Dads typically spend quality time with their sons during school sporting events or on hunting and camping trips.
But the Watch Dog program at Dolores Schools is getting dads to participate in the classroom as well.
“It’s really grown in the first two years,” said program coordinator Andy Bennetts. “We started out with 25 dads signed up, and last year we had 50 participants.”
After some training, dads sporting Watchdog T-shirts spend a day or more at the school helping out teachers and students, keeping an eye out for problems, and overseeing recesses.
Watchdog Dads are announced on the intercom in the morning, stand post for the drop off, and assist in the classroom such as reading to kids, or helping a student with a problem.
“It’s nothing too involved so we don’t scare them off,” Bennetts said. “The kids love it and there is a lot of high-fiving going on with the dads. The teachers appreciate the help and clamor to get them.”
Watchdogs is a national program that started after a school disaster in Alabama inspired dads to become more involved inside the school.
“The mission is for students to interact with a positive male role model, and also to have an extra set of eyes for school safety,” Bennetts said.
Superintendent Scott Cooper is a Watchdog Dad as well. He said it helped to better bond with his son who’s a student in Dolores.
“To have your dad show up in class makes the student proud, it makes it a special day, and gives dads a better perspective of what goes on in the classroom,” he said.
Parent Jake Huff also participates in the program each year.
“To take a day off from the daily grind and see the world through the eyes of a student is informative and fun,” he said. “You spend a lot of time throwing the football around, and you get a lunch.”
He was assigned to classes in three different grade levels throughout the day, an experience that gave him perspective on what goes on in the school.
“Seeing how my child interacts with his schoolmates and teachers was also a plus,” Huff said. “I recommend it. Take some time and spend the day in the shoes of a kid.”
The program is also open to uncles, grandparents, guardians, or male role models.
For more information about how to sign up contact Bennett at doloreswatchdogs@gmail.com Check out the Watchdog website at http://www.fathers.com/watchdogs/
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
