Therapy dog program helps Navarro students find their voice
In a quiet corner at Navarro Elementary School, a curly-haired poodle named Clovis listens patiently as a first grader carefully sounds out words from her favorite book. There are no giggles from classmates, no pressure to get every word perfect — just a calm presence, a wagging tail, and a growing sense of confidence.
For the past four years, The Canine Classroom program at Navarro Elementary has turned nervous readers into confident ones — one 30-minute session at a time.
The partnership with Canine Classmates first began when first-grade teacher Susan Kohl saw the success other schools were having with therapy-dog reading programs.
“The partnership with Canine Classmates began four years ago when I learned about therapy-dog reading programs used successfully in other schools,” Kohl said.
After discussing the idea with then-principal Laurel Wilson — who had connections to Donna and Archie Dishman (founders of the program) — Kohl worked to bring the program to campus.
“The goal is to support students in first through third grade who are struggling in reading in the areas of confidence, fluency and comprehension. The program is designed to create a calm, encouraging environment where students can practice reading without fear of judgment,” Kohl said.
And that environment is exactly what students find each week.
During a typical session, a trained volunteer and therapy dog meet one-on-one with a student in a quiet, private space. Children bring a classroom reader, library book or leveled text and sit beside — or gently cuddle — the dog while reading aloud.
Amy Raven, the campus tutor who oversees the program, says the dogs must complete temperament sessions to ensure they are calm and well-behaved.
“The dog is not mine. I actually get him dropped off to me and picked up every day,” Raven explained. “They have to go through a little session to make sure that they can sit and that they are well behaved and calm and their demeanor is great.”
As the campus tutor, Raven monitors each session and offers support when needed. But if a word proves tricky, she says a quick hug or gentle pet with Clovis eases the frustration and allows the children to try again.
“If they have a struggle with a word, I can kind of help them through that. I encourage them and I’ve seen them go from getting scores of like 1s and 2s to 3s and 4s now. Their confidence is a whole lot higher, and they are able to sound out better words. I think Clovis just puts them at ease and helps them feel comfortable and that there is no judgment,” Raven said.
Among those who believe that reading to Clovis is the best part of their week is Student Brielle Lavagnino.
“When I read to Clovis, it’s fun because I get to hang out with Clovis and Ms. Amy and he gives me confidence,” said the first grader.
Carson Van Booven, also a first grader, says he enjoys the relaxed setting and is proud of what he can now accomplish.
“The best part is I get to lie with him and read to him and give him treats. I think that I became a better reader because I can read the ‘Wings of Fire’ and it has 217 pages,” Van Booven said.
Second grader Hudson Hill says he, too can see how the program has helped him. “It makes me a better reader. I can sound out words a little better,” Hill said.
Even though Second Grader Kate Gonzales has two dogs and a cat at home, reading to Clovis still feels special.
“It’s really fun and I like it. I’ve never really had time to read to a dog so it’s fun that I get to read to a dog and I get to use some time to read to him. I can read sentences, bigger books and sound out words,” she said.
Data collected each year has shown consistent gains in reading performance and confidence. The kids’ continued progress no doubt speaks volumes about the program’s impact.
Navarro ISD Superintendent Dr. Mandy Epley has seen similar programs before, but says Clovis brings something uniquely powerful to the campus.
“When I came from Comal ISD, we had this program and the dogs were Newfoundland’s, but here we have Clovis who is a poodle,” Epley said. “Seeing Clovis relaxed and calm with them helps students see that they can be successful and it builds that confidence. Anytime I hear students talk about the confidence they get from the program, it really encourages us to stay connected to it. It is something we cherish, and think is an important part of helping our struggling readers.”
School Principal Tracee Gonzales says the program’s simplicity is part of its strength.
“It really does not take a whole lot of overhead. We give her a small room. It’s one employee that comes in, but we have a teacher with passion to grow kids that struggle with reading and that’s where it came from,” Gonzales said. “It’s really hard to say no to something that promotes social well-being and helps our struggling readers to be more confident.”
Gonzales says much of the program’s success lies heavily in community support. She says it’s taken a total village to ensure the program’s success and looks forward to new supporters.
“Support your campuses. Support the needs of who is in your community because it takes the entire city,” Gonzales said. “We’ve got kids who fear answers in a classroom because they might be wrong, but a dog doesn’t tell them that. A dog allows them to read freely. You’ve got a kid who doesn’t want a book in their hand to now, they are skipping all the way to the room because they want to see the dog and they want to read to the dog. When you’ve got a program that works, I just can’t imagine ever stopping it.”
Much of its community support currently comes from the Panther Posse and The Lightpath Company. District officials say these two partners have helped sustain the program year after year. Additional donations and community sponsors, however, are always needed to help change the lives of young readers and can be sent to the Navarro business office.
Behind the scenes, the non-profit program based in Canyon Lake depends on trained therapy-dog handlers, careful weekly scheduling, administrative support, and community volunteers willing to train additional dogs.
Though the program currently serves a small group of students, district leaders believe its impact is far greater than the numbers suggest. With additional trained volunteers and therapy dogs, they hope to extend that quiet confidence-building experience to even more children across campus.
That’s because at Navarro Elementary, literacy growth has proven that it doesn’t always start with a worksheet or a test. Sometimes, it begins with four paws and the quiet reassurance that the best listener in the room won’t interrupt, won’t correct, but instead will love every word that you read.
