Pickens Elementary Program Uses Dogs to Help Students With Their Reading

When Nancy Couch retired from Pickens Elementary School last June, she told the staff it wouldn’t be long before she came back… this time, as a volunteer with a couple of loving therapy dogs!

Organized by PES guidance counselor Dawn Powell, “Reading with Josie” is a program that allows selected students to spend time improving their reading skills and self-confidence by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. The dogs lend a caring, nonjudgmental ear to students who may be intimidated to read aloud in a class full of classmates. It’s a welcome sight to see Ms. Couch walking Shay, a Sheltie, and Josie, a golden retriever, down the hallways of Pickens Elementary. We are excited about this new program and hope that it will help our students gain confidence in reading.