Therapy Dogs – Forward Fund – 2023-2024 School Year

Thank you for your support and grant money that allowed us to bring therapy dog services into our schools this year. We were able to utilize the dogs in both Greenwood and Rocky Branch which brought smiles to so many students. The dogs visited one time a week and met with a variety of students at all grade levels. Here is a list of the many ways the dogs helped our students over the course of this school year.

1. Emotional support through play and high energy or through hugs and calming.
2. Increasing communication skills and social skills, building relationships and friendships for students that struggle with confidence.
3. Time with the therapy dogs was used as a reward for completing work or spending more time in the general education classroom (we worked very close with the EBD teachers and supporting the goals of their students)
4. Motivation to work on fine motor skills or writing during therapy sessions
5. Motivation to complete strengthening and endurance exercises – more kids met goals
6. Demonstrating how to use sensory equipment for students that were hesitant
7. Helping students to work on coordination and gross motor skills