NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
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The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) and COPE Service Dogs (COPE) have committed to work together to facilitate the delivery of the Canines in the Classroom program in schools.
“Our students and schools have benefited from COPE programs for a number of years. In making our partnership official, we are ensuring that more SCDSB students will have access to the Canines in the Classroom program and all of the benefits that it can provide,” says SCDSB Director of Education John Dance. “The effects that dogs can have on well-being and learning are remarkable, and we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of these interactions in our schools.”
The Canines in the Classroom program gives secondary school students an opportunity to learn how to train service dogs, while also strengthening their essential literacy skills, personal leadership skills and confidence as learners.
The program will be responsive to the needs of SCDSB students, while also providing an opportunity for the dogs to hone their skills in preparation for their eventual work as service and therapy animals.
"The students involved in Canines in the Classroom are an integral part in the training of COPE dogs. Not only do the students benefit, but so ultimately do the final life partners, whose lives blossom with the help of their highly trained Service Dog. We are thrilled to have the students involved in this amazing journey," states Dr. Liz Saul, COPE Service Dogs Board Chair.
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