Image credit: Senior School Leader for Wellbeing Jess Hocking and Preparatory School Leader for Wellbeing Ethan Greenfield
Westminster School is supporting student wellbeing by welcoming a new classmate this term, Minnie the Golden Retriever cross Mini Poodle (Groodle). She arrived on campus this term as the Schools’ official Wellbeing Dog and has done a paw-fect job.
In partnership with the Dogs Connect Program, Minnie will form part of the schools wellbeing program and be available to support students as they learn. The pup has a timetable each week, which sees her share her time in classrooms, in the school’s wellbeing area, having passive time with students who need support, and opportunities to exercise and play.
The introduction of Minnie has formed part of Westminster’s wider approach to wellness, which encapsulates the school’s values of resilience, courage, curiosity, kindness, and inclusivity, and includes the Wellbeing@West program, implementing the principles of positive psychology and the science of wellbeing into the classroom.
Liz Collins, Westminster School’s Head of Wellbeing, has been instrumental in joining the Dogs Connect program and welcoming Minnie the Groodle to Westminster.
“We have always placed a strong focus on wellbeing for students and have seen growing research around the positive impacts that a wellbeing dog can make in a school setting, especially for children who are working through anxiety or trauma.
“Research has shown that dogs can help children with emotional regulation, social connection and communication, which will support pedagogy and enhance students learning experience. We are confident Minnie will become an important and much-loved part of the Westminster community,” says Liz.
Minnie’s breeder, Adelaide Hills Cavoodles, is well versed in bringing up dogs that go on to a number of schools, principles, teachers, psychologists, counsellors and families with special needs children.
Dogs Connect worked closely with Westminster and a core group of staff to make sure Minnie’s introduction to the school was positive. They offered the training required to have a wellbeing dog join the community and be a day-to-day presence at School.
Minnie made her first visit to Westminster school in mid April, and has now slowly been introduced to the community, starting off with half day sessions. She will live with a member of staff off-campus, allowing her to be a ‘family dog’ when she’s not working.
Westminster’s Wellbeing program enables students to learn their character strengths, develop self-esteem and confidence and provides teaching staff with tools to help students. All wellbeing activities are designed to support the elements of PERMA+ (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment, + Physical Activity, Nutrition, Sleep and Optimism).
For more information on Dogs Connect, click here.
Westminster School
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