The New Learning Academy (formerly called New Way School) is a special school for students with learning challenges. Classes range from 1st through 12th grades. Three or four volunteer-pet teams are scheduled so there is a visit every two or three weeks. Visits are made during the lunch hour, so the children can play with the dog, pet it, brush it, or just follow it around. Although many of the students are busy with other things during the noon hour, there is always a group of youngsters around the dog.

When the program was initiated in the mid-90's, The teachers and volunteers recognized that some of the children exhibited inappropriate behavior around the dogs. Because of this, the occasional appearance of stray dogs in the nearby park, and the record of dog bites to children around the country each year -- the school requested a program which would teach the children respect for animals, appropriate behavior around them, and ways to avoid injury.

Pet safety classes were commensed in 1996 at New Way and the children began having a much better relationship with the visiting animals. Also, teachers affirmed that troublesome incidents decreased in the park and in the homes, as well. Because of the positive results at New Way (now the New Learning Academy) the Pet Safety project was expanded to include second-grade classes in the Scottsdale Unified School District in 1999.