Students in Sydney's west will be joined by a furry friend to help with return to school anxiety.
Yale, a guide dog Labrador, has been trained as a wellbeing dog and is the newest employee at Trinity Catholic Primary School in Kemps Creek.
The therapy dog was brought in to help ease students and teachers back into the new term.
It's hoped Yale will help relieve any nerves after the past two years of disrupted schooling due to COVID-19.
"We decided to get a dog as part of one of the strategies in our return to school after COVID-19," Principal Cathy Hey said.
"We thought it would be really good for the students wellbeing and staff wellbeing in terms of improving attendance and in terms of making people feel good about being at school."
Yale will be used as part of a "reward system" where students will be able to opt to spend time with him if they're achieving their goals.
Students at the school are already ecstatic about the new employee.
"It's very exciting," one student told 9News.
He will live with one of the teachers but will be brought into school every day to act as a calming influence on students.
9 News
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⛏️⛏️ Year 4 recently went on an excursion where they stepped back in time at The Big Dig, becoming real dirt detectives as they explored the lives of convicts who lived on the site 200 years ago. They walked the historic laneways of The Rocks, uncovered artefacts and tried their hand at archaeology, making powerful connections to the past through hands‑on discovery ⛏️⛏️09 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🧡💚 A message for our community 🧡💚 Our social media pages help us share the everyday joy, curiosity and creativity that fill our school. As the online world continues to evolve, we are taking thoughtful steps to ensure the way we share these moments reflects current guidance from the eSafety Commissioner and keeps student wellbeing at the centre. You will still see stories from classrooms, celebrations, learning experiences, sports, liturgies and all the things that make our community vibrant. What may look a little different is how we capture and present these moments. We’re being more selective about the types of images we post and more careful about how identifiable individual students are. Our goal hasn’t changed - we want families to feel connected to the life of the school and proud of what their children are part of. We’re simply adapting our approach so that our online presence remains safe, respectful and future‑focused. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these changes. We remain committed to celebrating our vibrant school community while keeping student safety at the heart of everything we do.
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From Facebook
⛏️⛏️ Year 4 recently went on an excursion where they stepped back in time at The Big Dig, becoming real dirt detectives as they explored the lives of convicts who lived on the site 200 years ago. They walked the historic laneways of The Rocks, uncovered artefacts and tried their hand at archaeology, making powerful connections to the past through hands‑on discovery ⛏️⛏️
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From Facebook
🧡💚 A message for our community 🧡💚 Our social media pages help us share the everyday joy, curiosity and creativity that fill our school. As the online world continues to evolve, we are taking thoughtful steps to ensure the way we share these moments reflects current guidance from the eSafety Commissioner and keeps student wellbeing at the centre. You will still see stories from classrooms, celebrations, learning experiences, sports, liturgies and all the things that make our community vibrant. What may look a little different is how we capture and present these moments. We’re being more selective about the types of images we post and more careful about how identifiable individual students are. Our goal hasn’t changed - we want families to feel connected to the life of the school and proud of what their children are part of. We’re simply adapting our approach so that our online presence remains safe, respectful and future‑focused. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate these changes. We remain committed to celebrating our vibrant school community while keeping student safety at the heart of everything we do.
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