WATCH D.O.G.S. ® (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educational initiative.

There are 2 primary goals of the WATCH D.O.G.S. ® program.

1. To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.

2. To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying. 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 students’ 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 their student 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, social behavior.

• Due to budget shortfalls and cutbacks, often teachers are presented with larger classrooms each year.  The WatchDOGS volunteers provide real and important help for the teachers and the students.

Who are WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students)?

WatchDOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. ® school. During the day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their own students, but other students as well. Many school principals have reported that the mere presence of a WatchDOG dramatically reduces reports of bullying. On the day of their participation, WatchDOGS 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 WatchDOGS.

Kicks Off WATCH D.O.G.S.®  
(Dads Of Great Students) Program

WHO:       Students, fathers, and father figures of Summerwood Elementary

WHAT:     A Dads and Kids’ Pizza Night celebration to launch a family and community engagement program called WATCH D.O.G.S.® (Dads Of Great Students). The WATCH D.O.G.S.® program was created by a group of parents and educators in a single school in 1998, and has since grown to one of the largest and most respected family and community engagement initiatives in the country. Each year thousands of schools across the country utilize the WATCH D.O.G.S. ®  program to reach out to the fathers and father-figures of their students and invite those men to take at least one full day off work during the school year and spend that entire day volunteering in their child’s school.

WHEN:     Thursday, January 13, @ 6:30pm

WHERE:  Summerwood Elementary Cafeteria   

WHY:      Studies by the U.S. Department of Education have demonstrated that a positive adult male role model will have a uniquely positive impact on the development and educational success of a child,

Each school year thousands of men volunteer to work at least one day in their child’s school through the WATCH D.O.G.S. ® program.  These men work alongside the educators to help as crossing guards, car/bus rider facilitators, hallway monitors, library assistants, lunchroom helpers, classroom and homework tutors and playground/gymnasium coaches.  The possibilities are endless.  Every school year these men have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids.

Program benefits

• Students gain a positive male role model. Some students do not have a father-figure present in their home and the number of male teachers has been steadily declining in recent years.  More positive male role models are needed in the school setting.

• Schools gain an extra set of eyes and ears. The presence of WatchDOGS (Dads Of Great Students) can increase a sense of security at the building for students and staff, and it helps create an environment conducive to learning.

• Fathers and father-figures can spend meaningful time with their students in the school setting and gain a greater awareness of the positive impact they can have on their student’s life, just by being a ‘dad’.

• When WatchDOGS invest a day at school, they can learn how better to partner with the school to meet the educational goals of students!

FOR MORE INFORMATION Call SWE @ 281-641-3000

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