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District rolls out therapy dog visits and explores self‑paced high‑school model
Summary
Baldwin-Whitehall officials described initial therapy dog visits across schools and previewed a proposal to expand self‑paced, personalized learning at the high school, including a concept called Fusion.
The district has begun a pilot of therapy-dog visits across Baldwin-Whitehall schools after a policy revision in May 2023 that allowed such an initiative, a student services representative told the board. Lily, a therapy dog, and her handler, Michelle, have visited the high school chill room, elementary classrooms and middle-school social‑emotional lessons since late November; the handler is volunteering her time, the district said.
School leaders said the visits are part of broader work by the Student Services Department to boost student engagement and provide alternate learning supports. The department is also exploring other partnerships and programs — possible mural projects with Rivers of Steel, a "Mindful Makers" club in elementary schools in partnership with Splat Art of Bethel Park, and equine-assisted therapy with Bella Tara Stables — but those projects were described as still in planning and not yet scheduled.
On curriculum and scheduling, district staff said high-school administrators will present proposed course and schedule changes next month, with a goal of giving students finalized schedules by February. Staff described work on a concept they called "Fusion": a self‑paced, personalized learning model that would incorporate benchmarks and allow students to pursue internships for credit during school hours. District teams have visited other districts and are moving the plan beyond conceptual discussion; a final proposal is expected for board review in coming months.
Deputy administrators asked the board to note that teachers and administrators have been piloting materials for early literacy interventions (Amplify Boost for K–5 was listed on the education agenda for approval) and that the district is working to tighten the timeline for course approval so student schedules are set earlier in the year.
The student services speaker emphasized that the therapy-dog visits and other engagement programs are being coordinated with classroom instruction and that most of the initiatives are volunteer-supported or partnerships; no new district funding levels were presented at the meeting.
