WatchDOGS school program brings in a few good dads
School forms WatchDOGS chapter to bring male role models into classes
Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School is hoping to bring fathers to the fore with a new program to foster bringing male role models into school.
“Bringing in a dad presence can have a long term effect, but also short term, I think that it will also minimize behavioral issues in the classroom and develop more positive role models in the classroom,” said Ellen Dobry, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy parent liaison.
Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy held a kickoff dinner for students and their fathers, or other male figures in their lives, to jump-start its new WatchDOGS program.
WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students) is a national father involvement initiative of the nonprofit National Center for Fathering, and chapters exist in 47 states and over 5,400 schools, according to its website (www.fathers.com).
Dobry said she learned of the program during a summer presentation at the U.S. Department of Education.
“The concept was so simple — it was just dads being dads for one day in our schools,” Dobry said.
Men are asked to volunteer at least one day a year in their child’s school, working and eating with students, helping monitor the playground, assisting during dismissal, and other activities, Dobry said.
“Just take off work for one day and come in, and they’ll be given a set schedule to follow. They’ll be not just shadowing their child, but going to different classrooms, they’ll go to lunch and recess with their child and their classmates,” Dobry said.
Dobry said the dads would be given a schedule to help out in various classrooms.
“You’ll never be with the students alone. You’re going to be with a teacher, maybe help with rotations, maybe play games with them or read a book. If you’re good with math, maybe we’ll put you to work,” Dobry told fathers. “We have a lot of things planned for you if you come in as a WatchDOG.”
Dobry said the purpose is to bring in positive role models to the school.
“We have such a great community, with a lot of wonderful dads, and I’ve been blessed with a great husband and a great dad, and I would love to take those wonderful dads and share them with our students here, who may not have the opportunity to have those positive male role models in their lives,” Dobr y said.
Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Principal William Miller said his children were excited the day he came to their school.
“I can tell you, one day makes a difference,” Miller told fathers. “It was the best day that they talked about … so if you can give a half day, a full day, it will be worth it, because we have a greater impact on our kids’ lives than we realize.”
Dobry pointed out that most of the staff at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy are female.
“We have very few males in our school,” Dobry said. “So we’re hoping we can bring more male role models into our school.”
In addition to a pizza dinner for fathers, male role models and students Thursday night, there were also family arts and crafts, superhero photos and activities for students while men learned about the WatchDOGS program and were invited to volunteer.
More than 100 fathers and other male role models registered to attend the event.
“It makes me excited that the dads want to come, they want to be involved, they want to help kids,” Dobry said.
Miller said the school was pleased by the degree of turnout for the kickoff.
“We were worried we weren’t going to have much of a turnout, but this is phenomenal,” Miller said.