Our mission for our reading program, Waggy Tales, is to create a fun, inviting environment free of judgment where children can become comfortable reading.
Dogs are friends who never snicker when a mistake is made. They never tire of the children stuttering and they provide comfort through nervousness. The students and staff of Union Grove Elementary recently gifted us with a book Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp. In this heartwarming book, young Madeline Finn struggles with reading until she meets Bonnie, a therapy dog at the local library’s reading program. She learns that Bonnie never minds how long it takes her to read a story and she never giggles or makes fun of Madeline when she makes a mistake. We want every child at Union Grove Elementary to meet “their Bonnie”, a dog who will help them through the learning curve and push them into progress as they grow.
Additionally, we wish to encourage knowledge and understanding of service dogs, their handlers, the important training and assistance these dogs offer, and the unconditional love and comfort they provide.