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Students get new best friend

Fairmont Christian School will have a regular visitor to help its young students with everything from verbal and reading skills, to offering someone to open up to. No, it won’t be a special educator or school psychologist, but a small hairy individual with four feet.

Fairmont Christian School is located at Bethel Evangelical Free Church, 1125 S. State St. The school, along with Principal Kimberly Fast, is excited to announce the introduction of companion dog Birdie.

Fast explained how the idea came to fruition, as well as why she thinks Birdie will be an invaluable asset to the students. Fast said the effort to find the right companion dog began in earnest at the beginning of the school year.

“One of the things that is really important to us is that we want children to go away with various tools to handle the natural things that come up in life,” she said. “So we try to give them as many different tools, like how to calm themselves and take a deep breath and think.”

In a letter to parents, Fast noted that Birdie will be able to help children with autism or special learning disabilities.

“While dogs have calming effects and reduced stress levels in most students, children with disabilities can present a unique challenge,” the letter stated. “Because of the wide range of intensity, behaviors can be unpredictable. Currently, within our preschool and school family, we have several children who are on the autism spectrum.

“Also, there is a trend in some educational settings to be quick to medicate children. While there are times this is in the child’s best interest, I personally believe that children need other options for dealing with their unique situation. It has always been our goal at Fairmont Christian School to teach every student multiple strategies to deal with their own behavior.”

Fast said helping kids take responsibility for their behavior is a primary goal for the school, and teaching it has already been incorporated in various ways.

“Right now, everyone’s walking around with a button that’s been sewn on a ribbon,” she said. “That button is their self-control button, and we say that it’s not magic, but sometimes someone might say, ‘Push your button,’ and that’s a reminder to get yourself back under control. So the dog is another tool to say, ‘Here’s a tool for when I’m feeling anxious, stressed, or worried.’

“If you have a speech issue or just the thought process doesn’t come quickly for you, the dog will be pretty non-threatening. If you try to read and stumble over the words, unlike a parent or teacher, the dog won’t be quick to correct you. They’ll just sit there and students can associate those warm feelings with reading a book or giving a speech.”

The letter to parents states that the classroom can be a stressful and overwhelming environment due to social challenges and peer pressure. It also notes that researchers have found that children with autism are more social when playing with dogs as opposed to toys. New research offers further proof that animals also can have a therapeutic effect.

As for Birdie herself, she is a miniature golden labradoodle puppy, just a few months old. She does not shed, is hypo-allergenic, has received a 100-point socialization test, and has been acclimated to children in a preschool and an assisted-living center.

Another point of interest is that Birdie was not purchased by the school. The dog is actually the personal family dog of Ben and Mindy Sheplee and their young daughter, Haddie. Her role as a companion dog has been described as her “job.”

For now, Fast says Birdie will only visit the school sporadically.

“Birdie is just a puppy who sleeps a lot and needs the opportunity to grow,” she said. “At first, she will just visit on Fabulous Friday or on specific afternoons when we need a reading buddy. Eventually, she may ‘visit’ several afternoons a week.

“She will have a special kennel where she can rest and not be a disruption. Her job is to help us be better students and better people. The teachers will make sure that she is not a distraction but a helpmate.”

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