Paws for thought

It seems no-one at Tatachilla Lutheran College, south of Adelaide, is in any doubt who the school’s most popular staff member is. It’s Odie.

Odie is a 14-year-old golden retriever. Next to his name on his official staff photo, the description of his role at Tatachilla is simply ‘Dog’. But college pastor Jon Goessling, Odie’s ‘supervisor’, says his contribution to the school community in pastoral care is life-changing.

‘What Odie offers is giving, it’s UNCONDITIONAL and it brings something of the character of God.’

Children flock to Odie when he walks around the school grounds with Pastor Jon and they’ll speak more freely when he’s around. And for those who may be anxious or feel ‘out on a limb’ at lunchtime, for example, Odie is a treasured companion.

‘A lot of Odie’s work is incidental. He’ll be out in the yard and kids will come up to him. Or he’ll sit by the door for junior-school chapel greeting the kids as they come in and as they leave’, Pastor Jon says. ‘He’ll put his paw up on your knee to shake hands. The kids just melt at that. They love that he’s their friend. He just puts people at ease. He doesn’t demand anything of them.’

Odie has been ‘employed’ at the R-12 school since 2014 and goes home each workday with his owner, food technology and hospitality teacher Stephanie McKeough. He came to work at Tatachilla after Pastor Jon initiated what is now an annual event at the semi-rural school, a blessing of animals service on St Francis Day, in 2013.

‘Odie was one of the dogs who came along. He was this big, round, fluffy, brown-eyed, gentle dog and I asked his owner and the principal whether we could have him spend time at the school’, says Pastor Jon, who believes there are many ways Odie fits with the Christian ethos of the school.

‘I asked some students, “Where do we see grace?”, and a child answered “In Odie”’, he says. ‘I thought “You’re right, because what Odie offers is giving, it’s unconditional and it brings something of the character of God”.’

While Odie is not employed to work in marketing, Pastor Jon says the charismatic canine is a big drawcard for potential school families who attend principal’s tours.

Lutheran Education Australia

Lutheran schools have been supporting Australian communities since 1839. Their common ethos is the aim ‘to provide a formal education in which the gospel of Jesus Christ informs all learning and teaching, all human relationships and all activities’. Today more than 40,000 students receive their education in 84 Lutheran schools throughout Australia – more than 22,000 at primary-school level and 18,000 at secondary-school level. Lutheran schools are located in every state and territory apart from the ACT and employ more than 3300 teaching staff. In addition, approximately 4000 children are educated and cared for in 56 Lutheran early-childhood centres around Australia.

Contact Lutheran Education Australia:

a: 197 Archer Street North Adelaide SA 5006

e: lea@lutheran.edu.au

p: 08 8267 7318

Lutheran Education Australia website

This feature story comes from The Lutheran July 2016. Visit the website to find out more about The Lutheran or to subscribe.