The Virginia Beach SPCA offers humane education programs to classrooms in Virginia Beach. These programs are built on the VBSPCA’s mission to eliminate animal suffering and increase human compassion while providing students with the opportunity to strengthen academic or character skills. The following programs will be offered for the 2024-2025 school year:
Compassion Classroom Compassion Classroom is a series of SOL-aligned, character education lessons in kindness, respect, and responsibility. The curriculum is designed for second and fourth grade classrooms, and the curriculum concludes with an animal visit. Compassion Classroom is offered free of charge to public schools and to private schools for a small fee. Compassion Classroom sessions occur late September through early June. Please note that Virginia Beach Public Schools receive priority. School employees: Click here to fill out the Compassion Classroom request form.
Listening Ears
This award-winning program partners a volunteer and animal team with new or reluctant readers to build confidence and skills. Listening Ears is open to third grade classes and takes place during school or after school hours. Participating students meet with a VBSPCA volunteer and animal team for a 15-minute reading session once a week for six weeks. School employees: Click here to fill out the Listening Ears request form.
Shelter Pet Pals Shelter Pet Pals offers students the opportunity to build reading and writing skills while also fostering character values of empathy and respect. This program is open to first grade classrooms. Participating classrooms will receive letters from a VBSPCA shelter animal, introducing them to the basics of animal sheltering and pet responsibility. School employees: Click here to fill out the Shelter Pet Pals request form.
For more information on any of the above programs, contact the humane education team at humaneeducation@vbspca.com or 757-427-0070 x 107. All school programs are presented by VBSPCA staff or trained, experienced VBSPCA volunteers.
School Programming
The Virginia Beach SPCA offers humane education programs to classrooms in Virginia Beach. These programs are built on the VBSPCA’s mission to eliminate animal suffering and increase human compassion while providing students with the opportunity to strengthen academic or character skills. The following programs will be offered for the 2024-2025 school year:
Compassion Classroom is a series of SOL-aligned, character education lessons in kindness, respect, and responsibility. The curriculum is designed for second and fourth grade classrooms, and the curriculum concludes with an animal visit. Compassion Classroom is offered free of charge to public schools and to private schools for a small fee. Compassion Classroom sessions occur late September through early June. Please note that Virginia Beach Public Schools receive priority. School employees: Click here to fill out the Compassion Classroom request form.
This award-winning program partners a volunteer and animal team with new or reluctant readers to build confidence and skills. Listening Ears is open to third grade classes and takes place during school or after school hours. Participating students meet with a VBSPCA volunteer and animal team for a 15-minute reading session once a week for six weeks. School employees: Click here to fill out the Listening Ears request form.
Shelter Pet Pals offers students the opportunity to build reading and writing skills while also fostering character values of empathy and respect. This program is open to first grade classrooms. Participating classrooms will receive letters from a VBSPCA shelter animal, introducing them to the basics of animal sheltering and pet responsibility. School employees: Click here to fill out the Shelter Pet Pals request form.
For more information on any of the above programs, contact the humane education team at humaneeducation@vbspca.com or 757-427-0070 x 107. All school programs are presented by VBSPCA staff or trained, experienced VBSPCA volunteers.
