Favorite middle school staff member is four legged

Rocky Mountain Middle School has something you will not find in any other school in District 93.

That’s probably going to change.

Everyone is going to want an ‘Annie’ in their school.

Annie is a therapy dog.

After two decades with the school district, Annie’s owner, Laurel Trimble, wanted to give something back.

She owns an Aussie -Poodle cross dog with extra special intuitive skills.

She took Annie to Idaho K9 Academy and trainer Coby Voronovich agreed.

“We did more than twelve weeks of specific therapy dog training, ” says Voronovich . “We did eighteen weeks training before that which was strictly obedience. ”

After all the intense training, Annie was brought on board as the newest staff member.

She has an almost ‘one of a kind’ instinct to help students that just need a little something extra. ”

“We just have many different kinds of anxiety, stress and sometimes trauma, ” says counselor Nikie Bone. “So Annie’s been a blessing. The kids come in and just relax and relate with her and it only takes a few minutes to change their emotions. ”

Student Paige Paskett agrees. ” I just feel like sometimes I can’t do it all, then Annie makes me feel so much happier. ‘

” It’s hard to explain, ” , says Thayne Devereaux . He is in a wheelchair. ” You feel like your spirit is picked up a little. ”

The reaction from parents has been extraordinary.

Owner Trimble says, ” We have not had any negative from any of the parents at all. It has been just totally positive. We even got an email from a parent saying what a great idea this was and how happy she was about it. ”

Trimble and Voronovich have received inquiries from other schools, want to know how to get an ‘Annie’ of their own. Varonovich is keeping his eyes open for candidates.

He says he may see 100 dogs and only one will be right for this job.

KIFI 2019