Can I Pet That Dog? Therapy Dogs to Return to ANCS this year!

Our school is once again partnering with Happy Tails, a volunteer dog therapy organization, for regular visits with specially trained dogs and their owners.  

According to a research article by Christine Grove,  “Therapy dogs in schools are a great way to bring joy and happiness into the lives of students while helping them build relationships with those around them, which leads to better mental health overall. It’s clear that therapy dogs can have a significant impact on students’ lives, both on their mental and emotional health and also on their academic success.”

A 2019 National Institute of Health study showed that the presence of a dog in a classroom can help promote a positive mood. The study also recorded the notable anti-stress effects on students’ bodies..

Last year at the middle campus students visited with the dogs one grade level at a time, one grade level a month, starting with 8th graders. We are hoping for more frequent visits this year but the details are still under construction. At the elementary campus last year, we had small group grade-level rotations every 2 weeks by invitation only visit with the dogs. This year at the EC, we are opening up participation to all students and will continue with bi-monthly visits. 

Participation is completely voluntary as we know not all people like dogs and some may have fear and/or allergies. The dogs would be in a location where students who do not want to interact will not encounter them. 

Elementary Campus Caregivers: Please fill out this permission form to allow your child in to visit with the dogs. If you have questions, please reach out to Lindy Settevendemie at LSETTE@atlncs.org or 404-624-6226.

Middle Campus Caregivers: Please reach out to Kristin Lee at klee@atlncs.org or 470-597-2297 with any questions or concerns or if you do NOT want your child to have the option to participate.