About the WATCH D.O.G.S.® Program
WATCH D.O.G.S. ® (Dads Of Great Students) is an innovative father.png "Watch D.O.G.S. Logo - :Dads Of Great Students\"")
involvement, educational initiative of the National Center For Fathering. The primary goals of the WATCH D.O.G.S. ® program are to provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrate by their presence that education is important, and to provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.
Who can join WATCH D.O.G.S.® ?
Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures of RA students who volunteer for at least one day each school year. Registered WATCH D.O.G.S.® volunteers are approved helpers who, after going through appropriate background clearances, receive a WATCH D.O.G.S.® tee shirt which they wear when visiting the school to identify themselves as a member of this valuable team.
How WATCH D.O.G.S.® Can Help
On the day of their participation, WATCH D.O.G.S.® . are given a brief review of their involvement and they wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S.® T-shirt with a disposable ‘Dog Tag’ identifying them as Watch D.O.G.S.
WATCH D.O.G.S.® may
- Read and work on flash cards with students.
- Play at recess or eat lunch with students.
- Watch school entrances and monitor hallways.
- Check school doors and help in the cafeteria.
- Assist with traffic flow and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their own children, but other students as well.
Program History
WATCH D.O.G.S.® began in 1998 in a single school in Springdale, Arkansas and has since grown into a nationally recognized program that has brought hundreds of thousands of fathers and father figures into the school classrooms and hallways across the country, creating millions of hours of “in school” volunteer time and having a tremendously positive impact on the educational process.
Program Benefits
- Students gain positive male role models.
- Schools gain an extra set of eyes and ears. The presence of a father or father figure will provide an additional deterrent to bullying, enhance a sense of security in the building, and will help to create an environment conducive to learning.
- Fathers get a glimpse of their child’s everyday world and learn about the increasingly complex challenges and decisions today’s youth are facing. As a result, they can learn to relate better to students and hopefully connect with them.
- Fathers gain a greater awareness of the positive impact they can have on their student’s life in three critical areas including: academic performance, self-esteem, and social behavior.
- The Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers provide real and important help for the teachers and the students.
