ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — The classmates of the six-year-old boy who died in a St. Charles County house fire last week recently received a special visit from a familiar furry friend.

What You Need To Know

  • Schue and Millie have made 80 school visits across St. Charles County over the past five months they have been together

  • The funding for Millie, equipment, supplies and certification is in partnership with Barnes-Jewish St. Peters and Progress West Foundation

  • Orchard Farm High School Principal Greg Jones said Millie brings “a wave of calm” to not only students, but everyone in the building and puts smiles on everyone’s face

  • Schue said he hopes for the therapy program to grow by incorporating more dogs visiting schools

A black Labrador retriever named Millie is St. Charles County Police’s new fully certified therapy dog. She visits students at St. Charles County area schools with her handler, Officer Stephen Schue, to make positive impacts on their health and help with emotional and traumatic events.

Extended counselors, along with Millie and Schue, and another therapy dog Bonnie, spent time at Daniel Boone Elementary Tuesday providing emotional support to the fire victim’s school.

Schue and Millie visited each classroom, where he handed out stuffed therapy dogs to students.

“We were there for everybody,” he said. “It was something that I’ll never forget. This is the reason why I wanted to create a program like this -- to be there for the community in those rough times of loss.”

The funding for Millie, equipment, supplies and certification is in partnership with Barnes-Jewish St. Peters and Progress West Foundation.

Schue and Millie have made 80 school visits across St. Charles County over the past five months they have been together. Schue said they have received tremendous amounts of support from the school administrators, teachers, counselors and staff.

“We are busy throughout our days. We try to stay as long as we possibly can,” Schue said.

He has seen positive changes in students whose moods improve after engaging with Millie.

“It’s been a big impact for us,” Schue said. “The kiddos just seem to congregate toward Millie.”

Students always ask when Millie will come back again.

In addition to visiting schools, he said they have been called to help individuals who are in crisis.

 

Schue said he hopes for the therapy program to grow by incorporating more dogs visiting schools.

Not only has it been a pleasure to give back to the community and the schools, Schue has enjoyed having Millie as a companion. 

On Wednesday, Schue and Millie walked the halls and classrooms at Orchard Farm High School to greet students who were eager to pet her.

“I think Millie puts a smile on everybody’s face,” science teacher Kelly Struckhoff said, adding that students rush to visit with Millie when they see her.

“There’s even some kids you don’t normally get a smile out of and she brings that out in them.”

When Millie stops by her classroom, Struckhoff said the canine has a calming effect on her students.  

“They don’t want to startle her, but then they also want their chance to interact with her,” she said.

“You can just tell that it brings out some sort of soft side in a teenager, which sometimes can be hard to come by.”

Principal Greg Jones agreed, saying Millie brings “a wave of calm” to not only students, but everyone in the building and puts smiles on everyone’s face.

“When she either walks into a classroom or kids come to the office and she’s in the office, instantly there’s that joy of seeing her,” he said. “She’s so sweet and raises everyone’s spirits.”

Struckhoff said the therapy dog can help students feel like they have a sense of belonging.

“Millie can even give those students who don’t feel like they have a place, to make them feel like they do,” she said.

When school is out for the summer, Schue and Millie will visit BJC and St. Louis Children’s Hospitals.