Therapy Dogs Offer Gateway Students Support ateway
GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT
As bleary eyed students walk the hallways during arrival at Gateway High School, they’ re greeted by a wagging tail and a friendly face: Roxie, a labrador retriever.
Over at Gateway Middle School or Ramsey Elementary, the cool disposition of pint-sized Kyla, a havapoo, or Ranger, a goldendoodle, helps ease the tensions of young learners in difficult times. At the Gateway School District administrative office, Ben, a golden retriever, roams around from office to office, nudging hands for pets and offering companionship and a quick break from work.
These four canines compose the Gateway School District crew of therapy dogs. Kyla, Richard Taylor’ s dog at Gateway Middle School, was the trendsetter, getting therapy dog certified last school year. Since then, other district employees have been inspired. Dennis Chakey, Ben’ s owner and the district’ s Assistant Superintendent, was the first to come to Taylor with questions on how to get his lovable golden retriever certified.
Next, Kylie Martin— a Ramsey Elementary counselor and Ranger’ s owner – and Grant Sample – Roxie’ s owner and a Gateway High School teacher – inquired with Taylor and got their dogs certified. Taylor brings Kyla to school roughly four, if not five days a week. Sample and Martin bring their pooches once a week. Chakey brings Ben into the office intermittently.
“ It’ s heartening. I was really pleased with the school board and how they’ ve taken it on. It really helps our kids and we have a lot of support from our parents, too,” said Taylor.
“ It’ s a proven thing that dogs help make people feel better.”
26 MONROEVILLE
Taylor was first inspired by a therapy dog at Penn- Trafford, where his oldest son attends high school. Up until that point, Taylor didn’ t know it was a possibility to have a therapy dog at a school. Knowing his dog Kyla’ s chill disposition – and motivated to help ease student’ s tensions— he got Kyla therapy dog certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. The roughly two and half month process concludes after the dog passes three evaluations, at a special education school or nursing home, for example. The dog must also exhibit key behaviors, like the ability to easily socialize with unfamiliar people, maintain a cool, gentle disposition, and to not pull on a leash.
Since becoming certified, Kyla has become a staple at Gateway Middle School. Whether she’ s walking the hallways with Taylor, helping with interventions with students in the counseling office, or stopping in a classroom to help ease tensions before a test, Kyla seems to light up everyone’ s face.
“ When kids see me, it’ s not even like‘ Hi Mr. Taylor.’ Instead it’ s‘ is Kyla here today?’ She took number one. She’ s up here and then we’ re all down here,” said Taylor.
“ When I have her for morning duty, pretty much every kid comes by to pet her. Some kids will stand there and talk to her.”
Students like 6th grader Johanna Larson look forward to seeing Kyla everyday. Last year, as a 5th grader, Larson at times got stressed by her new, much bigger school. But seeing Kyla on a regular basis made Larson feel more at home, reminding her of her family’ s beagle.
“ I just love dogs and she loves me back,” said Larson.“ She makes me feel happy. All of my classmates love her too.”
From the stressors of education, social life, or social media, students have quite a bit on their plate. Beyond