Luka visits with students at I.F. Cox School in Redcliff on Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo Courtesy Bob Schneider)

By Chris Brown

Teacher’s pet: new service dog making the rounds to Prairie Rose schools

Dec 9, 2022 | 4:19 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – The kisses, cuddles and pets have been non-stop from staff and students across the division since Prairie Rose Public Schools welcomed a new team member last month, one who is putting a new spin on the idea of a teacher’s pet.

Luka is a 12-week-old yellow labrador retriever and by far the youngest and cutest staff member for the rural school division. But it’s not all cuteness and pets for him. Luka is a serious working service dog, says his handler Diana Robson.

His main job is to be a source of comfort during difficult times and to get kids regulated.

“For the kids, a lot of the times they’re either, their bodies are going so fast or they’re so slow and what we try to do is get them in the right state for learning,” she explains.

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Luka has been on the job for a couple of weeks visiting Prairie Rose classrooms, students and staff. Each visit is different and depends on the needs of the school.

Sometimes he sits quietly in the classroom, just “being there” for the students and other times he becomes part of the classroom’s lesson for the day.

Mostly Luka makes regular classroom visits but he’s already had to respond to a critical incident. He went around to classrooms and visited with staff.

“The staff took some time with him and just again snuggled in with him and just had … the opportunity to get themselves regulated so they could support their kids,” Robson says.

Luka is the fourth service dog Robson has worked with and brought into division schools. Two of the previous dogs were placed in forever homes, and the third in now in advanced training.

I have the best job. Best job in Prairie Rose – _{Diana Robson}

Luka will stay with Prairie Rose thanks to the support of the Brandon Niwa Legacy Fund and its commitment to addressing mental health, says Supt. Reagan Weeks.

She says when Robson first suggested the idea the division was all in.

“We knew right away that this was a very powerful way to make a difference and help people make gains in their different, different goals related to emotion,” she says.

Weeks adds Luka will impact everyone in a different way. Sometimes the goal is empathy and sometimes the goal is just calming your body and calming your emotions

“So the dogs are so well trained that they’re able to tailor the goal to the student, which is really exciting.”

A part of Robson’s work life has gone to the dogs, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have the best job. Best job in Prairie Rose.”