“Willah is such a sweet, gentle soul,” said Nicole McChesney, South Central Calhoun elementary principal. “She adds to a homey, happy atmosphere at school. How can you not love her?”

Willah, a nearly 3-year-old golden retriever, is an emotional support dog who has worked at the elementary school in Rockwell City since October 2022. Her name and picture are listed on the staff page of the school’s website, alongside the teachers, administrators and staff.

Willah comes to work every morning and stays until about noon. During her time at school, she handles a variety of jobs, from greeting students to helping kids who are having a rough day. Students who are stressed or struggling to manage big emotions can pet Willah, bury their faces in her soft, golden fur, and calm down.

“Having an emotional support dog at school offers another strategy for de-escalating kids who are angry or frustrated,” McChesney said.

Willah

Willah also assists with counseling lessons, embodies kindness and compassion, and provides a listening ear for eager young readers. “Willah is very mellow, and she’s such a calming presence,” said Justin Moody, South Central Calhoun elementary school counselor.

Providing comfort, reducing stress

Willah is the first emotional support dog to serve at the school. More educators nationwide are turning to school therapy dogs to help students manage stress, address mental health concerns in a productive way, and boost academic engagement.

Studies show that today’s students can experience overwhelming feelings of anxiety and depression due to cyberbullying, violence and a host of other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). One in six U.S. youth aged 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. An emotional support dog like Willah can help improve the quality of life for students, teachers and other school staff.

“When someone’s upset and the words won’t come, they can go see Willah,” McChesney said. “You don’t need words with Willah.”

-Messenger photo by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
Adam Mitchell, left, a second-grade student at South Central Calhoun Elementary School, and Dakota Truman, a kindergarten student, enjoy spending time with Willah, the friendly golden retriever who has served as an emotional support dog at SCC.

Science shows that people who interact with animals have increased levels of oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin — hormones linked to a positive emotional state. In addition, a 2019 study published by the National Institute of Health found that having a dog in the classroom promotes positive moods and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body.

Willah does all this at SCC just by being her friendly, happy self. She also becomes a social equalizer in many ways, bringing together groups of students and setting a tone of acceptance and kindness.

Students love reading to Willah

South Central Calhoun administrators began exploring the potential of including an emotional support dog at school after a neighboring school district got a dog a few years ago. As it turned out, the district had a unique opportunity to “recruit” the right emotional support dog close to home. Katelyn Toms, a preschool teacher at South Central Calhoun in Rockwell City, is not only a dog lover, but her family raises dogs.

As Willah’s owner and trainer, Toms knew her friendly, young golden retriever had the potential to serve as an emotional support dog at SCC.

“Willah loves belly rubs and being around kids,” she said.

Lori Sander, a Title I math instructor in the district, has also been a champion for having Willah serve as an emotional support dog in the elementary school.

It’s a plus that Willah has achieved her Canine Good Citizenship certification. This program teaches dogs good manners, such as sitting on cue and staying in place, walking through a crowd, coming when called, reacting to distractions, and mastering other polite behavior.

Once it was clear Willah could be a good fit for South Central Calhoun, integrating her into the school environment followed a gradual process. First, the district notified parents about the plan to welcome an emotional support dog to the elementary school. Staff addressed questions like, “Is the dog aggressive?” and “What if my child is afraid of dogs?”

Next, Toms started bringing Willah into the school building when no one was around, so the dog could become familiar with the property. Then Toms started bringing Willah into the school when small groups of adults were working there. After Willah became acclimated to her new surroundings and new people, she was ready to interact with students.

Toms and her colleagues teach students how to interact properly with Willah.

“The kids know that Willah is here to work,” Toms said. “While they are welcome to pet her and hug her, they know they need to approach her properly.”

Many students love reading to Willah. Kids, dogs and a good book are a great combination, according to researchers in the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. In a 2010 study, these researchers found that students who participated in a therapy-dog-assisted reading program increased their reading fluency by 12% to 30%. In addition, 75% of the parents reported that their children read aloud more frequently and with greater confidence after the kids read to dogs.

Researchers suspect that the patient, non-judgmental attention that dogs offer is key to bringing about positive changes in kids’ attitudes toward reading.

Willah also assists with South Central Calhoun’s kind-hearted pets program, which teaches second-grade students how to properly care for animals.

“There are so many benefits of having Willah in our school,” McChesney said. “She helps kids learn, provides emotional support, and models good behavior and acceptance.”

Holiday breaks and other vacation days aren’t as appealing to Willah as a work day.

“She looks forward to coming here and seeing the kids,” Toms said.