Quaker Valley High School welcomes therapy dog program

A jingle of dog tags resonates whenever Penny makes her way around Quaker Valley High School.

The 2-year-old purebred bulldog brings joy to students and staff alike.

“It’s been great,” said owner Rob Johnson, a paraprofessional who obtained the dog from D and D Bulldogs near Philadelphia. “The kids have told me that they like to hear that jingle sound going down the hall; that makes them smile. She’s been really good for some of the teachers, too. When they have their planning period they’ll come in and say, ‘Hi’ to her.”

Penny is the key to a new pilot program designed to ease stress and foster positivity in the school, something Principal Deborah Riccobelli has sought for quite some time.

“Having a therapy dog in our school has been my dream since becoming the high school principal in 2014,” Riccobelli said. “During most of my years as a teacher, I had a classroom pet, witnessing firsthand the social, emotional, and academic benefits for my students. Also, the QVHS students have advocated for therapy dogs in our building, and research supports the use of therapy dogs to improve students’ social-emotional well-being.

“With that in mind, I was entirely on board when Rob Johnson approached me with the idea of training Penny to become a certified therapy dog for our school and promised to do my part to ensure the launch of the pilot program.”

Riccobelli and Mike Lewis, director of student services, visited the Beaver Area School District and emailed others that use therapy dogs to see how it may play out at Quaker Valley.

“Their advice was instrumental in helping us develop the pilot program,” Riccobelli said.

Johnson said plans for the program were in the works prior to the covid-19 pandemic.

Penny trained at Misty Pines Pet Co. and Dog Park in Sewickley for about 15 months to become a certified therapy dog.

“I wanted to get a pet, but I also wanted another purpose for that pet,” Johnson said. “It’s really made a big change up here.”

The pooch can often be found inside her pen lying either on a chair or a white rug with different colored buttons within the school’s Resource Room, a classroom used for study hall.

“Every day I have a lot of stress coming out of all my classes,” said freshman Liam Welge, 15. “I’m really exhausted and tired from the day and all the subjects that are really hard. Whenever I come in here and pet Penny, I think about something else.

”It gets you more motivated. I come in here every day for study hall. It helps me get through the day. The softness of the fur brings you away from your school and lets you have some breathing room. That’s what I feel.”

Liam said another reason he’s comfortable around Penny is because he has two dogs of his own, a poodle named Lily and a sheepadoodle called Mary.

Senior Amanda Chau, 17, has an early dismissal from school. She and other upperclassmen can leave around 2 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. like most students.

However, instead of using that extra time to run off on an extracurricular adventure, she chooses another path.

“I go to Penny,” Amanda said. “I’ve always loved animals. I’ve never had a pet of my own. Even having five minutes to hang with her relieves a lot of my stress in school. She’s a funny dog.”

Amanda said she also tries to sneak in visits between classes when she can. She thanked district officials for instituting the therapy dog program.

“It’s really good,” Amanda said. “Especially because covid is sort of dying down. It allows students to just be able to not stress too much about school, and allows for students to not be stuck in that covid mindset. You’re able to have fun in school in some way. She’s like a safe space.”

Students celebrated Penny’s birthday on Feb. 1.

Some brought treats, made artwork and hung a happy birthday banner.

It’s unclear if another therapy dog will be added, or if the program will be implemented at other Quaker Valley schools.

“Starting small with the pilot program allowed us to be mindful about integrating Penny into our building’s culture,” Riccobelli said. “We are thrilled about Penny’s positive impact on our students and staff.

“During a time when so many are struggling with the effects of the pandemic, Penny’s presence has lifted everyone’s spirits. Students and faculty members go out of their way to interact with Penny and share that her sweet and loving personality help alleviate stress and create a calm atmosphere.”