The Bettendorf Community School District has a team of professional therapy/certified assistance dogs working with counseling staff in the Bettendorf Community School District to support student learning. The therapy dog program has been funded in part through the Bettendorf Community School Foundation and Scott County Regional Authority (SCRA).
AKIN
Neil Armstrong Elementary
Handler: Jodi Hanson
johanson@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Fletcher
Mark Twain Elementary
Handler: Erin Waldron Smith
ewaldronsmith@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Delta
Bettendorf Middle School
Handler: Jessica Blaum
jblaum@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Garvey
Paul Norton Elementary
Handler: Kelly Cypher
kcypher@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Kenobi
Bettendorf High School
Handler: Danielle Brier
dbrier@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Leia
Bettendorf High School
Handler: Heather Wiley
hwiley@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
McGarrett
Herbert Hoover Elementary
Handler: Courtney Torie
ctorie@bettendorf.k12.ia.us
Professional Therapy Dogs
- Provide emotional and physical support
- Model good behavior, tolerance, acceptance
- Assist with counseling lessons and character education
- Teach responsibility including responsible human-animal interaction
- Support learning and academic success
- Provide stress relief and help to relieve anxiety and depression
- Encourage and inspire a love for reading
- Improve the ability to trust
- Improve socialization and communication
- Model and teach kindness and compassion
