the most popular staff member in the Bridgeport school system just turned 70? What if I told you the same staff member has no intention of retiring anytime soon?
Both, certainly, are believable. What, however, if I told you that this now 70-plus-year-old employee had to be reprimanded recently for 
knocking over a cookie filled tin and gobbling it up without permission?
knocking over a cookie filled tin and gobbling it up without permission?
Confused? No need to be.
The employee in question is the sidekick of Bridgeport Police Department Prevention Resource Officer (PRO) Jamie Hamrick – Connor. If you live in Bridgeport, have a social media presence, or have anything to do with the school system or big events in the city, then you know Connor.
Connor is the Bridgeport High School and Johnson Elementary School therapy dog that makes visits to Bridgeport Middle and Simpson Elementary School as well (along with occasional county-wide visits). He is a pure-bred Golden Retriever who was born to do what he does at school.
A week ago, on Nov. 30 to be exact, Connor turned 10 in dog years. That, to us humans, is the ripe age of retirement. Despite meeting all the qualifications for retirement and having been the recipient of tens of thousands of belly rubs, head scratches, kisses, and all kinds of human interaction, Connor is not stepping down anytime soon.
“We haven’t considered retirement, and Connor is really doing well for his age with just a little white on his muzzle … He has slowed down a bit energy wise, but his demeanor and his attitude are still there,” said Hamrick. “He still loves to be loved and doesn’t mind kids sticking their fingers in his face and his nose.”
Still, Hamrick said Connor’s workload has been cut back. His wife/girlfriend Chloe and daughter Cassie are also therapy dogs and balance things out to not allow him to be overworked.
“He still claims the parades and the big city, school, or police functions we do,” said Hamrick.
Connor, and I do not believe this is hyperbole, is a Bridgeport treasure. And like most treasure Connor was found.
It was the Fourth of July in 2017 when Hamrick said this lovable Golden Retriever showed up in the family yard. There was no collar, no other identification, and a wagging tail that the family immediately enjoyed.
“I kind of assumed he was spooked by the fireworks, and with no collar I posted his picture on Facebook to try and find the owner,” said Hamrick. “The owners were away on a camping trip, and it was several days before we got a response.”
In the interim, the family fell in love with the lovable Golden Retriever. So, when the owners returned Jamie’s husband John offered to buy the dog. They said yes, and the rest is belly rubbing history.
“The funny thing is I told the two boys, everyone, not to get too attached because I was convinced someone was horribly lost without him,” said Hamrick. “He ended up making his home here, and seven years later he’s still here and everyone is still happy.”
Unique circumstance number one is Connor randomly showing up. Unique circumstance number two was how Hamrick decided to consider Connor as a therapy dog in the school system.
The circumstance involved Hamrick watching a commercial that put everything into motion.
“There was this commercial (a Pedigree dog food commercial) with a little girl in the hospital and the doctor tells her they’re going to do some different therapy with her, and they bring a dog into the room and the child just lights up,” said Hamrick. “The dog was so gentle, and it made me think of Connor.
“That was where the initial thought formed with Connor and therapy work,” she continued. “Golden Retrievers are very docile, and they want you to like them, and the thought just formed because of that. At that point, I had no idea where the thought would take me.”
It has taken Hamrick, Connor, and an entire community – and even beyond – on a fun-filled love fest that has no end in sight.
While the end is not known, the beginning traces its roots to late December 2019. At that time, Connor had gotten his therapy dog certification. After the break, in early January 2020, Connor started.
Even with school derailed due to COVID, Connor did not let it derail him from becoming a source of love and comfort for students, staff, and visitors alike. Hamrick said it is the best decision she has ever made on her professional front.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this was the right thing to do. I can’t tell you the impact he has had on kids and adults, big and small, who just gravitate to hm,” said Hamrick. “From the tiniest of children to the oldest of adults in the building, everyone is happy to see him, and I can assure you he is happy to see them.”
Hamrick is aware that Connor will not be able to do what he is doing forever. She also knows the life span for a dog like Connor is not terribly long.
“He’s a big dog and if you go 12 to 14 years with a Golden then you’re doing well, and he’s doing well for his age. I’m fairly sure he’s the oldest staff member of anyone at the schools and the oldest member of the police department,” she said with a laugh.
Connor’s Thanksgiving break was extended due to personal reasons. He and Officer Hamrick will return to school on Monday. She knows he will be getting a few extra treats and a little bit more attention than usual to celebrate his milestone birthday.
As for birthday treats at home, Connor decided to help himself. The treat involved holiday cookies.
“I had about eight or nine cookies left in a tin, and I went to visit my mom. When I got back, the tin was on the floor, the cookies were gone, but crumbs were everywhere,” she said. “I thought I moved them back far enough, but I was wrong. As perfect was we think he might be, Connor has to get scolded every once in a while.”
That should be okay. I have a feeling everything will be remedied Monday, if not before. After all, there is a 70-year-old employee that needs his belly rubbed and a few treats to go inside it that will make everything better and the most popular staff member tag even more legitimate.
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