Theresa Cheshire and Mac - Mastery Charter School
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Theresa Cheshire and Mac

Social Worker and Therapy Dog
Pickett Campus

Theresa Cheshire has been the High School social worker at Mastery Charter, Pickett campus since 2013 and a social worker in Philly since way back in 1997.  Before Mastery, she spent 12 years at the St. Christopher’s Hospital Pediatric/Adolescent HIV/AIDS program where she worked to develop Trauma Informed services for youth and families living with HIV and AIDS.  She brought her passion for doing Trauma work with her to Pickett and has been educating staff there to recognize the signs of Trauma in students so they can get the support they need to succeed.   In 2017, Theresa brought a new team member on board—therapy dog partner, Mac the golden retriever.  She got Mac as an 8 week old puppy and immediately started training him to work in a school.  Mac is possibly Pickett’s most popular staff member now.  He is always around to help kids when they are mad or upset and loves to listen to students read out loud in Intervention classes.  He also specializes in Trauma and just knows when a student or staff member is stressed out.  Everyone talks about how his leaning into them makes them feel so good and calm!