A Service Dog Makes an Impact on an Entire School

Guest post by Christi Henry, one of SSD Eagle’s handlers in Lampeter-Strasburg School District

Eagle’s impact on our school community has exceeded our wildest expectations. We knew his impact would be positive for our students, but we just could not imagine how much positive influence his presence would have on our entire school building.

Eagle cannot wait to get to school in the morning, and from the moment he walks in the door, he brings smiles to all who see him. When staff members hear his tags jingle, they come out to say hello and give him some morning love. Our custodians always have something special in their pockets for him, and the office staff loves when he lays down in the sunny spot in the middle of the office. He brightens everyone’s day and has helped to connect us as a staff in new ways. 

Just before the students come in, Eagle dons his vest and prepares for work. He waits at the doors with a handler during arrival to greet the kids. Kids squeal with delight to see him in the morning. Our principal has found that students who are reluctant to come to school are eager to see Eagle. The principal will work with the students and parents and have Eagle at the doors to help them transition more smoothly from home to school.

Throughout the school day, Eagle has a busy schedule. He begins with a morning walk-through of the building with the principal, and he stops in each classroom to wish everyone a good day. He has learned to give the kids a fist bump with his nose. The kids LOVE to get a fist bump from Eagle.

One of Eagle’s favorite jobs is working with small groups of striving readers, inspiring and motivating them to work hard. He snuggles in to listen to them read. One student practices reading jokes all week and then meets with Eagle and a handler on Friday for joke time in the snuggle chair. This student works SO hard to be ready for joke time.  Many of his jokes are about dogs. What dog keeps the best time?  A watch dog!

Eagle also works with our students who need emotional support, reminding them that will-power and self-control are skills that everyone needs to practice. He demonstrates by not touching a kibble placed on his paw. He drools to show them that it is hard work.  His presence in the room is calming, and snuggle time is a huge reward.

Eagle visits with our students in the life skills class each day. Students work hard to earn a golden ticket to help care for Eagle’s needs. Students learn to gently brush Eagle and fill his water dish for him. A favorite among the kids is double-leash walking Eagle.  One student who uses a wheelchair for mobility was struggling with her motivation to practice with her walker. Walking ten feet was a huge struggle.  With Eagle by her side, she is now walking laps around the whole third grade wing!

Eagle works with small groups of students, including our speech and language, learning support, and guidance groups. His presence encourages not only hard work and perseverance, but also conversation and self-reflection. When Eagle is present, students are willing to try harder, open themselves up to new experiences, and discuss topics that may be hard to face. He attends meetings with families, meets with the principal and guidance counselor when they work 1-1 with students, and even attends parent-teacher conferences.

Eagle also works in classrooms with large groups of students. Everyone loves when he hops up into a chair to see what’s going on. He reinforces classes of students who have earned time with him for great behavior. He attends pizza parties and movie days, and he is always available to educate group of students about his work in our school.

He participates in large group activities and attends special events in the performing arts center with the whole school. Sometimes, he is the star of the show, coming on stage to demonstrate and inspire good behavior. He is an integral part of our school, and everyone looks forward to seeing him at all of our school and district-wide activities and events. He participates in open houses, family nights, and school board meetings. 

In our district, our dogs also work together. In crisis situations, all of our dogs come together to assist with grief counseling. They also participate in mental health education activities and support students in emotional crisis throughout the school district. The dogs are able to help students calm and settle in order to move forward in the school day.  

Our dogs also have time to be together socially. Eagle enjoys pulling up to Gabby’s building for Wednesday morning play-dates with Gabby and Maya.  They run, tumble, and play ball together. This summer, we welcomed Monarch to the team.

At the end of each day, Eagle gets out of his vest and shakes off his hard work. He loves to run down the hallways, chasing a ball or stuffed toy. He cracks everyone up with his slipping and sliding around the corners. 

Eagle’s presence and hard work in our school has brought us all tremendous joy. We are grateful to have the opportunity to share each day with him. He is truly loved and his impact on our community is immeasurable.

Help Susquehanna Service Dogs train more dogs like SSD Eagle. Donate to build a new training center for SSD.