Meet Centennial Jake, School District's First Therapy Dog

WARMINSTER, PA — A 12-week-old Yellow Lab puppy is Centennial School District's newest employee, training to become the district's first therapy dog.

Centennial Jake is currently getting acquainted with his future work space, district officials say. Once he has completed his certification, he'll start his full-time schedule during the 2019-20 school year.

Superintendent David Baugh, who is also Jake's owner, hopes he will be a calming presence at Centennial schools, as well as a resource for students with autism, anxiety and reading disabilities.

"I am hopeful that Jake will be of help to kids who are trying to learn to read or who are anxious and stressed," Baugh said in a news release." Jake is already a joy to have in our buildings. Having Jake in our administration building has boosted morale and lowered stress and the benefits do not stop there. Having Jake in the workplace is an unexpected mechanism for connection."

Baugh made the decision to get a therapy dog for the district after years of researching the benefits of such dogs in the classroom.

"You don’t need to read a scientific paper to see how a dog can provide so much joy, peace and calm to a person, whether child or an adult," he said.

Jake even has his own Facebook page, where district officials say you'll be able to follow his journey as he trains to become an official therapy dog.