The Calais School says goodbye to Calais-Certified Therapy Dog Handler Lori Kertesz as she retired from The Calais School and relocated to Florida. Alongside her beloved therapy dogs, Star and Brady, Lori made a lasting impact—helping countless students reach their therapeutic and academic goals with compassion, dedication, and skill.

To prepare for the emotional and clinical challenges of working in a school environment, Lori and her Black Labrador Retriever Star became a Calais-Certified therapy dog handler and therapy dog team. Developed at the school, The Calais Method is a proprietary framework for integrating therapy dogs into educational settings to support students’ emotional, behavioral, and academic development.

Lori and Star began slowly, taking on a few hours at Calais. But it didn’t take long for their impact and their passion to grow. Eventually, Lori brought in her second dog, a German Shepherd named Brady, to join the team. Star started in the spring of 2021 and Brady came on board in February 2023.

Throughout her time working with students, Lori observed the unique and powerful connection that therapy dogs can create.

“While students often start sessions thinking they’re just going to pet a dog,” Lori said, “they quickly learn it’s about building a relationship—one where both the student and the dog benefit.” 

Over time, Lori has witnessed what can truly be described as student transformations.

“We’ve seen students mature, grow, and return to their home districts with the skills and confidence they didn’t have before. We’ve seen students who were bullied become stronger and more self-assured. They begin to celebrate their differences and feel accepted.” 

Lori describes the remarkable emotional and academic growth her students have acheived. “Students can relax and be fully present with an AAI dog. Dogs help build trust simply by being there—never judging or criticizing.” Reluctant readers have become confident and enthusiastic about reading. Others, who initially resisted participating in counseling or therapy sessions, became more willing when the dog could be involved.

As she enters retirement, Lori leaves behind a powerful message for educators: “I wish every student who wanted to work with an AAI dog had the opportunity. I hope that one day there will be trained dog-and-handler teams in every school.”

Lori deeply values her time at The Calais School and the professional training she received. “I met so many wonderful people and loved working with everyone—but of course, the students were the real stars!”