A furry, friendly face has been easing the stress of students and staff at Plymouth High School.
The school district has shared that during finals on January 15th and 16th, students were able to get a reprieve from the stressful time period with visits from Howard the therapy dog.
Plymouth High students were able to interact with Howard before, during, or after testing, and as requested by teachers.
Howard, an 8-year-old wire-haired fox terrier, was rescued by Plymouth counselor Erik West and completed his Therapy Dog Training Course at Central Bark in Sheboygan in the fall, then received his Therapy Dog Certification through Therapy Dog International in December.
For students, Howard provides a comforting, non-judgmental presence to help them feel safe and secure, with West adding, “His temperament is perfect. He’s a relaxed, chill dog… He’s so calming, in a therapeutic way, to help with coping.”
West plans to have a set schedule for Howard to visit the school in the fall, but will be on hand for finals, ACT testing, parent-teacher conferences, and can be brought in upon request as well.
More information about Howard’s introduction to Plymouth High School can be found by visiting plymouth.k12.wi.us.
