This fall, the A.W. Becker Elementary school community will be welcoming a new ‘furry’ friend into its building named Rocket. However, Rocket isn’t your typical student or district visitor -- he’s a certified therapy dog. Rocket is a standard poodle who will be making scheduled visits to the A.W. Becker campus over the 2021-22 school year. He will be visiting students in classrooms and will even be using his experience as a Tail Waggin’ Tutor to help students with their reading skills. The Board of Education approved the use of the therapy dog at A.W. Becker Elementary at its board meeting on Wednesday, November 3 per the Therapy Dog Policy written and approved by the Board of Education in early 2020.
“The well-being of our students, especially during the past two years, is incredibly important to our staff, families, and faculty,” said A.W. Becker Elementary Principal Mrs. Neubart. “Recent feedback from neighboring school districts have shown that therapy dogs -- in a school setting - - provide opportunities for students to experience social and emotional support during a traditional school day. We are excited to have Rocket visit with our students and become a new member of A.W. Becker school family.”
According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), having a dog present in the classroom promotes a positive mood and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body. Therapy dogs also provide a ‘connection’ with students that allow them to become more than an occasional friend or visitor to the classroom. The study also indicates the connection of interacting with animals and its impact on improving social interaction.
Rocket is six years old and will be visiting A.W. Becker, with his owner Mr. Berchtold, on a scheduled basis to engage and create connections with today’s students. Stay tuned for additional details on the district’s Facebook page to follow Rocket’s adventure with our students.
Welcome to AWB Rocket!!
