Fulfilling Dreams - Literacy for Life
Story Dogs in Primary Schools
All primary schools across Australia are eligible to access a Story Dogs reading program.
Reading sessions are between a volunteer Handler, their independently accredited dog, and a student in Year 2 or above, lasting for twenty minutes on a weekly basis. A single Dog Team supports five students per school. Books are chosen to suit the child’s reading level and can be accessed from the classroom, school library, or Story Dogs reading pack.
Nurturing a safe and non-judgemental environment is important to making Story Dogs fun and accessible. Story Dogs advocates for students to be guided on how to interact with our dogs, including our ‘Pats not Hugs’ policy.
For more information, please download the School Information Pack.
Story Dogs is aware that many schools will want information on how we manage risk. Please see this summary sheet of our risk minimisation strategies.
‘Pats not Hugs’ is what we expect from students and staff, thus reducing the stress on our dogs. A happy dog is a safe dog.
School Dog vs Story Dog
Please remember that a Story Dog is not a school dog, in that a Story Dog is not specially trained for therapy work and cannot stay at school all day every day. The welfare of the dog is very important to us and as such we ask that the dog be at the school for a maximum of two hours each week for the reading sessions. This is important if a teacher wants to bring their dog into the school as a Story Dog. Teachers will need to be able to take the dog home so the dog is not at school all day.
FUNDRAISING EVENT INFORMATION
School Fundraising Events
As part of your school having the Story Dogs program you are expected to hold one fundraising event, or make a donation each year.
There is no set amount that must be raised at your event, it will depend on the size of your school and your school community.
These funds ensure that we can continue to support our Dog Teams. The monies raised by schools are utilised to fund the Volunteer Coordinators who support our on ground Dog Teams, liaise with local schools and keep the program ticking over in the local community. Our Coordinators are all volunteers and put in many many hours of commitment to Story Dogs.
Literacy for Life
Schools Giving Week
Host a school event in Book Week and help spread the word...
Literacy for Life!
8 easy steps to organise
your WOOF event
(Wear Orange On Friday)
- Register your event with us click the link below
- We can send a resource kit
- We have lots of ideas
- We may even be able to have a dog attend
- Let your community know
- Get your whole school behind the event
- Have fun on the day; gold coin donations
- Request an invoice for easy payment
Let us help make your event EASY! We have resources, posters, ideas and even a dog!
Get your School Resources Pack
In your resource pack you will find all you need and more to host a great "WOOF School Event!"
- Dog Mask Making
- Bookmarks for colouring in
- Hand Printing Mobile Making
- Posters - colour and black & white
Information for schools
Want to bring the Story Dogs program to your school?
Complete the Expression of Interest form below and we can potentially get the ball rolling.
The following forms are within our School Information Pack:
- Parent Consent Form (a two page form)
- Target Student Information Sheet
- Program Agreement
- Expression of Interest
Story Dogs schools in each state
Click below to see current schools in your state
What schools say about us
"Story dogs is one of the best decision as a school we could have made to support our children. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication
Kindest Regards"
Deanne Taylor
Principal,Lalor Park Public School, 72 Heffron Road Lalor Park 2147
Phil Hesse, the principal at St Simon the Apostle Primary School in Rowville, VIC, sent us this note:
“We are re-commencing the program tomorrow and I cannot stress enough how successful the program has been. The program has been a wonderful initiative with the children WANTING to read to Samson.”