Assistant Principal Message

Meet Murphy – Our School Wellbeing Dog

Many of our students will already know Murphy, our friendly school wellbeing dog. Murphy joined MPRPS as a 16-week-old puppy in December 2020 and is lovingly cared for by Education Support staff member Louise Naismith and her family.

While Murphy is certainly a much-loved member of our school community, he plays a far more important role than simply bringing smiles to people's faces. Research shows that therapy dogs in schools can have a positive impact on student wellbeing and learning by helping to reduce stress and anxiety, increase confidence and self-esteem, improve motivation and engagement, and strengthen students' social and emotional skills.

Murphy supports students in many different ways, depending on their individual needs. For some students, spending time with Murphy is a powerful motivator to complete learning tasks. For others, quietly sitting beside him and patting him provides a calming strategy that helps them regulate their emotions and return to learning. At times, Murphy also provides a valuable brain break, with a short walk or visit helping students reset before returning to the classroom.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Murphy as part of our wellbeing program. His gentle nature, calm presence and unconditional companionship continue to make a positive difference to the lives of many students across our school.