This year Widewater Elementary School will have a service animal on campus working for one our students. The service animal's name is Solomon, and he will wear a harness and be under the control of his owner's Mother while on campus. Service animals are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), local and state governments, and privately owned businesses that serve the public are prohibited from discriminating against persons with disabilities. The ADA requires these agencies and businesses to allow persons with disabilities to take their service animals wherever the general public is allowed. Since service animals are not pets, the ADA requires that an exception be made to any no-pet policy to allow service animals.
All students, faculty, and staff will be notified that Solomon will be on campus and how to conduct themselves around her. If you have additional questions or health concerns that may be impacted by the presence of an animal in the school setting, contact: Mrs. McKinney-Nash or Mrs. Wardlow at 540-658-6380.
