Community

In 1998 on March 24, two boys met up in the woods outside their school in Jonesboro, Arkansas, after one pulled the fire alarm. Armed with thirteen fully loaded firearms, Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, opened fire on their classmates as they exited the building 100 yards away, killing five. Across the state in Springdale, Arkansas, two men feeling the impact of such a horrific event were compelled to do something to ensure that schools remain the safest place for children to be.

With the help of his friend, Jim Moore, founder of watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students), started making steps in creating a volunteer program for dads to become more involved in day-to-day activities in the school. Watch D.O.G.S., a father-engagement and educational initiative of the National Center for Fathering, was designed to encourage fathers and father figures to be more involved in the educational process. The goals of the program are to enhance school safety and provide positive male role models.

“We never thought when we started this program that all these years later that we would see a cafeteria in a school so many miles away doing the same thing, filling with men,” said Eric Snow, Executive Director and co-founder of Watch D.O.G.S., while speaking to the dads sitting in the cafeteria at League Academy of Communication Arts in Greenville, SC.

League Academy will be the first middle school in SC to be implementing the Watch D.O.G.S. program. Summit Drive, Lake Forest, and Stone Academy elementary schools have also implemented the program for their dads and students.

“I’m a dad. I’m just a dad who has committed himself to help out with the Watch D.O.G.S. program here at League. Nothing special about me. I’m just a dad that understands what’s going on with Watch D.O.G.S. Watch D.O.G.S is a great program. Watch D.O.G.S. is a dad’s program. It’s not about the principal, or the assistant principal, it’s not about an assistant or secretary doing all the work. This is a program for us to do something for our kids and our families,” said Robert Hall, father of two daughters.

Halls biggest regret was not getting involved with the program six years ago when he first heard about it. After a “gentle nudge” from his wife, Hall got involved and it has been a life changing program for him, his marriage, and his family.

The program doesn’t cost dads any money unless they want to spend $15 for a Watch D.O.G.S. t-shirt or hat. All that is asked from dads is time, courtesy, and alertness.

“It’s really about your time. It’s showing your family and your kids that you really do care about them, and that you want to be involved in their lives and their day to day activities. It’s amazing all the things I’ve learned about my daughters and their teachers and their schools and some of the challenges that they face,” said Hall.

When Lee and Snow took their idea before the Arkansas superintendent he gave them a challenge to define the program that they wanted to develop. While developing the business plan they sent out a questionnaire, with two questions, to the teachers in their area. The first question was would you like to have a dad here in some capacity? The second, if you would, what would you have us do? Every single teacher came back in the affirmative. The list they replied back with was very much in common with each other. They wanted dads to help out with car rider duty, they wanted dads in the library, they wanted dads in the classrooms helping out with special projects, and they wanted dads in the lunchrooms and in playgrounds.

A typical day in the life of Watch D.O.G.S. starts at 7:30 by checking in with the office and receiving a T-shirt. Then they report outside to help out with the students getting dropped off by cars to greet the moms, along with students, to let them know that there is Watch D.O.G.S. on campus. At 8:30, when announcements are made, the dad is introduced to the school along with who his student is. During the day dads will get to spend at least an hour in their child’s classroom. Dads will also be able to eat lunch with their child. When dads are not in the cafeteria they will be in another classroom or helping other staff members with needs of the day. Some of those needs can include an extra set of eyes on the playground, help in the library, serving food in the cafeteria, or wherever the need may be. At the end of the day Watch D.O.G.S. end it the way it began, by helping the students back into their cars. Typically the day ends about 3:30 if a dad wants to give a full day.

“What your day does for you is going to be phenomenal, but what you guys are going to do for this school as an organization, as a group of men, it’s going to be transformational. We’re not looking to make improvements. What we’re looking for is to be engaged and to be involved,” said Snow.

Watch D.O.G.S. don’t need to give a full day to participate. Any amount of time that someone can give is accepted. Participants don’t have to be dads. They can be granddads, uncles, or any positive role model from the community. Before participating in the program each individual has to scan their license in the office where they will be checked for crimes and through the state sex offender registry. Watch D.O.G.S. are never left alone with children.

“What the men have to do, and have to do with the kids and what they’ve done with the kids is not better than what the women do, and the moms do, and what the teachers do. It’s not better, it’s just different. It’s unique and in education it is missing. You’re needed here, you’re wanted here,” said Snow.

In 2000 the program was designated as a non-profit organization that Lee went to work for full-time. In 2006 the program merged with the National Center for Fathering. In 2008 they were approached by the National PTA to form a partnership. 2,649 schools in 42 states have all implemented the program. There are another 350 school in the process of implementing the program by the end of the year.

For men over the age of 18 that want to participate in the school there are several ways to sign up. One is to go in person and sign up in the office of a school that is participating in the program. Men can also call in to the school and register for the program. Participants can also go to volunteer

.com and register online.