By Melissa Moore-Randall
It appears Revere Comfort Dog K9 Charlie will have some company while walking the halls of Revere High School.
RHS recently welcomed Bentley the Goldendoodle as part of the PAWsitive Impact Program led by Handler/Assistant Principal Afton Dean and Co-Handler/Restorative Interventionist Melissa Hamilton.
Bentley, a 9 month Goldendoodle and therapy dog in training, will serve as an honorary member of the Building Leadership Team, primarily assisting Ms. Hamilton in restorative interventions once a week.
According to Dean, “Bentley’s role is to participate in restorative circles, providing comfort to students who are working through conflict. Outside of that work, he loves seeing students in the hallways and common spaces. As the school year progresses, Bentley is hoping to adopt some PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) systems to reward and recognize students.”
“I have always loved dogs and had a Boston Terrier while growing up. I read countless feel-good stories around the impact of therapy dogs in schools across the nation. That served as added motivation for me to become a handler and adopt a dog like Bentley. I look forward to watching him bring joy and positivity into the lives of our students.”
“Bentley is currently participating in regular training through New England Canine. He is in the process of obtaining all of his certifications. Outside of formal training, he constantly works on socialization, going to pet friendly places to work on best practices and build his skillset. He is definitely learning that when the vest goes on, it is time to work. There has been an overwhelming positive response to Bentley. It has been amazing to watch students smile and get excited when they see Bentley.”
According to the American Kennel Association, “Therapy dogs are dogs who go with their owners to volunteer in settings such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. From working with a child who is learning to read to visiting a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of other people. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Service dogs are dogs who are specially trained to perform specific tasks to help a person who has a disability.”
Bentley will be the third therapy dog to work with Revere Public Schools staff and students. In addition to K9 Charlie, Revere also enjoyed many visits from now retired Toby. He celebrated his 1,000th visit in May at the Hill School. Despite being retired, Toby still makes surprise visits. To learn more about Bentley you can follow him on Instagram @rhs.bentley
