This is a special series highlighting a new partnership with the Hopwell Valley Regional School District and the AIR Dog’s School Therapy Dog program with the goal of teaching and certifying HVRSD staff dogs to become certified AIR Therapy Dogs. AIR offers a full comprehensive program that not only teaches and certifies each individual handler/dog, but teaches all the handlers/dogs to work together as a cohesive school team. We are highlighting each recently certified AIR Therapy Dog team from the district. To learn more about this initiative, please read here.
Scott Brettell recalled a high school student with unique emotional needs, and how just showing that student a photo of his dog made a huge impact.“To calm him down, I would just talk about my dog and I’d show him a picture and right away, his whole demeanor would change,” recalled Scott, Hopewell Valley Central High School Vice Principal for the past six years. “He could be physically upset and then it was a complete transformation, just talking about and seeing pictures of my dog.”
As vice principal, Scott is very familiar with the AIR Dogs: Paws for Minds Therapy teams who have come for AIR presentations and to offer de-stress time for students during finals for the past several years.
“When I walk through the door and I see the dogs and I could be having a miserable day, but they just bring a smile to my face,” said Scott.
When he learned that he could enter his own dog in AIR’s new program to train and certify therapy dogs owned by district staff members, Scott said he jumped at the opportunity. “If just a photo of my dog could make such a difference to that student, I can only imagine the impact of actually having a dog in the building on a regular basis,” he said. “I’ve scraped the surface of seeing the impact that the dogs have on people.”
“It’s another resource where we can help students. That’s our duty as educators to take care of our students and make people more aware of mental health and put our kids in better positions to deal with life and life beyond school,” he said.
“One of the reasons I got into education was to help kids,” he said. “Using dogs to help kids is something special. When you’re not having a good day, the dog will pick up on it.”
Scott knew his 10-year-old dog, Baxter, who he’s had since he was a puppy, was a perfect fit for the therapy program because of how gentle and patient he is with his own children. “He’s pretty calm, but he wants the engagement with people,” Scott said. “He’ll get a tennis ball and take the slimy, disgusting thing and drop it on somebody’s lap.”
Scott, who lives in Hamilton with his wife and three daughters, ages 2, 5 and 7, is completing his dissertation for his doctorate in educational leadership at Rider University. He has coached girls softball and basketball and enjoys golfing and exercise.
Scott is excited to see how much the therapy dog program could evolve within the district.
“I’d like to eventually see a fleet of dogs in the building,” he said. “We’re just breaking the ice here with what AIR can do in the district. We’re off to a great start.”
