Emotional support dogs visit elementary schools
Thanks to two donations totaling $10,000, Walled Lake Schools is now able to expand their dog therapy program to assist students with social emotional support.
The Charlie McVey Fund made a $2,500 donation, and the Lakes Area Rotary Club allocated an additional $7,500 to the Walled Lake Schools’ Foundation for Excellence.
Three Labrador retrievers, Brook, Wallee and Romeo, will be respectively joining Meadowbrook, Walled Lake and Glengary elementary schools in the fall of 2021.
Mary Helen Guest teacher Monica House and Ann Gray, a social worker at Walled Lake Western High School, helped launch the program two years ago and brought the dogs Champ and Dakoda to their schools.
“What makes this really unique for us is that the schools own the dogs. We have seen the difference Champ and Dakoda have made, and I cannot wait for other schools to have the same experience,” House said.
“A therapy dog provides a comforting presence at school, and research shows that just the presence of a therapy dog decreases anxiety and enables students to work through issues such as anger.”
Research also proves that when students have access to a therapy dog reading scores improve and positive social interactions increase.
“The needs of our students are greater now than ever before and the presence of a therapy dog will be such a bright spot for our learning community,” said RosaLeigh Johnson, Glengary Elementary principal.
“Our pup, Romeo, is already doing wonderful things to support the social and emotional needs of our students. We have students write Romeo letters and draw him pictures weekly as they excitedly prepare for his arrival.”
Walled Lake Schools is accepting sponsorships with the goal of having a therapy dog in each of its 19 schools. Donations go directly to the training of a therapy dog, food, veterinary care and supplies. To learn more, or to become a donor, email MonicaHouse@wlcsd.org or call 248-956-3302.