Question:
“so i’m going back to school in august i’m still in high school but i’m really nervous because i’m going to an alternative school close to where i live because normal school is to fast paced for me, my dog went to school with me last year but it wasn’t good people kept messing with us and nobody fixed anything when it happened they also waited until January to let me go but i’m going to a diff school thankfully i also have to write down some accommodations that i need should i be this nervous?”
Answer:
When we start a school year and we always (regardless of whether the SD team had gone the year before) take the opportunity to revisit staff because each year may have new staff on boarded. Additionally every school year there are new students as well ?
We contact School Administration and request a meeting. We share the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and suggest successful protocols for the incoming service dog team and answer any questions they may have. One of the main questions we have is about children with allergies or canines around food.
1. In a classroom for a child with allergies to canines accommodations must be made; we suggest having the SD sit an opposite area of the room well away from the SD team. Additionally and usually the student with allergies is usually taking a allergy medication to help, but we do suggest a distance in the seating or desk arrangement in the class room.
2. Dogs are allowed in the cafeteria area of the school to accompany the student. True service dogs should NEVER sniff the food, put there nose at table level ( THE ONLY exception made to this rule is to allow a dog to scan or sniff a plate of food intended for the handler for the purpose of possible allergens in the food that could be life threatening to the student). Service Dogs are not allowed to sit in chairs but must remain wtih 4 on the floor in and we prefer a “tucked” position.
These include 2-3 scheduled appearances at the pep rallies to talk to students and answer any questions the students might have. Kids are great, they come up with good questions!! Lol
Those 2-3 appearances are scheduled usually at the beginning of the year, and the other mid year just as a reminder of protocol.
