DOG HANDLER READY FOR SCHOOL

In the midst of a garage sale at his Edmonton home earlier this week,
Doug Green said he's ready for the school year at Porter Creek
Secondary School to begin.

The retired Edmonton police officer who's delivered the Dogs for Drug
Free School program in Alberta will be moving to Whitehorse to
deliver the first such program in the territory.

Under the name Canines for Safer Schools, Green will start his new
job as a resource officer for Porter Creek Secondary School the same
day students are back in the classroom on Sept. 4.

It still remains unknown whether Green will be permitted to bring his
dog Ebony to school as a human rights case over allergies continues
to be sorted out.

The program that was developed by Green saw him bring Ebony into
participating schools. While Ebony is trained to detect drugs, the
animal served more as a bridge between Green and students in
discussing issues, he said.

"All the dog does is set boundaries," he said. "I'm going to set boundaries."

Green visited the territory last year to discuss the program at the
school and then, when the territory budgeted a three-year $250,000
pilot project, he applied for and was appointed the job.

After he and his wife sold their home in Edmonton and bought a house
in Whitehorse, he's simply packing up and moving at this point and
will be set for the first day of school.

Much of planning work for September is already done because he's
delivered the program in other schools, he said.

His work of the next three years will focus on drug education,
mentorship and relating to and helping out students who may be in trouble.

The ultimate goal, he said, is to help the students make it "to the podium".

Every student who walks across the stage to get their diploma is a
success, he said.

Green noted there's a number of issues students today are dealing
with that their parents wouldn't have dealt with during their high
school years around the Internet.

Students socialize on the Internet, which is also a home for
cyber-bullying. It's important for students to know how not to fall
victim to predators on the net.

Part of his work will also focus on the parents of Porter Creek
Secondary School and educating them on what their kids may be doing
so they're able to talk to them about it.

Green noted he'd like to host a number of parent-nights during his
time at Porter Creek.

He's pleased the government funded the project for three years, which
will give him time to get to know students at the school and the
issues they're dealing with, he said.