Queen City Middle School welcomes Dallas to campus

Morris Upchurch Middle School is excited to welcome Dallas to campus as the newest member of the Bulldog Family.

Dallas is a one-year-old Springer Doodle from Oak Grove Farms located in Gladewater. She is a registered emotional support dog with U.S. Service Animals and attended an intense training with All Dogs Unleashed in December.

Dallas visited MUMS several times during the fall semester and showed great progress with her training. Her trainer, Kelden, will continue to work with Dallas at MUMS during the spring semester. During his last visit, Kelden was impressed with the bond the students had already developed with her and amazed with Dallas’ growth in such a short time period.

According to the CDC, mental health is important to children’s overall health and well-being. It affects how children think, feel, and act. It also plays a role in how children handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices.

Schools have seen a rise in mental health concerns for today’s youth. Many students enter our buildings with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Some students experience overwhelming feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression with one in six U.S. youth experiencing a mental health disorder.

Because the safety and well-being of our students is a top priority at MUMS, implementing a program to improve the mental well-being of our students is critical and necessary. After witnessing the success Mrs. Stringer has had with Captain at J.K. Hileman Elementary, the MUMS staff is excited to be able to support our middle school Bulldogs in the same manner.