Tag: Communities in Schools

W.Va. ‘Communities In Schools’ Website Launched

The goal is keeping all students in school and, ultimately, graduating.

Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice launched the Communities In Schools website Monday for her nonprofit education initiative, Communities In Schools (CIS) West Virginia.

CIS aims to forge community partnerships and bring resources into schools to help remove barriers to student learning. The goal is keeping all students in school and ultimately graduating.

West Virginia Superintendent of Schools David Roach said the program reduces the risk when it comes to at-risk students.

“I cannot overstate the important role Communities In Schools plays in our public schools,” Roach said. “The relationships built with our most vulnerable children lead to better outcomes academically, emotionally and developmentally. The new web resource will be instrumental in developing even broader avenues of support for CIS, our children, and our schools.”

First Lady Justice started the CIS program in 2018 with three pilot counties. Since then, the program has expanded to include 194 schools in 36 counties. She also accepted a $15,000 check Monday from the Truist West Virginia Foundation in support of CIS, presented by Truist West Virginia Regional President Patrick O’Malley.

“We are extremely grateful for the continued support of Truist West Virginia,” First Lady Justice said. “They see the value that our CIS program brings to our education system and are paving the way for other West Virginia businesses to follow suit.”

The website will feature a CIS county on the homepage every few weeks. The counties will be featured in alphabetical order starting with Berkeley County. More information about the impact of CIS across the state can be found on the website’s home page under “Our Impact.”

Seven New Locations Announced For Therapy Dogs In W.Va. Schools

The program is organized through Gov. Jim Justice’s office, the West Virginia Department of Education and the nonprofit Communities in Schools. Therapy dogs provide comfort to those affected by certain psychological conditions like depression and anxiety.

Therapy dogs are coming to seven more West Virginia schools as part of the state’s “Friends With Paws” program.

Schools included are:

  • Pineville Elementary School in Wyoming County
  • Moorefield Elementary School in Hardy County
  • Spring Mills High School in Berkeley County
  • Wayne Elementary School in Wayne County
  • Lenore Elementary School in Mingo County
  • Greenbrier East High School in Greenbrier County
  • Green Bank Elementary-Middle School in Pocahontas County

The program is organized through Gov. Jim Justice’s office, the West Virginia Department of Education and the nonprofit Communities in Schools. Therapy dogs provide comfort to those affected by certain psychological conditions like depression and anxiety. First Lady Cathy Justice champions the program.
“I think it will be so beneficial to the kids and just make them just want to come to school every day,” she said Thursday during a briefing. “And that’s what we want to do: make them feel good about themselves, come to school every day and just know that they’ll be such a big part in their life.”

The program began last March as a way to provide comfort to at-risk students, with the original goal to have 10 therapy dog placements by the end of the year. Of that number, three dogs were placed earlier this year at Welch Elementary School, Lewis County High School and Buckhannon Academy Elementary School.

“Friends With Paws” also plans to place ten more dogs in schools next year.

Communities In Schools Program Expands To Bring Therapy Dogs To Children

Therapy dogs are coming to more West Virginia schools. The initiative is an expansion of the West Virginia Communities in Schools program. Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice announced “Friends with Paws” on Friday.

Therapy dogs are coming to more West Virginia schools. The initiative is an expansion of the West Virginia Communities in Schools program.

Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice announced “Friends with Paws” on Friday.

At least ten therapy dogs will be placed in schools by the end of the year, according to the governor’s office. The press conference originally reported five dogs by the end of the year.

Gov. Justice said the dogs will help children who have been dealing with the emotional challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been two years of this pandemic,” he said. “It has been really, really tough. It’s taken a mental toll on our kids.”

First Lady Justice said she has been developing the new project for more than a year. She said the dogs come from trainers with almost 30 years of experience and will know how to respond to a child who may be grieving or need an emotional boost.

“Dogs never say anything bad about you,” she said. “They always wag their tail, pant and bark, and they’re so happy to see you. They never give a negative vibe to a child.”

WV Governor's Office

The first four schools to get their therapy dogs over the next few months will be Welch Elementary School in McDowell County, Buckhannon Academy in Upshur County, Lewis County High School in Lewis County and Greenbank Elementary Middle School in Pocahontas County.

The first four dogs are named Coal, Foster, Jet and Jasper. Three are Labrador Retrievers and one is a Labradoodle.

Some schools in West Virginia already have therapy dogs, such as Mary C. Snow Elementary in Charleston. “Friends with Paws” is expected to get more of these dogs in more schools.

Communities in Schools is a statewide program serving 171 schools in 31 counties. West Virginia Public Broadcasting produced a short documentary on the program in fall 2021.

***Editor’s Note: The original version of this story said the name of the new program is “Friends for Paws.” This was incorrect. The correct name for the program is “Friends with Paws.”

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